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Melody K. Schiaffino, PhD, MPH
Melody K. Schiaffino, PhD, MPH
(she/her/ella)
Principal Investigator
Health Services Researcher
AI & Health Equity Advocate
Associate Professor, Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences
Core Member, Center for Health Equity, Education, Research (CHEER)
UC San Diego School of Medicine, UCSD
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
Adjunct Associate Professor, Computational Science Research Center (CSRC),
San Diego State University, SDSU
Dr. Melody K. Schiaffino is a health services researcher and associate professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, specializing in health care delivery systems, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and health equity. Her work focuses on improving cancer care delivery for diverse older adults, particularly those who have limited English proficiency, are foreign-born or are living in rural areas, by leveraging advanced data science methodologies, informatics, and implementation science.
Dr. Schiaffino holds a PhD in Health Services Research from the University of Florida, an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of South Florida, and BAs in Interdisciplinary Studies and Spanish from the University of Missouri. She has received extensive postdoctoral training, including fellowships at the NIH-NHLBI PRIDE Program at UCSF in the Research in Implementation Science and Equity (RISE) program, and is an NIA Butler-Williams Scholar.
With over a decade of experience in translational cancer research and health disparities, Dr. Schiaffino has led and collaborated on numerous federally funded projects. She currently serves as Principal Investigator on NIH-funded research advancing detection of screening eligible populations and AI applications among older adults with lung cancer. Her work has been widely published in high-impact journals, and she has contributed to clinical guidelines, including those for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Dr. Schiaffino has presented at national and international conferences, including ASCO, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), and the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG). Her contributions to the field have earned her prestigious awards, including the Rising Star Award from the American Geriatrics Society.
Beyond research, she is a mentor and advocate for inclusive excellence in academia, serving on multiple state and national advisory boards and review panels. Dr. Schiaffino’s expertise and dedication to bridging AI, health equity, and cancer care continue to shape the future of healthcare innovation.
Active Members
Active Members
Sophie Chang, BA (she/her)
Sophie Chang, BA (she/her)
BA in Biological Sciences at Northwestern University
Pursing Medical Degree at UC San Diego School of Medicine
Sophie completed her undergrad at Northwestern University and is now a medical student at UC San Diego. She’s interested in bioinformatics and machine learning research and is currently involved with the GeriOnc and ADRD projects.
Dinesh Karthikeyan, BS
Dinesh Karthikeyan, BS
BA in Computer Science And Engineering at PSG College of Technology
Pursing MS in Data Science at UC San Diego
Dinesh Karthikeyan is a Master’s in Data Science student at UC San Diego, blending his technical expertise in scalable data systems and NLP with a passion for improving healthcare outcomes. At the UCSD Health RMAS lab, Dinesh focuses on advancing geriatric oncology research through NLP-driven analysis of clinical data, aiming to uncover actionable insights for elderly cancer care. With prior experience building statistical models and data pipelines at Qualcomm and AMD, he brings a strong foundation in ETL workflows, machine learning, and cross-functional collaboration to bridge data science innovation with real-world healthcare challenges. His research interests center on ethical AI applications in medicine, particularly in optimizing patient-centric decision-making.
Van (Vannie) Nguyen, BA (she/her/hers)
Van (Vannie) Nguyen, BA (she/her/hers)
BA in Interdisciplinary Studies - Biology, Psychology, and Public Health at San Diego State University
Pursing MS in Health Data Science at Dartmorth College, Fall 2025
Being an immigrant and first-gen college student has given Van (Vannie) Nguyen an immense asset to not only navigate through cultural, language, and academic adversities, but also appreciate the communities she had had a chance to be part of and encounter with.
Throughout her college career, Vannie has had extensive experiences working with K-12 and college students from disadvantaged and marginalized communities to provide them with a variety of college-navigating resources relating to college enrollment, career exploration, and college persistence. She possesses first-hand knowledge of student outreach and engagement as she understands the significance of creating a sense of belonging for students when connecting them to resources on campus and higher education opportunities. Additionally, as a public health research assistant, Vannie has 3 years of experience in managing research data entry, recruiting, and conducting research interviews. Being part of the Legacy Speaker Study, She is responsible for conducting qualitative data analysis to identify facilitators and barriers experienced by bilingual researchers and healthcare workers when using non-English languages in the healthcare, clinical, and public health settings. The goal of the study is to develop a culturally and linguistically appropriate training program that can help research assistants enhance their language skills and ability to work with language diverse populations, improving the inclusion of Limited English Proficient (LEP) population in future research and clinical trials.
Jonathan (Jon) Phan
Jonathan (Jon) Phan
Currently pursuing BS in Statistics - Data Science at San Diego State University
Jonathan (Jon) Phan is a third-year Statistics and Data Science major at San Diego State University, minoring in Computer Science. Born and raised in San Diego, Jon has deep roots in his community and a strong commitment to addressing healthcare challenges through data-driven solutions. His passion for leveraging statistical and computational methods to drive meaningful change in patient care is reflected in his current work. Jon is actively involved in multiple lab projects—FCC Project, ADRD LEP, and the GeriOnc studies (1 & 2)—all of which aim to generate impactful insights for the healthcare field.
Le Reh
Le Reh
Currently pursing BS in Public Health: Biostatistics - Data Science at UC San Diego
Le Reh is a 3rd year undergrad currently working on a project analyzing Alzheimer's disease and dementia between different levels of English Literacy and LEP. Le has experience working with HPV and COVID. Their interests include biomedical data science, health informatics, and the intersection of medicine and data-driven technology. Le is passionate about exploring how data can inform healthcare decisions and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
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