Sheel Singh

Sheel Singh is a PhD student in the Rehabilitation Sciences program at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, affiliated with the Cancer Rehabilitation (CaRe) Lab within the School of Health & Rehab Sciences. She works under the mentorship of Dr. Kathleen Lyons on research focused on return-to-work interventions to optimize employment outcomes among cancer survivors, with a commitment to community-based participatory research approaches that translate knowledge into policy and practice.

Her educational background includes:

• BS in Biological Anthropology from The George Washington University
• MA in Medical Anthropology from The George Washington University

As a medical anthropologist by training, Ms. Singh's research spans cancer rehabilitation, medical anthropology, and translational research with particular expertise in culturally responsive communication regarding healthcare interventions. Her work bridges anthropological insights with clinical rehabilitation, addressing health disparities through community-engaged approaches. She has substantial experience in human subjects research, managing federally funded programs including a T32 postdoctoral program for primary care researchers, and supporting multicenter clinical trials focused on mTBI and concussive injuries.

Her publication portfolio demonstrates interdisciplinary reach across anthropology, neuroscience, and rehabilitation medicine, with recent work examining DEIJ values in research training, primate brain structure, and mild traumatic brain injury subtypes. These publications reflect her commitment to addressing health disparities through rigorous, community-informed research.

Ms. Singh has received significant recognition for her academic work:

• Jane B. Hart Award for Outstanding Thesis in Biological Anthropology
• GW Sigelman Undergraduate Research Enhancement Award
• GW Luther Rice Undergraduate Research Fellowship

She has presented her research at major national conferences including the Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting and the American Association of Physical Anthropologists meeting, demonstrating her ability to communicate across disciplinary boundaries. Her current work managing educational interventions for culturally responsive communication regarding COVID-19 vaccination and HIV screening highlights her practical application of research to pressing public health challenges.

As a member of the Cancer Rehabilitation Lab, Ms. Singh collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop evidence-based interventions that address the critical gap in cancer survivorship care related to employment outcomes, contributing valuable anthropological perspectives to clinical rehabilitation science.