Dr. Suma Nair — 2

With over thirty years of experience in the field Dr Nair has worn multiple hats: community physician, academician, public health researcher and administrator.  Prior to joining DY Patil School of Public Health, she was affiliated with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal wherein she held several leadership positions as the Professor & Head in the Department of Community Medicine, Director- Student Affairs of the University, and the head of the Centre for Community Oncology.  She has had the opportunity to practice medicine in various settings and this combined with her training in community medicine, has provided her the impetus to pursue a meaningful career in the field of preventive medicine & public health. 

Dr Nair has led population based research in the areas of public health nutrition, cancer screening, and communicable disease like tuberculosis. She is currently exploring translational research in the areas of reproductive health and breast cancer and has ongoing projects in the areas of health system research, point of care diagnosis for viral and bacterial infections, digital health for sexual and reproductive health and household air pollution. 

She has published in high impact journals and has received research support from various research organisations such as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), IndiaClen Programme Evaluation Network (IPEN), Intel Digital Health Platforms Research Group, MGH – CAMTech India, IC Impacts, Canada and so on.  She serves as the Associate Editor with PLOS global health and Heliyon Global Health & Infectious Diseases

Selected Publications [Last five years]

• Awasthi S, Kumar D, Mahdi AA, Agarwal GG, Pandey AK, Parveen H, Singh S, Awasthi R, Pande H, T S A, Mahanta BN, Singh CM, Mathew JL, Ahmad MK, Singh K, Bhat MA, A R S, Kar S, Nair S. Prevalence of specific micronutrient deficiencies in urban school going children and adolescence of India: A multicenter cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2022;17(5):e0267003. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267003
• Naeem F, Karellis A, Nair S, Routy JP, Yansouni CP, Kim J, Pai N P. Multiplexed technologies for sexually transmitted infections: global evidence on patient-centered and clinical health outcomes. BMJ Global Health 2021;6:e005670. doi:10.1136/ bmjgh-2021-005670
• Kathrikolly TR, Nair S, Poobalan AS, Shetty RS, Tripathee S, MacLennan SJ. Increasing engagement for breast cancer screening and treatment: the “ICANTREAT” Community of Expertise initiative. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2020;21:3655-59
• Kathrikolly TR, Shetty RS, Nair S. Opportunities and Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening in a Rural Community in Coastal Karnataka, India: A Qualitative Analysis. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2020;21: 2569-2575
• Parsekar SS, Bailey A., Binu VS, Nair S. Exploring perceptions and practices of cancer care among caregivers and care recipients of breast cancer in India. Psycho-oncology 2020; 29:737– 42
• Kudvaa V, Guruvare S, Prasad K, Kulkarni KA, Premalatha T S, Kamath A, Rao CR, Nair S. Inter observer   variability among gynecologists in manual cervix image analysis for detection of cervical epithelial  abnormalities. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health June 2019:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2019.05.009
• Kotian DB, Mathews M, Parsekar SS, Nair S, Binu VS, Subba SH. Factors associated with social isolation among the older people in India. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology 2018;31:271-78 
• Pahwa V, Nair S, Shetty SR, Kamath A. Prevalence of Oral Premalignant Lesions and Its Risk Factors among the Adult Population in Udupi Taluk of Coastal Karnataka, India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2018;19: 2165-70
• Nair S, Shetty SR, Guha S, Anjum Z, Kamath A. Assessing empathy among undergraduate medical students: A cross sectional analysis using the Jefferson scale in a medical school in Coastal Karnataka. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health 2018;5: 953 – 56
• Shetty SR, Pahwa V, Vibha SP, Kamath A, Nair S. Road safety and the community: an awareness survey among the coastal population of Karnataka. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health 2018;5: 116 – 21

Trained doctoral students, master’s students, and graduate medical students in various aspects of preventive medicine and population health. Some of the core areas of pedagogy are:

Advanced & applied epidemiology

Qualitative research methods

Systematic review and meta -analysis

Public health nutrition

Demography and population health

Sexual and reproductive health

Cancer epidemiology and community outreach

• Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) – Kilpauk Medical College, University of Madras 
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Community Medicine- Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal.