Dr. Shiryn D. Sukhram is an assistant professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Biology. Dr. Sukhram is also a faculty member of the PreMedical Advisory Committee. She is actively engaged in a wide range of research activities related to the health of populations that directly impacts local, state, national and international communities. Her public health research aims to understand the influence of factors that determine population health and propose interventions and health policies based on scientific knowledge and evidence. Her experience and interests are in research that identifies disparities and mechanisms to improve the health and wellbeing of underrepresented, predominantly Caribbean and low-income adults who engage in externalizing behaviors and/or substance use. She also serves as co-investigator on several additional projects investigating novel risk factors for major depressive disorders among immigrant populations. Dr. Sukhram teaches courses regarding applied public health research methods, including; general virology, public health nutrition, and principles of epidemiology.
Degrees
Ph.D. in Public Health, Florida International University
Master of Public Health (MPH), Florida International University
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
- Shaban, L.H., Vaccaro, J.A., Sukhram, S.D., & Huffman, F.G. (2018). Do mothers affect daughter’s behaviors? Diet, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors in Kuwaiti mother–daughter dyads. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 57(2), 109-123.
- Shaban, L.H., Vaccaro, J.A., Sukhram, S.D., & Huffman, F.G. (2017). Corrigendum to "Perceived Body Image, Eating Behavior, and Sedentary Activities and Body Mass Index Categories in Kuwaiti Female Adolescents". International Journal of Pediatrics, 2017, 3187290.
- Shaban, L.H., Vaccaro, J.A., Sukhram, S.D., & Huffman, F.G. (2016). Perceived body image, eating behavior, sedentary activities and obesity in Kuwaiti female adolescents. International Journal of Pediatrics, 2016, 1092819.
- Huffman, F.G., Vaccaro, J.A., Rowe, T.M., Zarini, G.G., Sukhram, S.D, Shaban, L.H., & Himburg, S. (2014). Obesity Indicators and C-reactive Protein in African and Haitian Americans with and without Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Nutrition Disorder & Therapy, 4, 145.
- Sukhram, S.D., Zarini, G., Shaban, L.H., Vacarro, J.A., & Huffman, F.G. (2014). Obesity and serum high sensitivity Creactive protein levels among Turkish immigrants in The Netherlands with type 2 diabetes. Ageing International, 39(1), 68-80. *First available online: 26 July 2012.
- Shaban, L.H., Zarini, G.G., Exebio, J.C., Sukhram, S.D., & Huffman, F.G. (2012). Serum vitamin D insufficiency and diabetes status in three ethnic minority groups. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 14(6), 926-932.
Research
Dr. Sukhram’s research focuses on chronic disease risk factor epidemiology with specific emphasis on
1. psychosocial risk factors (social support, depression, suicide, intimate partner violence, and sleep disorders);
2. health-related risk behaviors (dietary intake, smoking, alcohol intake, drug use, and physical activity); and
3. sociodemographic, social, and structural factors (income, education, family situation, employment, incarceration, housing security, access to healthcare, neighborhood safety/income/resources). Dr. Sukhram is involved in several collaborative projects with CUNY faculty. Students who join Dr. Sukhram’s research team will learn how to identify and describe public health problems, formulate research hypotheses, select appropriate research study designs, manage and analyze epidemiologic data, interpret and apply results in preventing and controlling disease and health-related events.
Courses Taught
Undergraduate
- BIO 106 – Principles of Biology I
- BIO 107 – Principles of Biology I Laboratory
- BIO 146 – Nutrition
- BIO 170 – General Biology I
- BIO 171 – General Biology I Laboratory
- BIO 346 – General Virology
- BIO 442 – Immunology Laboratory
- BIO 59X – Biology Independent/Thesis Research
Graduate
- BIO 535 – Public Health Nutrition
- BIO 771 – Principles of Epidemiology
- BIO 799 – Independent/Thesis Research
- BIO 89X – Biology Independent Study
Lectures & Research Presented
- Sukhram, S.D. (2016, November). The role of vitamin D in acute kidney injury. Invited lecture presented at the Tzu Chi University, Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Hualien, Taiwan.
- Sukhram, S.D. (2016, November). The role of vitamin D in acute kidney injury. Invited lecture presented at the National Dong Hwa University, Department of Life Science and Institute of Biotechnology, Hualien, Taiwan.
Conferences & Symposia (*CSI Students)
- Sukhram, S.D., El-Charabaty, E., Fata, J., & El- Sayegh, S. (2017, April). Association of Vitamin D and Smoking in Acute Kidney Injury. Poster presented at Experimental Biology, Chicago, Illinois.
- Sukhram, S.D. (2016, November). Vitamin D as a diagnostic biomarker in patients with hospital acquired acute kidney injury. Co-Chair for Sym 402: Nutritional and Personalized Nutrition and Paper presented at the 2016 World Congress of Food and Nutrition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
- *Soliman, M., *Koyfman, R., Faculty Mentor: Sukhram, S.D. (2016, April). Potential Biomarkers in Suicidal Behavior. Poster presented at CSI Undergraduate Conference on Research, Scholarship, and Performance, Staten Island, New York.
- *Raiola, R., Faculty Mentor: Sukhram, S.D. (2015, April). Anthropometric measures of obesity and insulin resistance in Turkish patients with type 2 diabetes. Poster presented at CSI Undergraduate Conference on Research, Scholarship, and Performance, Staten Island, New York.
- Sukhram, S.D., Moore, C., *Raiola, R., & Huffman, F.G. (2015, March). Anthropometric measures of obesity and insulin resistance in Turkish patients with type 2 diabetes. Poster presented at Experimental Biology, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Sukhram, S.D., Shaban, L.H., & Huffman, F.G. (2014, April). Environmental influences on cardiovascular risk factors among Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands with type 2 diabetes. Poster presented at Experimental Biology, San Diego, California.
- Sukhram, S.D., Zarini, G., Shaban, L.H., & Huffman, F.G. (2013, April). Microalbuminuria and hypertension among Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands with type 2 diabetes. Poster presented at Experimental Biology, Boston, Massachusetts.
Refereed Proceedings
- Fisher, S.K., Sukhram, S.D., & Blau, G.M. (2007). Special Topic Discussion: Addressing suicide issues in systems of care. Proceedings of the 19th Annual Research Conference: A System of Care for Children’s Mental Health — Expanding the Research Base. The Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health, 349-352.
- Sukhram, S.D., et al. (2006). Consensus Panel Report: The Development of the Children’s Mental Health Implementation Resource Kit: Evidence-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Disruptive Behavior Disorders. National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) Research Institute (NRI).
