Bio

Dr Vijaytha Murali is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow currently working in Stanford Dermatology. She was raised and educated in the United Kingdom, graduating from Edinburgh Medical School in 2015, after which she acquired her MRCP qualification from the Royal College of Physicians, London.

Her current research focus is on Melanoma where she focusses her efforts in running "Wipe Out Melanoma - CA", a California wide preventative programme for melanoma under the mentorship of Professor Susan M. Swetter, and on employing strategies in artifical intelligence in the diagnosis of Melanoma under the mentorship of Professor Justin Ko and Professor Albert Chiou as part of the Stanford Skin Innovation and Interventional Research Group (SIIRG).

Her wider interests include Global Health, particularly in the integration of artificial intelligence based studies and the building of international databases, medical education and lifestyle medicine. She is interested in collaborating with Dermatologists, but also the wider medical and machine learning communities who are interested in building focused and equitable AI.

Honors & Awards

  • Innovation Award, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals (2021)
  • Research and Innovation in Medical Education Award (Runner's Up), University of Birmingham (2018)
  • British Skin Foundation Trainee Small Grant Award, British Skin Foundation (BSF) (2021)
  • Top 20 Rising Derm Stars Award for Residents and Fellows, Fall Clinical (2022)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

  • Global Health Postdoctoral Affiliate, Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH), Stanford University (2022 - Present)
  • Regional Representative, British Medical Association (BMA) (2019 - 2021)
  • Professional Registration, GMC (2015 - Present)

Professional Education

  • B of Medicine and B of Surgery, University Of Edinburgh (2015)
  • PG Certificate, University of Birmingham, Medical Education (2018)
  • MRCP (UK), Royal College of Physicians (London), Member of Royal College of Physicians (2020)
  • MBChB, University of Edinburgh, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (2015)

Stanford Advisors

Contact

  • Academic
    vmurali5@stanford.edu
    University - Scholar Department: Dermatology Position: Postdoctoral Scholar

Additional Info

Research Interests

  • Educational Policy
  • Poverty and Inequality
  • Science Education
  • Technology and Education

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

Melanoma, Atypical Naevi Syndrome, Cancer Prevention, Medical Dermatology

All Publications

  • Melanoma awareness and prevention among latinx and non-latinx white adults in urban and rural California: A qualitative exploration. Cancer medicine Mesia, R. J., Espinosa, P. R., Hutchison, H., Safaeinili, N., Finster, L. J., Muralidharan, V., Glenn, B. A., Haile, R. W., Rosas, L. G., Swetter, S. M. 2022

    Abstract

    Melanoma mortality rates in the US are highest among older men, individuals of lower socioeconomic status (SES), and people of color. To better understand these inequities, a qualitative exploratory study was conducted in Northern and Southern California to generate knowledge about barriers and facilitators of awareness, prevention, and early detection of melanoma in lower SES Latinx and non-Latinx White (NLW) individuals living in urban and semi-rural areas.Nineteen focus groups were conducted (N = 176 adult participants), stratified by race/ethnicity (Latinx, low-income NLW), geography (semi-rural, urban), and language (English and Spanish). Inductive and deductive thematic analysis was conducted, and the findings were organized using the socioecological model framework: individual, interpersonal, community, and health system/policy levels.Four socioecological themes describe how key factors affect knowledge, perceived risk, preventive behaviors, and melanoma screening. Individual level findings revealed that many participants were not familiar with melanoma, yet were willing to learn through trusted sources. Having brown or darker skin tone was perceived as being associated with lower risk for skin cancer. Interpersonally, social relationships were important influences for skin cancer prevention practice. However, for several Latinx and semi-rural participants, conversations about melanoma prevention did not occur with family and peers. At the community level, semi-rural participants reported distance or lack of transportation to a clinic as challenges for accessing dermatology care. Healthcare systems barriers included burdens of additional healthcare costs for dermatology visits and obtaining referral.Varying factors influence the awareness levels, beliefs, and behaviors associated with knowledge, prevention, and early detection of melanoma among low-income Latinx and NLW individuals and in semi-rural areas. Results have implications for health education interventions. Navigation strategies that target individuals, families, and health care settings can promote improved prevention and early detection of melanoma in these communities.

    View details for DOI 10.1002/cam4.5457

    View details for PubMedID 36433634

  • A qualitative exploration of melanoma awareness and prevention among Latinx and non-Latinx White populations in urban and rural California. Swetter, S. M., Mesia, R. J., Espinosa, P., Hutchison, H., Safaeinili, N., Finster, L. J., Muralidharan, V., Glenn, B. A., Haile, R. W., Rosas, L. G. LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS. 2022

    View details for Web of Science ID 000863680302407

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0226-8468