8 Teaching Assistants
All of this year’s stellar group of teaching assistants have been in your shoes - they’ve taken the course in the past, and they enjoyed it enough to come back for more. They are volunteering their precious time and energy to help make the course happen, and we couldn’t be more delighted to welcome you to the course. All office hours and all teaching assistant work will be done remotely.
There is a lot to learn in this class. Don’t suffer in silence - talk to us! As mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t spend more than 15 minutes struggling with anything in this class without asking for help.
Visit Getting Help (Chapter 9) of this Syllabus for more details.
8.1 TA office hours
TTA office hours are held via Zoom, and will begin on Wednesday 2025-09-03 and will continue through Tuesday 2025-12-09. The weekly schedule appears on our Contact Us page as well as our Course Calendar.
Our Shared Google Drive (431 Fall 2025 Dr Love and Students) will display Zoom links for all TA office hours in a document called TA office hours schedule and Zoom links. No appointment is necessary. Please just drop in.
- Professor Love will also hold “drop-in hours” for 10 minutes before and for 30 minutes after each class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- As noted on our Calendar, TA Office hours are canceled on 2025-10-20 and 2025-10-21 (Fall Break) and from 2025-11-22 through 2025-11-28 (Thanksgiving)
8.2 Getting To Know The TAs
The Fall 2025 Teaching Assistants for 431 are:
| TA Name | For more, visit | Current Roles and CWRU Experiences |
|---|---|---|
| Monika Strah | Section 8.2.1 | PhD candidate, Clinical Translational Science |
| Anika Krishna | Section 8.2.2 | MS graduate, Epidemiology & Biostatistics |
| Carly DaCosta | Section 8.2.3 | PhD Candidate, Epidemiology & Biostatistics |
| Hala Nas | Section 8.2.4 | MS graduate, Pulmonary/Critical Care MD, Cleveland Clinic |
| Katherine Papahadjopoulos | Section 8.2.5 | MPH graduate, Research Coordinator, Cleveland Clinic |
| Kathryn Menta | Section 8.2.6 | PhD Candidate, Epidemiology & Biostatistics |
| Mahsa Sheikh | Section 8.2.7 | PhD candidate, Clinical Translational Science |
| Marie Masotya | Section 8.2.8 | PhD candidate, Clinical Translational Science |
| Morgan McLoughlin | Section 8.2.9 | PhD candidate, Clinical Psychology |
| Ria Tilve | Section 8.2.10 | MPH at CWRU, Medical Student |
| Sarah Albalawi | Section 8.2.11 | MPH Candidate |
| Tatchaporn Ongphichetmetha | Section 8.2.12 | PhD candidate, Clinical Translational Science |
| Wala’a Alshaia | Section 8.2.13 | PhD candidate, Clinical Translational Science |
8.2.1 Monika Strah
Monika Strah is a Ph.D. candidate in Clinical Translational Science and a graduate of CWRU’s Biostatistics M.S. program. She is looking forward to returning as a Teaching Assistant for PQHS 431/432 and also enjoyed working as a TA for PQHS 453. Monika’s research has included mathematical approaches to questions in population genetics and human evolution, examining dietary factors associated with lung cancer risk and analysis of multiple sclerosis related fatigue management strategies. Monika enjoys reading, hiking and is a member of the National Ski Patrol.
8.2.2 Anika Krishna
Anika is a recent graduate of the M.S. Biostatistics program. She also received her Master’s in Public Health and B.A. in Anthropology from CWRU in 2024. Her research interests are in mental health, social epidemiology, and health equity. In her free time, she likes to cook, spend time with her dog, workout, and go to concerts and shows.
8.2.3 Carly DaCosta
Carly is a PhD student in the Epidemiology and Biostatistics program in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences. She moved to Cleveland two years ago to join Case Western’s Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (CasePREP), where she conducted a computational research project exploring the genetic components of postpartum depression in African American women. Originally from California, Carly earned her Bachelor’s degree at San Diego State University before relocating to Ohio. Outside of her academic work, she enjoys baking, spending time with her cat Toby, and competing in Olympic Weightlifting.
8.2.4 Hala Nas
Hala is a pulmonary and critical care physician at the Cleveland Clinic. Her areas of interest are lung cancer and pleural diseases. She completed her MS in Clinical Research in May of 2024. Her research areas of interest include methodology and guideline synthesis in interventional pulmonary and pleural procedures, as well as large data analysis in lung cancer. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, reading crime fiction and cooking.
8.2.5 Katherine Papahadjopoulos
Katherine Papahadjopoulos is a recent graduate of CWRU’s IGS MPH program with concentrations in Population Health Research and Health Promotion & Disease Prevention. She is currently a Research Coordinator at the Cleveland Clinic in the Pediatric Cardiology department. The skills and knowledge she obtained from 431/432 have been instrumental in her work and research. Outside of work and research, Katherine enjoys photography, cooking, traveling, reading, and playing with her dogs.
