Samaah Sullivan

Dr. Samaah Sullivan is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She holds a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (LSUHSC, 2015), completed a T32 postdoctoral fellowship in cardiovascular epidemiology at Emory University (2018), and earned a Certificate in Clinical and Translational Medicine (Emory, 2020). Her research focuses on the biological embedding of psychosocial stress and social disadvantage, particularly in women, exploring sex differences in stress physiology and cardiovascular outcomes. She is a former K12 BIRCWH scholar and currently holds a K01 award from the NHLBI to study gonadal aging's role in stress-related pathways to cardiovascular disease in women.

Research interests include stress-induced cardiovascular mechanisms, inflammation, and how social determinants like neighborhood poverty and discrimination influence health outcomes. Her work emphasizes gender disparities and racial inequities in cardiovascular health, with a focus on mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia and inflammatory responses.

• Key Awards: K12 BIRCWH Scholar, K01 NHLBI Award
• Grants: NHLBI-funded K01 grant studying gonadal aging and stress physiology

Publications highlight themes such as sex differences in vascular stress responses, neighborhood social vulnerability's impact on psychological distress, and the role of everyday discrimination in cardiovascular risk. Her work bridges epidemiology, clinical medicine, and public health to address disparities in women's cardiovascular health.