The Rath Lab @ UTMB

Welcome to the

Rath Psychiatry Research Lab

We are a collaborative research lab made up of students and faculty in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston.

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Meet Our

Researchers

We are a lab open to anyone - regardless of past experience. Our faculty advisor is Dr. Navin Oorjitham, Associate Professor at UTMB. The lab is run by a small group of student leadership (meet them below!), but anyone is welcome to join and gain leadership experience by coordinating their own projects!

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Navin Oorjitham, MD

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Oorjitham completed his undergrad at The University of Texas San Antonio and his medical education and residency at UTMB, where he now maintains an Associate Professorship. He was drawn to psychiatry and its opportunities to connect, hear patient stories, and helping to improve their lives. In his spare time, he enjoys running, working out, playing video games, and making music.

Vivian Lee, MA, LPC

Logistics Director

Vivian is a therapist-turned-med-student (plus some other careers before that) who is drawn to psychiatry due to its equal emphasis on both physical and mental/emotional health. When she's not engaged in all things psych, Vivian enjoys dancing and figuring out how to optimize her productivity ;) She holds an M.A. in Counseling from Texas State University and a B.S. in Economics & Management from MIT.

Evan Hassan

Membership Director

Evan Hassan attended the University of Texas at Austin where he attained a Bachelor's of Science and Arts in Chemistry along with a Minor in Business. He worked as a scribe in his gap year before matriculating to UTMB. In addition to managing recruitment and membership for RATH Lab, Evan enjoys his free time playing piano, cooking, and gaming.

Christine Huynh

Financial Director

Christine Huynh has a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin. Her interests/hobbies include cooking, baking, scrapbooking, and video editing. Christine is interested in psychiatry because she enjoys listening to the stories of others and having the opportunity to help improve their quality of life.

about our

Research

As a research group, our interests are diverse and span translational research, epidemiology and public health research, medical education, treatment efficacy, sociocultural considerations, and more. We explore a wide variety of research questions that have implications for patients, students, trainees, and practicing physicians alike. Join one of our projects or propose your own!

Below, you can find details about some of our featured current projects (not a comprehensive list!)

Major Depressive Disorder in Medical Students

This project initially used a dataset from the Healthy Minds Study to explore formal diagnosis, PHQ-9 scores, and treatment seeking behaviors amongst Asian-American graduate students. We are in the process of expanding these findings to medical students through a mixed methods study.

Mental Health Best Practices for Unhoused Populations

This project is conducting an assessment amongst the unhoused population in Galveston and local physicians to identify areas of need, improvement, and opportunities in psychiatric treatment. The ultimate goal is to create a street psychiatry program at UTMB.

Studies in Dermatology and Psychiatry

Led by Inchara Raj. This project investigates the co-morbidities of dermatological conditions and psychiatric disorders (e.g. hair loss in eating disorder patients; acne in substance use disorder patients) through comprehensive analysis of MMPI scores.

Eating Disorder Training for Primary Care Physicians

Led by Vivian Lee. This project aims to identify medical trainees' level of comfort in treating patients with eating disorders, with emphasis on primary care physicians. Using findings from focus groups and surveys, workshops and trainings will be developed.

Cultural Considerations in ED Treatment

This project investigates the use of culture in psychiatric treatment, particularly in eating disorder treatment. Using qualitative data gathered from detailed interviews and surveys, we are conducting thematic analyses to identify recommendations for providers.

Food Selectivity Patterns in ARFID Patients

Led by Vivian Lee. This project will utilize the MGH-proposed three dimensional model of ARFID symptomatology (perception, negative valence, arousal) to identify food selectivity patterns that arise in ARFID patients.

Come meet us at our

Upcoming Events

We regularly present our research at conferences, invited talks, grand rounds, and other venues. Please come meet us and learn about our research!

• See All Pubs & Presentations

December

9

2024

Allies in Health LGBTQ+ Research Symposium

(Galveston, TX) - We will be presenting several research posters on cultural considerations in eating disorders treatment, eating disorder prevalence in sexual & gender minority (SGM) undergraduate students, and barriers to care in SGM students with anxiety disorder

Attendees:
Vedant Agrawal
Jesus Balderas
Kassianna Elizondo
Neyva Gonzalez
Samuel Kang
Niam Kuttanna

May

17-21

2025

APA Annual Meeting

(Los Angeles, CA) - We will be presenting several research posters on cultural considerations in eating disorders treatment, depression in medical and undergraduate students, and how stigma affects mental health access in higher education

Attendees:
Vedant Agrawal
Evan Hassan
Vivian Lee

Interested in research?

Join the Lab

We are always looking for dedicated, curious students to help out with research! If you are interested, please complete the following form. You will be contacted by our Membership Director within 1-2 weeks to schedule an intake interview.

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Amr Ahmed
class of 2027

[bio coming soon!]

Kurtis Alfafara
class of 2028

Kurtis is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. degree in Medical Laboratory Science. He continued his education at Austin State Hospital to receive his MLS(ASCP) certification for laboratory diagnostics. Kurtis then worked as an ED scribe for 2 years before matriculating to the JSSOM. Outside of medicine, he enjoys working with computers, long walks, gym, and gaming.

Isiah Arambula
class of 2027

Isiah Arambula is from the San Antonio area and received his bachelor's degree in psychology from The University of Texas at San Antonio. He is interested in psychiatry as he is intrigued by the combination of biology, psychology, and social sciences effects on mental health. His hobbies outside of medicine include hiking with his pet husky, gaming, and writing poetry.

Jesus Balderas
class of 2027

Jesus Balderas graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science and Arts in Biochemistry and Chemistry. Outside of medicine, he enjoys hiking, photography, trying new food spots, and generally exploring all around southeast Texas.

Pierce Bassett
class of 2027

Pierce Bassett hails from Utah and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University. His interests include hiking, camping, soccer, traveling with his wife, and walks with his golden retriever.

Samuel Chang
class of 2027

Samuel Chang holds a B.S. in Biology with Honors from The University of Texas at Dallas. His research interests lie in the intersection between mental health, social determinants of health, and behavioral motivations. Outside of lab and classes, he enjoys watching anime and cooking up a storm that could feed a village!

Carrie Chen
class of 2025

[bio coming soon!]

Justin Edwards
class of 2027

Justin is from Houston, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin where he received a Bachelor's of Science and Arts in Biology with a Minor in Health Communications. In his free time he enjoys board games, reading, and video games.

Linda Etufugh
class of 2027

Linda Etufugh has a BSc in Biology with a minor in psychology and a Masters in Global Health with a Global Surgery concentration. Linda is a travel enthusiast that strives to combine her love for medicine with exploring the world. Her fascination with travel is connected to her interest in psych because she realized the power of connecting with people all across the globe and wants a better understanding of the intersection between culture and human behavior.

Zoë Fowler
class of 2028

Zoë Fowler has a Bachelor’s of Science and Arts in Human Development and Family Sciences with a concentration in DEI Studies. She is interested in psychiatry to help improve the quality of life of the community and how mental health intersects with other aspects of medicine. In her free time, Zoë enjoys spending time outside, good food, and art.

Laura Grace Geddie
class of 2028

Laura Grace Geddie graduated in 2024 with a B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in Spanish from the University of Dallas. She is pursuing a dual MD/MPH and Global Health Concentration at UTMB. She is interested in improving holistic community health through multidisciplinary approaches with emphasis on substance abuse and housing status. Through her research, Gracie aims to generate an evidence-based understanding of the challenges facing underserved populations and sustainable solutions. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, traveling, visiting museums, and cooking.

Evan Hassan
Membership Director
class of 2027

Evan Hassan attended the University of Texas at Austin where he attained a Bachelor's of Science and Arts in Chemistry along with a Minor in Business. He worked as a scribe in his gap year before matriculating to UTMB. In addition to managing recruitment and membership for RATH Lab, Evan enjoys his free time as an MS1 playing piano, cooking, and gaming.

Akash Hemanth
class of 2028

Akash Hemanth graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BS in Biochemistry and from Duke University with an MS in Biomedical Sciences. He is interested in psychiatry because he wants to improve the mental well-being of people around him through scientific means. Outside of medicine, he enjoys picking up new skills, ranging from sports to music.

Christine Huynh
Financial Director
class of 2027

Christine Huynh is from Houston, Texas. She has a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin. Her interests/hobbies include cooking, baking, scrapbooking, and video editing. Christine is interested in psychiatry because she enjoys listening to the stories of others and having the opportunity to help improve their quality of life. She admires the meaningful patient-physician relationships based on trust that define psychiatry, and the opportunities and importance of connecting with patients to create a safe space for them.

Rukky Inikori
class of 2027

Hailing from Katy, TX, Rukky Inikori pursued his academic journey at Baylor University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology alongside a minor in Business Administration. He furthered his education at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth where he earned a Master of Science in Biomedical Science. Before embarking on his medical school journey, Rukky gained valuable experience working as a medical scribe in a pediatric ER and as a private home tutor. His fascination with psychiatry blossomed from personal encounters with various disorders, coupled with an understanding of how perceptions of the field can significantly impact health outcomes.

Niam Kuttanna
class of 2027

Niam is a former denizen of Austin, Texas interested in the integration of psychology with primary care. Alongside his fascination with psychology, Niam enjoys teaching, crafting, music, volleyball, and baking. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's of Science and Arts in Biochemistry and minor in Psychology.

