McDonald Lab

Team

Dr. Jasmine A. McDonald is a tenured Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Associate Co-Director of Cancer Research Training and Education at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. A molecular epidemiologist by training, her work centers on understanding breast cancer risk through a lifecourse lens, focusing on critical windows of susceptibility—including prenatal, pubertal, pregnancy, and postpartum periods.

Dr. McDonald earned her PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health from Harvard University and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. Her research integrates biological mechanisms, environmental exposures, and social inequities to understand and reduce breast cancer risk, particularly among populations that have been historically excluded from research and care.

A passionate educator and equity leader, she directs YES in THE HEIGHTS, co-directs the Career Enhancement Core of the U54-funded SOCA Center, and contributes to national workforce development efforts. In 2021, she received Columbia’s highest honor for teaching: the Presidential Teaching Award.

Lab Members

Current Members

  • Bojana Vasikj Bjelogrlic

    • Project Coordinator

    Bojana Vasikj Bjelogrlic is a Project Coordinator at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, where she works closely with Dr. Jasmine McDonald on her research focused on postpartum breast cancer. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Bojana brings a strong foundation in biochemistry to her role, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and ensuring smooth execution of research activities.

    Bojana Vasikj Bjelogrlic

  • Michelle Smith, MPH

    • PhD Candidate (Epidemiology)

    Michelle Smith, MPH, is a PhD student in Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, where she collaborates with Dr. Jasmine McDonald on research exploring environmental exposures and their impact on women’s health, including studies on hair product use and breast cancer risk. She has co-authored publications such as "Hair product use, age at menarche and mammographic breast density in multiethnic urban women. Michelle was awarded a Diversity Supplement in support of her research and training in postpartum breast cancer.

    Michelle Smith

  • Nathalia F. Mendonca, DDS, MSc

    • Post-Baccalaureate Fellow in Cancer Research

    Nathalia F. Mendonca, DDS, MSc in Oncology, is a post-baccalaureate fellow in Cancer Research through the INTEGRITY Program, sponsored by the American Cancer Society at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She has focused on oral cancer in clinical research, particularly Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Nathalia has co-authored publications such as "Implications of COVID-19 on Oral Oncology Practices in Brazil, Canada, and the United States." Currently, she is part of McDonald's lab, where she is mentored by Dr. Jasmine McDonald, collaborating on lab projects and developing her own project, "Exploring Gender Differences in Oral Cancer Risk Factors."

    Nathalia F. Mendonca

  • Yuyan Liao, MS

    • Senior Staff Associate

    Yuyan Liao, MS, is a Senior Staff Associate in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. She has collaborated on research projects focusing on breast cancer risk factors and prevention strategies. Yuyan has co-authored several publications, including studies on breast cancer risk assessment models and the impact of lifestyle factors on familial breast cancer risk.

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