DPhil alumni
The number of DPhil in Population Health alumni/students from each country
Over 250 students from 55 countries have enrolled on the DPhil in Population Health programme in the last 12+ years.
We caught up with some of our alumni who had previously been interviewed about their DPhil experience back when they were DPhil students in the department. They told us about what they have been doing since completing their DPhil studies.
Diego Aguilar-Ramírez
I am a Senior Epidemiologist & NDPH Intermediate Research Fellow working with the Mexico City Prospective Study in Oxford. My research focuses on understanding the key determinants of major non-communicable diseases in the Mexican population, and I divide my time between research and teaching activities in Mexico City and Oxford. The DPhil in Population Health was a crucial stepping stone in my career, equipping me with the foundational research skills and critical thinking that I apply every day. It provided the training and confidence needed to develop research with real-world impact.
Ben Amies-Cull
Since completing my DPhil I’ve remained a clinical academic with my research group, though we’ve now joined our counterpart team at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. I’ve been building my own programmes of work alongside working a day a week as a GP. The DPhil gave me a range of skills and experience I rely on, often as a GP as well as an academic – an ability to learn, deliver quickly, trust my own judgement and, of course, a wide range of technical skills to carry out research. It’s hard to put into words how much I’ve learned through the DPhil and beyond, and though I’ve remained as an academic it was clear when I was finishing that there was a wide range of careers that the technical and professional skills apply to.
Lauren Bandy
Immediately after my DPhil, I was awarded a two-year NDPH Early Career Fellowship which allowed me to continue my independent research, this time looking at how food companies were responding to the UK’s salt reduction targets. I then in 2022 I moved to the Department of Primary Care, at the University of Oxford, to work with the Sustainable Healthy Food Group. I’m still working on different data and methods for applied policy research, specifically in food, diet and health, and work directly with policymakers and NGOs in Oxfordshire, the UK and internationally.
Mohamed Anisul Karim
The DPhil in Population Health was pivotal for my career as a Physician-Scientist enabling me to parse the genetic architecture of chronic diseases and identify potential therapeutic targets. My first role was at Open Targets (Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK) where I contributed to connecting genes to medically relevant traits and diseases using multi-omic data and employed methods I learned during my DPhil such as Mendelian randomization and genetic colocalization. After a couple of years at Open Targets, I moved continents and relocated to the US to work for a Seattle-based start-up called Variant Bio. At Variant, I am a Principal Scientist involved in studying the genetics of diseases in historically under-studied populations with the aim of translating what we learn to effective medicines for everyone.
Gurdeep Mannu
I completed my DPhil in 2018, and I'm now an Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon and Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist. My DPhil in Population Health at the University of Oxford helped me to develop the methodological foundation and critical thinking skills needed to pursue research alongside my clinical commitments. The experience also opened doors to academic collaborations and new areas of study. It has been instrumental in shaping my ambition to influence breast cancer outcomes, not only through surgery, but also through high-impact, population-level epidemiological research.
Lhuri Dwianti Rahmartani
I am a medical doctor and epidemiologist from Indonesia. I completed my DPhil in 2023, with a thesis on prelacteal feeding and breastfeeding practices in my home country. Before my studies, I was a tenured lecturer at the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, where I now teach epidemiology and apply the research skills I gained. My DPhil was a rewarding, positive experience—so much so that it felt more like a four-year vacation that came with a degree!
Jessica Renzella
I moved from Australia for a 3-year course and am still at Oxford many years later. I completed my DPhil in 2021 and moved straight into a role as Lecturer in Population Health (NDPH). I then moved to a research role in the Sustainable Healthy Food group (NDPCHS) where I focus on population-level approaches to healthy and sustainable diet promotion. Alongside my research, I convene undergraduate Human Sciences papers and supervise DPhil students. I feel very lucky to work in academia on projects I’m passionate about and with people who continue to inspire me. My DPhil gave me the skills and confidence to pursue an academic career – a path I hadn’t considered seriously before starting. I also met my partner while studying at Oxford and we now have a baby together – the DPhil at NDPH completely changed my life both personally and professionally.
Mehrunisha Suleman
After completing my DPhil in Population Health at Oxford, I have built a career at the intersection of medical ethics, public health, and policy. I am now Associate Professor and Director of Medical Ethics and Law Education at the Ethox Centre, where I lead curriculum design and teaching for medical students, supervise DPhil candidates, and contribute to national and global ethics bodies, including UNESCO’s International Bioethics Committee and the Nuffield Council on Bioethics. The DPhil provided me not only with rigorous research training, but also with the intellectual confidence and networks that have shaped my pathway as a researcher, teacher, and policy advisor.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
We encourage all alumni to keep in touch after completing the DPhil. If you are interested in showcasing your achievements on the department’s website or giving a talk to our current students please contact the Graduate Studies Office.