Hi, I’m Uma!

Uma is a Neuroscience graduate student and a graduate student researcher in the Kolber Lab, currently studying the cellular & molecular neurobiology of post-traumatic stress, chronic pain, and translational interventions for chronic pain and comorbid psychiatric illnesses. Uma has further research interests in the neurobiology of memory processing, psychedelic studies, and translational interventions through leveraging neuroplasticity mechanisms.

Uma is also a board-certified Mental Health Peer Specialist (MHPS), specializing in PTSD, OCD, AYA Cancer, Chronic Illness, and eating disorders. Uma serves people through her mental health peer support practice, in 1:1 and group capacities. Uma is also the founder & facilitator of The Cancer Thriver Collective, a global mental health peer support group system for cancer survivors, inspired by her own diagnosis of metastatic thyroid cancer at 22.

Uma’s global MHPS practice & her neuroscience research are both informed by her lived experience with AYA cancer, chronic illness, and mental illness. Her survivorship and journey of recovery serves as the bedrock of her advocacy, carried out through her work as an educator, public speaker, writer, and legislative advocate. Uma has presented to several events and organizations, including the University of Texas Health System and the global CancerCon 2021 conference.

Uma lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and her rescue fur baby, Beans!