Faculty Research

Archana J. McEligot, Ph.D.

Dr. McEligot’s primary research interests include examination of the association between dietary intake and cancer control and prevention. Specifically, Dr. McEligot has assessed the influence of dietary intakes on breast cancer outcomes, as well as the role of nutrition in health disparities. She is also interested in assessing the relationship between dietary circulating biomarkers in blood such as folate and carotenoids in conjunction with genetic polymorphisms on cancer risk. Dr. McEligot is passionate about her research.  She is the first awardee at CSUF to receive the prestigious National Cancer Institutes Career Development Award investigating the interaction between DNA repair genes and diet on breast cancer risk.  The findings of this study will help further explore not only diet, but also the role of diet and genes on breast cancer risk and survival. Dr. McEligot is the recipient of an NIH career development award and awardee of several intramural grants addressing dietary intakes and lifestyle behaviors, including BMI in underserved and at-risk populations. Her research also focuses on gene by diet interactions, specifically DNA repair genes and MTHFR polymorphic variants in relation to survival after breast cancer diagnosis. Dr. McEligot has also been co-investigator on several studies, including a hereditary breast cancer study, and studies assessing health among Pacific Islanders.

Recent publications:

• McEligot, A. J., McMullin, J., Pang, K., Bone, M., Winston, S., Ngewa, R., Tanjasiri, S.(under review). Macro and micronutrient intakes and cultural health behaviors in Native Hawaiians in Southern California. Hawai'i Medical Journal.
• McEligot, A. J., Ziogas, A., Pfeiffer, C. M., Fazili, Z., Anton-Culver, H.(under review at CDC internal offices for submission). The association between circulating total folate and folate vitamers with overall survival after breast cancer diagnosis. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention.
• McEligot, A. J., Ziogas, A., Pfeiffer, C. M., Fazili, Z., Anton-Culver, H.(In preparation).Folate and DNA repair gene interactions on breast cancer outcomes.Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention.

Erualdo González, Ph.D.

Dr. González’ research is at the nexus of city and community planning for (re)development and health policy changes in underserved areas. Specifically, he examines New Urbanism policy and practice in Mexican and working class immigrant urban centers, grassroots coalition social change models (focusing on participatory action research), the role of “healthy communities” projects on local urban planning policy change, and Latino immigrant participation in local planning decision-making. Dr. González’ also has approximately fifteen years of evaluation, strategic planning, and participatory action research experience with healthy communities initiatives and related projects.

Recent publications:

• González, R. E. (forthcoming, 2011). Is it just about culture? The new urbanism vs. Latino new urbanism debate. Journal of Urbanism.
• González, R. E. & Lejano, P. R. (2009). New urbanism and the barrio. Environment and Planning A, 41(12), 2946-2963.
• González, R. E., Lejano, P. R., Vidales, L., Conner, F. R., Kidokoro, Y., Fazeli, B., & Cabrales, R. (2007). Participatory action research for environmental health: Encountering Freire in the urban barrio. Journal of Urban Affairs, 29(1), 77-100.

Laura Chandler, Dr. PH., MPH

Dr. Laura Chandler’s research interests include adolescent and college health issue. She is particularly interested in the role fitness assessments play in motivation for physical activity.

Natalie Tran, Ph.D.

Dr. Tran's research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of curriculum and programs related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and examining factors that affect students’ learning experiences both in the classroom and out-of-school settings.These areas align with her research interest in evaluation of policies and programs aimed at improving the learning outcomes of students from diverse social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.Her methodological research interests include hierarchical linear modeling, experimental design, quasi-experimental design, and survey studies.

Recent publications:

• Nathan, M. J., Atwood, A. K., Prevost, A., Phelps, L. A., & Tran, N. A. (2011). How professional development in Project Lead the Way changes high school STEM teachers’ beliefs about engineering education. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research, 1(1), 15-29.