Waridibo Allison, MD, PhD
Program Director
Dr. Wari Allison is a physician-scientist, an Assistant Professor of Infectious Disease at UT Health San Antonio, Director of both the UT Health San Antonio ECHO and South Central AIDS Education Training Center programs and Medical Director at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. Dr. Allison believes health care is a human right and her work focuses on improving access to health care for underserved, marginalized populations by combating disease specific, racial, cultural, gender-based, geographical and economical barriers to health care access. She is the principal investigator and program director of two multi-million-dollar US federal Health Resources and Services Administration funded projects; a ‘special project of national significance’ for “Curing Hepatitis C among People of Color Living with HIV” and a project to establish a national Rural Telementoring Training Center.
Trisha Melhado, MPH
Senior Research Scientist/Epidemiologist
Ms. Trisha Melhado is the Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Infectious Diseases. Ms. Melhado has experience with all aspects of the research process with an emphasis on study methodology and statistical analysis. She has collaborated with faculty from multiple institutions to implement numerous state and federally funded projects.
James Bridges, BS
Database Manager
James Bridges has worked in data management for over 34 years. Mr. Bridges built and currently manages the observational database on REDCap. Mr. Bridges has also been involved in innovative ways of utilizing REDCap for the UT Health San Antonio ECHO program.
Shreya Prasanna, BPTh., MSc.
Research Associate
Shreya Prasanna is a research associate in the Department of Infectious Diseases. Ms. Prasanna has experience in several research projects across multiple health conditions such as HIV/HCV, fibromyalgia, arthritis and autism. Her research interests include evidence-based practice, community-based research, implementation sciences and healthcare access issues.
Maria Chacko, BS, DDS
Research Assistant
Maria Chacko is a research assistant in the Department of Infectious Diseases. Maria graduated from Calvin College with a Bachelor of Science. She then earned her Dental Surgery degree (BDS) from Ambedkar Dental college and hospital in Bangalore, India. While practicing as a dentist in India, Maria was involved in community health programs that inspired her to improve health care provisions for people living in rural areas.
