Nathalia Machado, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the TSET Health Promotion Research Center and trainee of the HSC Graduate College, has been awarded a prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowship from the American Cancer Society (ACS). The fellowship will support her innovative research aimed at improving access to high-quality tobacco treatment among underserved populations—particularly Medicaid beneficiaries.

“My goal is to help states strengthen support for people who want to quit and reduce tobacco-related health disparities,” Dr. Machado explained. “This work will result in a Tobacco Treatment Quality Dashboard—a practical tool to visualize and report treatment patterns and disparities.”

Using Medicaid claims data, Dr. Machado is examining who receives tobacco cessation treatment—and more importantly, who is left out. Her project will assess how often people get support to quit smoking and identify critical gaps in care. The findings will inform policy decisions and quality improvement initiatives aimed at closing care gaps and reducing cancer risk in high-need communities.

This fellowship recognizes Dr. Machado’s commitment to health equity and prevention science, and reflects the Graduate College’s continued investment in research that makes a meaningful public health impact.