1LT Brandon Hathorn – PhD Student
Brandon was born and raised in Texas. He graduated with a BSc in Exercise Science from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 2016. He joined the APAI lab in 2023, bringing >7 years of clinical experience, having worked as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Prevention in patients with chronic heart failure, valvular disease, coronary artery disease, heart transplant and left ventricular assistance devices. He is interested in broadening his understanding of advanced imaging and its use in elucidating the global and local mechanisms of cardiovascular disease. His long-term goal is to lead an extramurally funded independent research program at a major research intensive University and/or Medical Center. Outside of work Brandon enjoys scuba diving, spelunking, rock climbing, obstacle races, renaissance festivals and aquarist activities.
Rajvi Shah – Research Support Specialist II
Rajvi was born and raised in India. She obtained a Bachelor’s in Dental Surgery at AMC Dental College & Hospital in October 2019. After earning a Master’s in Public Health with a major in Epidemiology at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in May 2022, she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator/ Psychometric Rater at a private Clinical Research Firm. She joined the APAI lab in April 2023 to further her interest and knowledge in cardiovascular research and exercise physiology. Outside of work, she enjoys portrait sketching, yoga, language learning, watching movies, and traveling.
Delaney Davis, PhD – Research Scientist
Delaney is from Texas where they received their Bachelor’s in Psychology from Texas Christian University in 2016. They worked in Dr. Nathalie Sumien’s lab at the University of North Texas Health Center for 2 years as a research assistant and then joined their Ph.D. program in 2018. Delaney was a three-year recipient of the T32 Neurobiology of Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Training Grant from the NIA. Delaney earned their Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences in 2022 where they studied the long-term consequences of psychostimulants on brain function. They are interested in using advanced imaging techniques to elucidate mechanisms of aging and aging-related disease on function/physiology of the cardiac and nervous system. Outside of work, Delaney enjoys adventuring with their partner, learning about weird animal facts, and watching bad movies.
Jennifer Nguyen
Jennifer is an undergraduate student at UTA majoring in Public Health and minoring in Biology. When not in the lab, she volunteers as a medical scribe in the ER. Her long-term goal is to become a Physician Assistant. She was drawn to the APAI lab because of her strong interest in Cardiology.
Chloe Hoang
Chloe is a third-year undergraduate student at UTA majoring in Biology (pre-med track). When not in the lab, she works as an ER medical scribe, is an officer in the Mavericks for Medical Humanities, a designer for Stimulus: A Medical Humanities Journal, and a former UGTA. Chloe joined the APAI Lab to expand her knowledge in cardiovascular physiology and gain more experience with research.
Logan Pixler, BSc
Logan was born and raised in Texas. He graduated with a BS in Exercise Science with a focus in clinical and applied physiology from UT Arlington in 2023. After graduating, Logan worked as an exercise physiologist performing pulmonary function and cardiometabolic exercise testing for a mobile health company in Dallas-Fort Worth. Logan is currently completing his master’s, with a focus on cardiovascular physiology. Outside the lab, Logan enjoys lifting weights, watching movies, spending time with his brothers, and learning.
Javed Choudhari, MPH (PhD Student)
Javed Choudhari is a Ph.D. student in Kinesiology with a focus on Public Health at the University of Texas at Arlington. He earned his Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in May 2025, specializing in Epidemiology. Javed currently works as a Research Assistant in the APAI Lab, where he contributes to interdisciplinary projects focused on physical activity and wearable sensor technologies. In addition to his academic and research pursuits, Javed is an elite wheelchair basketball player — serving as the captain of Team India and competing as a student-athlete with the UTA Movin’ Mavs. His unique perspective as both a public health scholar and adaptive athlete drives his commitment to advancing inclusive, evidence-based approaches to health and well-being.
Juliana Santos, PhD (PhD Student)
Juliana was born and raised in Brazil. She earned her degree in Physical Therapy in 2010 and has over 13 years of clinical experience working with patients after cardiac surgery. She later became a professor at the Federal University of Bahia, where she taught lecture and lab-based courses focusing on physical therapy care for cardiovascular patients. Her clinical experience with children with congenital heart disease led her to study neuropsychomotor development during her master’s and doctorate programs. She is currently focused on expanding and deepening her research skills in cardiovascular physiology. Her long-term goal is to integrate clinical insights with translational cardiovascular science.
Camille Chandler, BSc (MSc Student)
Camille was born and raised in Arlington, Texas and received her BS in Exercise Science from UTA in August of 2024. She spent a semester as a volunteer in the APAI lab exploring research. Later, she returned in January of 2025, pursuing her Masters in Exercise Science. She joined the APAI lab to further explore her interests in cardiovascular physiology research, specifically cardiac MR imaging. In her free time, Camille enjoys running, reading, traveling, and spending time with good friends.
Kendall White, BSc (Research Scientist)
Kendall was born and raised in Iowa. She earned her BS in Exercise Science for Colorado Mesa University. Kendall joined the APAI lab in 2025 with hopes to expand her knowledge in research and cardiovascular physiology. Outside of work Kendall enjoys running, hiking, reading, and traveling.
Sajjad Moradi, MSc – PhD Student
Sajjad (Ario) was born and raised in Iran. He earned his BS in Medical Radiation from Azad University of Lahijan in 2018. Following his growing interest in human performance and health, he shifted his focus to Exercise Physiology and Sports Nutrition, completing his M.Sc. at the University of Guilan in 2019. His master’s thesis centered on Cardiovascular Physiology. In 2024, he joined the Ph.D. program at the UT Arlington and became a member of the APAI Lab in 2025. His research interests include discovering the pathophysiological mechanisms of disease through advanced imaging, with an emphasis on the Cardiovascular-Brain axis. His long-term goal is to become an independent investigator dedicated to helping people live longer, healthier lives with their loved ones! Outside of work, Ario enjoys playing and watching soccer, improving his Olympic weightlifting, watching movies and documentaries, hiking and camping in nature, and learning about history and different cultures.
Kenneth Austin Davis, PhD – Postdoctoral Fellow
Austin is from Texas where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Tarleton State University and his PhD from The University of North Texas Health. During his PhD, he worked in Dr. Caroline Rickards’ Cerebral and Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory where he received a T32 Neurobiology of Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Training Grant from the NIA and a Predoctoral Fellowship from the AHA. His dissertation focused on a proposed treatment for severe blood loss. Austin is now interested in using advanced imaging techniques to identify mechanisms of underlying disease. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his 2 young children and playing golf.
Ledia Kamel – Research Assistant
Ledia is a junior undergraduate student at UTA majoring in Biology B.S. (pre-med track). She joined the APAI Lab through SURPINT and continued in the lab, working on projects related to physical activity and further exploring cardiac MR imaging. Ledia joined the APAI Lab to gain hands-on experience and engage in translational research focused on physical activity and heart health. Outside of the lab, she has worked as an EMT, shadows physicians, and volunteers at Cook Children’s Hospital. In her free time, Ledia enjoys reading, drawing, weightlifting, and traveling.