Our Team

Shehnaz Khursheed Hussain, Ph.D., Sc.M.

Professor and Associate Director for Population Sciences

Shehnaz Hussain's research stems from a long-standing interest in the intersection of infectious diseases and cancer. As a molecular epidemiologist, she brings together a mindset for maximizing public health impact and scientific curiosity to cancer etiology, pathogenesis, chemoprevention, and early detection. A common thread of her ongoing research is the identification of biomarkers impacting immune response, including serum immune markers, intestinal microbiome, and immunogenic microbial components and metabolites.

Allyn M. Fernandez, M.P.H.

Chief Operations Officer and Executive Director for Office of Population Health

Allyn Fernandez is the Chief Operations Officer for UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer  Center and Executive Director for the cancer center’s Office of Population Health. She began her career at UC Davis in 2012 overseeing operations for a suite of population health programs. Fernandez is a certified change management practitioner and professional coach. These approaches serve as a foundation for approaching her responsibilities in the areas of strategic planning, program and partnership development, and cultivating diverse long-term collaborations.

Matt Yang, M.S. 

Research Data Analyst

Matt Yang received his master’s degree in statistics from UC Davis. He works closely with researchers, providing valuable statistical guidance on experimental design, sample size requirements, data collection instruments, and data analysis techniques. With a strong focus on maintaining alignment with primary study objectives, Yang collaborates with investigators to ensure accurate data analysis and interpretation.

Specializing in functional data analysis and statistical learning, Yang demonstrates a keen interest in exploring innovative approaches to data analysis and deriving meaningful insights. He is dedicated to contributing to the advancement of biomedical research and driving impactful insights through the application of rigorous statistical methods.