Global Health Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program

The Global Health Emerging Scholars (GHES) Program is part of the NIH Fogarty Global Health Programs for Fellows and Scholars.

*Applications for the 2025-2026 fellowship year are closed*

The Global Health Emerging Scholars (GHES) program is a 12-month mentored global health research training fellowship program. The GHES program was established in 2012 and is comprised of four US partner institutions – Yale University, the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, and the University of Arizona – that together have collaborations in 17 LMICs representing Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Oceania.

The program is designed for pre- and post-doctoral trainees from the U.S. and post-doctoral trainees from collaborating LMICs who are dedicated to pursuing a career in global health and want to gain a solid scientific research foundation in a collaborative environment to develop into productive, independent researchers in global health. GHES offers hand-on opportunities to conduct research projects relevant to the health priorities of stakeholders and partners at established medical and research institutions and project sites in collaborating LMICs while being mentored by dedicated experts.

GHES is one of seven consortia funded by the Launching Future Leaders in Global Health (LAUNCH) training initiative. The program is sponsored by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) and several collaborating Institutes and Centers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Mission

The mission of the GHES program is to train new communities of researchers, educators, and professionals who are prepared to address emerging global health challenges. The program has historically focused on health challenges that arise from rapid urbanization and social disparities prevalent in the world’s growing informal settlements, commonly known as slums. Rather than address one disease at a time, our program uses a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and integrated approach to training and research to tackle the complex health issues common in these settings. We encourage research on the challenges of delivering accessible and high-quality healthcare within resource-limited settings and research on interventions that promote the effective management of scarce resources and innovative solutions to improving health services. Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, HIV/STIs and other infectious diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, intentional and unintentional injuries, trauma, and mental health are additional areas of research that are supported under this program.

Questions? Please contact: Purnima Madhivanan, Program PI (pmadhivanan@arizona.edu); Roxanna Apaez, Program Manager (rapaez@arizona.edu)

University of Arizona 2024-2025 Program Fellows

PREDOCTORAL STUDENT SCHOLARS

Hector J. Peguero, MPH, MS

Fellowship Site: Public Health Research Institute of India
Research: Indian physicians’ experiences working with LGBTQ HIV/AIDS patients

Hector Peguero’s work focuses on health inequalities in global contexts, with particular emphasis on the wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ populations affected by HIV/AIDS. His research interests center on the intersection of identity, stigma, and healthcare access in low-income countries, where gender identity and sexual orientation often face profound social and cultural barriers.

Throughout his graduate studies and ongoing Ph.D. work in applied social and cultural psychology at Florida International University, Hector has prioritized qualitative research among marginalized communities. His fieldwork spans multiple countries, including the United States and India, where he has explored the health outcomes of Latinx LGBTQIA+ individuals in Miami and Hijra (transgender women) communities in India. These experiences reinforced the importance of community engagement and culturally grounded approaches in addressing global health disparities.

Hector has contributed to various research initiatives in collaboration with organizations such as The Public Health Research Institute of India, the LGBTQ Task Force of Miami, and Pridelines of Miami. His research projects have examined topics including the wellbeing of Latinx LGBTQIA+ individuals, Indian medical students’ perspectives on LGBTQ health education, and healthcare providers’ experiences working with LGBTQ individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.

Committed to bridging research and practice, Hector aims to develop community-centered, empirically grounded interventions that promote health equity, reduce stigma, and support empowerment among sexual minority populations globally. He brings expertise in qualitative methodologies and is building capacity in translational HIV/AIDS research to inform public health strategies across cultures.

Deepshika Sudhakar

Fellowship Site: Public Health Research Institute of India
Research: Breast Cancer Awareness through Digital Stories of Breast Cancer Survivors in Mysore, India

Deepshika Subramanian is a medical student at the University of Chicago with a strong commitment to advancing women’s health globally. As a Global Health Emerging Scholars (GHES) Fellow, supported by the NIH Fogarty International Center and the Office of Women’s Health Research, she conducted research on breast cancer screening and awareness in Mysore, India.

Her project addressed the high breast cancer mortality rates in India, where late-stage diagnoses remain common compared to high-income countries. The study employed a two-pronged approach: First, digital storytelling was used to explore and document the lived experiences of breast cancer patients. These videos were then shared with local community members through focus group discussions to better understand perceptions and stigma surrounding breast cancer. Second, the project quantitatively assessed breast cancer survivors’ physical, mental, and social wellbeing to identify barriers to care and opportunities for intervention.

Deepshika’s work reflects her broader goal of contributing to healthcare strategies that are culturally responsive, evidence-based, and equity-driven. She hopes her findings will help shape policies and interventions that improve prevention, early detection, and quality of care for breast cancer in underserved communities.