Vivian Lee
Logistics Director
class of 2027

Vivian is a therapist-turned-med-student (plus some other careers before that) who is drawn to psychiatry due to its equal emphasis on both physical and mental/emotional health. When she's not engaged in all things psych, Vivian enjoys dancing and figuring out how to optimize her productivity ;) She holds an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Texas State University and a B.S. in Economics & Management from MIT.

Henry Lyons
class of 2026

Henry Lyons grew up in sunny Phoenix, Arizona, but has called Texas home for the past 8 years. He graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and spent a year working as a medical assistant in pain management and addiction recovery before starting medical school. Henry is interested in preventative measures for psychiatric diseases and neuromodulation. In his free time, he enjoys working out, golfing, and listening to music.

Brianne Leovalles
class of 2027

Brianne Leovalles is interested in community mental health, child & adolescent psychiatry, and all things related to cognition, especially language acquisition. Through her research, Brianne hopes to apply intersectional approaches to better understand the unique challenges that underserved populations face within their social contexts and how to improve access to culturally competent care.

Moosa Malik
class of 2027

Moosa Malik is a local from Houston, Texas who attended The University of Texas at Austin. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience on a Scholarly Research Track with Honors. When he’s outside of school, you’ll find Moosa in local coffee shops, wandering through museums, or trying new restaurants! His hobbies include traveling, philosophy, writing, and spending quality time with family and friends. Moosa’s interest in psychiatry comes from working in an Addition Research Lab, experiences with adults who have intellectual disabilities, and work in the Substance Abuse Clinic here on the Island. He wants to incorporate psychiatry-based interventions for global health work involving refugees, migrants, and vulnerable populations, and share their stories.

Sydney McDaniel
class of 2027

Sydney received a BSA in Biology with a Certificate in Spanish for Healthcare Professions from the University of Texas at Austin. She is interested in the multidisciplinary nature of psychiatry, especially its role in oncology. She loves wake-surfing, yoga, creating recipes, and fashion!

Lily Nguyen
class of 2025

Lily Nguyen is from Houston, Texas. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Her interests/hobbies include playing tennis, cooking, traveling, arts and crafts, trying new restaurants, and playing with her dog.

Alfredo Palacios
class of 2027

[bio coming soon]

Janak Patel
class of 2028

Janak Patel received his Public Health degree from Baylor University. He spent his gap years at the American Heart Association, serving community health centers to improve hypertension management. His time working within communities motivated his interest in psychiatry. In his free time, you’ll probably find him on the tennis court, strategizing his next fantasy football win, or getting lost in a great book.

Inchara Raj
class of 2027

Inchara got her BA in History from Indiana University. She also has a Masters in Medical Sciences from Mississippi College. Inchara enjoys innovative, interdisciplinary research that helps treat patients across various specialities and helps promote collaboration. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, art, and being outdoors.

Aymun Razzak
class of 2026

Aymun Razzak is from Dallas TX and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from UT Dallas. She has always had a passion for listening to stories and medicine and fell in love with psychiatry. In her free time, you can catch her listening to a true crime podcast, baking, thrifting, collecting vinyl’s and spending time with her cat Draco.

Dotty Santiago
class of 2027

Dotty Santiago is a former educator who chose to pursue medicine after the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine restrictions were put in place; his goal is to serve the community in a more active role. In his free time, Dotty enjoys researching obscure topics for random facts, writing, keeping up with current events & activism, and traveling. He believes that psychiatry affects most, if not all, aspects of health and places emphasis on how it can be improved to provide better health outcomes for patients and the community alike.

Hannah Stokan
class of 2027

Hannah Stokan graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science and Arts in Health Science Studies, along with a minor in Biochemistry. She is passionate about pursuing a career in child and adolescent psychiatry or pediatric neurology. Outside of medicine, she enjoys riding horses, sewing, and cooking.

Annie Tao
class of 2027

[bio coming soon!]

Davis Varghese
class of 2028

Davis Varghese is a Houston local who earned his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Texas A&M University. He worked as a Registered Behavioral Technician during his gap year before matriculating into UTMB. Davis is deeply fascinated with depth psychology (the study of the unconscious mind). He firmly believes that deep, sustained changes demand a deep understanding of the self, and therefore, he is committed to helping everyone on their path to individuation through an integrated model of psychiatry. In his free time, Davis enjoys martial arts, reading, writing, working out, cooking, being outdoors, and fishing.

Akshaya Venkatesh
class of 2030 (MD-PhD)

Originally from Los Angeles, CA, Akshaya Venkatesh came to Houston 6 years ago and earned her Bachelors of Arts in Cognitive Sciences and a Masters of Science in Biosciences and Health Policy from Rice University. She is currently pursuing an MD-PhD Dual Degree at UTMB and is interested in neurodevelopment, child psychiatry and pediatrics. She enjoys traveling, finding good coffee shops, playing the NYTimes Games and crocheting.