FEMA-FICO
Co-Investigators
Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez (Primary Investigator) is a tenured Professor of Public Health Sciences and Associate Vice Provost for Research Integrity at the University of Miami. He is a board-certified physician-scientist with over a decade of experience in environmental and occupational epidemiology, serving as Deputy Director of the Firefighter Cancer Initiative and Principal Investigator of the FEMA-funded Fire Investigator Cohort Study. Dr. Caban-Martinez has authored over 196 peer-reviewed publications and is recognized for his leadership in national occupational health policy. He is a passionate educator, teaching core and elective public health courses, and has received multiple teaching awards, including the 2024 Faculty of the Year.
Dr. Natasha Schaefer Solle is a nurse scientist and Research Associate Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami, with advanced training in cancer prevention and health disparities. She holds a Ph.D. in Nursing and an MS in Adult Gerontology from the University of Miami and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, respectively. Dr. Schaefer Solle serves as the Deputy Director of the Sylvester Firefighter Cancer Initiative. Her research focuses on reducing health disparities among high-risk populations, particularly those defined by race, socioeconomic status, and occupation. Dr. Solle is actively involved in firefighter health research and serves on several national committees related to occupational health and cancer prevention. She is recognized for her leadership in community-based participatory research and qualitative research methods.
Dr. Sylvia Daunert, PharmD, MS, PhD, FRSC, is the Lucille P. Markey Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Director of the Dr. JT Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute and Frost Institutes STEM Centers. Previously, she served as the Gill Eminent Professor at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Daunert is internationally recognized for developing bio-inspired nanotechnologies for biomedical and environmental applications, including molecular diagnostics, biomarker detection, and firefighter exposure research. Her work has resulted in nearly 400 publications and more than 50 patents. A Fulbright Scholar and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, she has received numerous national and international awards and is an elected member of several prestigious scientific academies worldwide.
Dr. Weidlich is an Assistant Professor of Clinical at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, with a focus on Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing Leadership, and Research and Evidence-based Practice. Dr. Weidlich also served in the United States Army Nurse Corps for 23 years, including commanding several medical units in Iraq and in garrison, earning two Bronze Stars and the Combat Action Badge. Dr. Weidlich has authored and co-authored published papers, abstracts, and posters on topics such as Resiliency of Healthcare Providers, Undergraduate Nursing Students' Preferences in Psychiatric Nursing Simulation Modalities, and Urban Search and Rescue Mental Health Concerns and Support Mechanisms.
Dr. Tulay Koru-Sengul is a Professor in the Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at the University of Miami's Department of Public Health Sciences. She is affiliated with the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute. As a faculty biostatistician, she co-leads multiple cancer research and clinical trial projects funded by the NCI, NIH, and the State of Florida. Her work focuses on cancer diagnosis, prevention, screening, treatment, and patient outcomes, using large databases and clinical trial data. She is the director of MS in Biostatistics, co-director of MS in Clinical and Translational Investigation and teaches graduate courses at the university.
Dr. Kristopher Paultre is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopedics in the Division of Sports Medicine at the University of Miami. A former athlete turned physician, he was inspired to pursue medicine after a sports injury and the loss of his father, an FDNY firefighter, to 9/11-related cancer. He completed his medical training and residency at the University of Miami, where he also pursued a fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine. Dr. Paultre’s work focuses on musculoskeletal procedures, tactical sports medicine, and firefighter health, and he is actively involved in clinical care, research, athletic coverage, and medical education.
Project Coordination & Research Operation Team
Keysa Garcia serves as a Research Manager supporting firefighter and occupational health research initiatives within the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Her work focuses on coordinating research operations, participant engagement, project management, and study logistics for firefighter and emergency responder health studies. She has experience in cancer research, clinical research coordination, and public health research initiatives, contributing to multidisciplinary projects aimed at improving occupational health, safety, and long-term wellness outcomes among high-risk worker populations.
Anton Stremousov serves as a Project Coordinator and Research Support Specialist for the FEMA-FICO Fire Investigator Health and Safety Research Initiative at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Barry University, as well as a Master of Public Health from the University of Miami. His research interests focus on occupational and environmental health, exposure science, firefighter and fire investigator health, climate-sensitive health risks, and cancer prevention. His work supports national firefighter health research through participant coordination, field logistics, biospecimen collection, exposure assessment, and study operations management.
Chelsea Kavanaugh serves as a Senior Research Associate II within the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from University of Central Florida and a Master of Science in Health Education and Behavior from University of Florida. A Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), her research focuses on health behaviors among high-risk occupational populations, including firefighters and emergency responders. Her work aims to develop evidence-based interventions that reduce cancer risk and improve long-term occupational health and wellness outcomes.