Director

Natalia Rodriguez, PhD, MPH
Dr. Rodriguez is an Associate Professor at Purdue University in the Department of Public Health and the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. She earned BS degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology from M.I.T., a PhD. in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University, an M.P.H. from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and completed postdoctoral training in the Medical Devices Unit of the World Health Organization. In 2019, she started the Health TechQuity Lab, an interdisciplinary research group focused on the design and implementation of rapid diagnostic tests to address health disparities. By meaningfully engaging underserved communities in translational science, her lab employs participatory methodologies to increase adoption of technological innovation, empower community health workforces, and improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Dr. Rodriguez is the recipient of a career development award from the National Cancer Institute and the 2023 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award.

Staff

Lara Balian, MPH
Lara joined the lab in 2020 and currently serves as the Research Lab Manager, overseeing research across all lab projects. She earned her Masters in Public Health from UNC-Chapel Hill and has worked as a researcher and project manager in a variety of areas including cancer prevention, nutrition, and aging. Lara specializes in integrating evidence-based strategies in behavior change, design, technology, and communications to tailor public health interventions to community and individual needs.

Kalesia Smith
Kalesia is a Community Health Worker that joined The Center for Health Equity and Innovation (CHEqI) in 2023, serving in research with Hypertension patients at Gennesaret Free Clinic and the high school population at Purdue Polytechnical High School. She later joined HTQL, leading our efforts in women’s health with people experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis. Kalesia earned her CHW Certification with INCHWA in 2021.

Graduate Students

Mrithula Suresh Babu
Mrithula is a PhD student in public health in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Purdue University. Her research interests include reproductive epidemiology and health disparities. She joined the lab in August 2022 and is currently working on the cervical cancer screening project. Going forward in her career, she hopes to build upon her research to bridge the gaps in health care quality and delivery.

Xue (Tracy) Wang Case
Xue is a PhD student in the Department of Public Health at Purdue University. She holds a MBA and a MS degree in Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy. Before joining the lab in August 2023, Xue has been working for the pharmaceutical and medical device industry as a clinical program manager. Her research inspiration is to utilize her industry experience in combination with her research to promote health equity and create positive impact to the society.

Samantha Mata Robes
Samantha is a biomedical engineer from Mexico. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. She earned her degree at the University of Arizona where she did research on point-of-care diagnostic equipment for COVID-19, Lyme disease, and PFOA detection in wastewater. Her research interests include working towards egalitarian health care by developing high quality, affordable medical devices targeting underserved communities using human centered design.

María Isabel (Isa) Viteri Suárez
Isa is an Ecuadorian medical doctor with a strong background in Organizational Communications and Public Relations. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health at Purdue University, she joined the lab in August 2024 to contribute to a cervical cancer screening project. Isa is committed to improving health equity and reducing disparities in healthcare access. Her goal is to make a meaningful impact by promoting best practices and advocating for underserved communities within the medical field.

Rebecca (Becca) Ziolkowski
Rebecca is a trained CHW and a PhD student in Public Health at Purdue University. She began working for the lab in 2020 and transitioned from a frontline CHW role to leading research efforts focused on underserved populations, particularly those experiencing homelessness. She works closely with both lab researchers and partner organizations like LTHC Homeless Services and is currently involved in a project funded by a new NIH grant aimed at addressing cervical cancer disparities in homeless populations. Rebecca’s previous work for the lab was leading an onsite COVID-19 education intervention for people experiencing homelessness to assess changes in knowledge and attitudes on COVID rapid testing for a study that is part of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics- Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program. A Wayne State University Public Health graduate, Rebecca is dedicated to improving health outcomes through community engagement.

Undergraduate Students

Lauren Hopkins
Lauren is a second-year undergraduate student in biology. She joined the lab in January 2024 and is currently a part of the cervical cancer screening for people experiencing homelessness project. After graduation, Lauren hopes to attend medical school, receive an MD/MPH to work in women’s health, and advocate for health equity.

Valeria Menduza
Valeria Mendoza is the HTQL communications intern. A junior at Purdue, Valeria majoring in Food Science with a minor in Fermentation Sciences. Originally from Honduras, Valeria has a passion for health, cooking, science and creativity. Her favorite traditional Honduran dish is the baleada. At Purdue, Valeria actively combines her interests in nutrition and food production, focusing on how innovative fermentation techniques can enhance food quality and health benefits. Her studies also extend beyond the classroom as she engages in projects that allow her to apply her knowledge in practical settings, like her communications role at the HealthTechquity Lab, aiming to make an impact on community health and wellness through food science

Jessica Nwokeji
Jessica is a second-year undergraduate student in medical laboratory sciences. She joined the lab in the fall of 2024 with an interest in the human centered design of health technologies research. After graduating, she plans to use the information learned in the lab to address and minimize health inequities in different communities and populations.

Affiliates

Rebecca Martinez
Rebecca is a PhD student in anthropology interested in the application of social theory and methods to understand health as it is situated in culture, society, and people’s lived experiences. As an applied cultural/medical anthropologist, Rebecca joined the lab in August 2020, working on the COVID-19 and Homelessness project. Her MS thesis explored the menstrual health experiences of people experiencing homelessness. After she graduates, she hopes to continue working across disciplines on reproductive health policies, organizational needs, and design and innovation applications.

Alumni

Phd Alumni
MPH and Undergraduate Alumni
  • Alyssa Arreola (2022-23)
  • Jasmine (Phuong) Bui (2024)
  • Gavin Chiu (2024-25)
  • Ivon Natalia Gaitan (2025)
  • Maggie Hesler (2022)
  • Abigail Higgins (2022-24)
  • Anders Hovstadius (2021)
  • Ishita Kataki (2022-24)
  • Jillian Kelley (2022-24)
  • Francesca Kimera (2021-24)
  • Lexi Lahey (2020-21)
  • Justin MacNeill (2020-21)
  • Priscilla Manriquez (2023-24)
  • Darya Mansoori (2022)
  • Jordan Mick (2021)
  • Mallili Morvans (2021)
  • Chimdi Offodile (2022)
  • Elise Oquendo (2022)
  • Sathveka Sembian (2021-24)
  • Shreya Sridhar (2022-23)
  • Nina Elizabeth Teo (2020-21)
  • Cealia Tolliver (2021-24)
  • Andres Torres (2020-21)
  • Hope Young (2021)
  • Brooke Yorio (2023)