8.2.6 Kathryn Menta
Kathryn Menta is a third year PhD student in Epidemiology and Biostatistics within the Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences. She worked as a crime scene investigator and forensic DNA technician for about seven years before returning to school to complete a new BS in mathematics and statistics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. She then completed both a Master’s in mathematics and a Master’s in statistics at the same institution before coming to CWRU to start her PhD. Her current research is in dynamic treatment regimens focusing on clinical decision making for multiple sclerosis drug treatments. Outside of school, Kathryn enjoys spending time with her husband and two cats, crafting, and binge watching numerous true crime shows and podcasts.
8.2.7 Mahsa Sheikh
Seyyedeh Mahsa Sheikholeslamian, DDS, MSc, is a second-year PhD student in Clinical Translational Science at the Department of Quantitative and Population Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University. She has worked with the Evidence Foundation on methodology research, contributing to projects involving critical appraisal, data extraction, interpretation of complex results, and preparing guidelines and evidence summaries for decision-making. Before joining the CTS program, she earned her DDS from Guilan University of Medical Sciences and a master’s degree in Restorative Dentistry from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. She also has nearly a decade of experience teaching as an assistant professor in dental schools. This semester, she looks forward to supporting students in PQHS/CRSP/MPHP 431 as a teaching assistant. Outside of academics, she enjoys cooking Persian food, visiting museums, and spending time with her daughter and spouse.
8.2.8 Marie Masotya
Marie Masotya, MPH, is a PhD candidate in the Clinical Translational Science program. She is Senior Research Coordinator at University Hospitals (UH) Rainbow Center for Child Health and Policy where she manages research, quality and community-based projects. She is involved in several multi-sectoral community partnerships focused on child health and health equity. These include Better Health Partnership, Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, and a school-based asthma intervention for elementary school children in Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Marie served as a TA for 431/432 last year and looks forward to assisting again this year. Her best advice: start early and don’t hesitate to ask for help. When not doing research, you will find her enjoying live theater, music, and adventures with her spouse and 3 children.
8.2.9 Morgan McLoughlin
Morgan McLoughlin is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at CWRU, studying parent-child relationships, parenting interventions, and patient experiences and preferences in mental health treatment. Originally from Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, he held research positions at UC Irvine and the University of Pittsburgh before moving to Cleveland two years ago. He enjoys going to museums and theater performances around the city as well as visiting hiking trails and karaoke bars. At CWRU, he also helps run the Tea and Chocolate club (Instagram @cwru_tea_chocolate), a campus group organizing monthly social events for graduate and professional students. As a former K-12 educator, he enjoys teaching and mentoring and is excited to serve as a TA for the 431 course.
8.2.10 Ria Tilve
Ria Tilve is a third year medical student at CWRU. After completing her bachelor’s in Biochemistry, she obtained her MPH in Population Health Research at CWRU. Her current research focuses on musculoskeletal health and biomedical imaging. Ria took 431 and 432 during the 2021-2022 school year, and she is applying those skills in her research projects. Outside of studying, Ria enjoys spending time with her family, running, watching sports, and exploring new places.
8.2.11 Sarah Albalawi
Sarah Albalawi is a general dentist who is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at Case Western Reserve University. She earned a Bachelor of Dental Medicine from King Saud University in her home country, Saudi Arabia. Her research focuses on improving oral health outcomes for medically compromised patients and expanding dental services in rural communities. Outside of academia, Sarah enjoys baking and floral photography.
8.2.12 Tatchaporn Ongphichetmetha
Tatchaporn Ongphichetmetha is a Ph.D. student in Clinical Translational Science at CWRU and a research fellow at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis. Her research interests include autoimmune neurological disorders and multiple sclerosis. She completed her medical degree and neurology training in Thailand. During the 2024-2025 academic year, Tatchaporn took 431 and 432, and she is now applying those skills to her own research projects. Outside of her studies, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and baking.
8.2.13 Walaa Alshaia
Wala’a Alshaia is a PhD student in the Clinical Translational Science program. She earned her undergraduate degree in Clinical Nutrition from Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University and a Master of Science in Human Nutrition from Columbia University. Her current research focuses on the dynamic interplay between modifiable lifestyle factors and cancer risk in individuals with inherited genetic predispositions. Wala’a remembers the impact of TA support when she was a student in 431 in Fall 2023 and is excited to offer that same guidance this semester. Beyond her academic work, she enjoys practicing Arabic calligraphy, brewing coffee with a good friend, and embracing new adventures.