ALAS (Advocating, Liberating, and Supporting Survivors) Lab
All research projects are funded by Boston University and Yale University .
These are three main projects that are currently funded. (Refer below for descriptions). Conducted in Spanish and Portuguese as well. The ALAS lab is led and founded by Dr. López.
Enhancing the well-being of Black and Brown survivors. HIV prevention and gender-based violence. Research Web Site Here.
OUR INSTAGRAM: ALAS.LAB (follow us, we follow you too!!)
MEET THE RESEARCH TEAM!!!
Dr. Daniel J López (he/él/ele), PHD, MSW, LCSW. Director.
Dr. López was nominated for “Supervisor of the Year” in 2025 and 2026 and received an award for “outstanding dedication and leadership to student employees” by Boston University in 2025. He is PI or Co-PI of all projects. He founded ALAS in 2025. He was listed as “7 Latinx Professors Making a Difference” by Boston University. Bio Here.
Jerry Fu (he/him), MSW (PhD Student, Social Work)
Jerry Fu is currently a third year PhD Student in Social Work at Boston University. His research focuses on health equity of LGBTQIA+ individuals and immigrants. His research focuses on how structural stigma shapes health outcomes and access to comprehensive sexuality education among sexual and gender minority populations. Prior to doctoral training, he worked as a licensed social worker and LGBTQ+ advocate in Taiwan and has experience designing, facilitating, and evaluating school-based sexuality education programs in both Taiwan and the United States. He is mentored by Dr. López and Dr. Daniel Miller and works with the ALAS Lab.
Tiffany Adjei-Opong (she/her) (M.S. Candidate, School of Medicine)
Tiffany is a graduate student at Boston University School of Medicine. She earned a B.A. in Biological Sciences from Cornell University, where she conducted research in discipline-based education research, examining evidence-based approaches to STEM teaching and learning. Her academic and research interests include health equity, infectious disease, and community health. Her medical thesis advisor is Dr. López. Outside of research, Tiffany enjoys mentoring students, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Micaiah Wilchcombe (he/him) (M.S. Candidate, School of Medicine)
Micaiah Wilchcombe (he/him) is an M.S. candidate in Medical Sciences at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, conducting thesis research in the ALAS Lab with Dr. Jacobson López. Micaiah advances health equity and clinical outcomes for underserved communities, drawing on his experience as a cardiology patient care aide, non-emergency medical transporter, and high school chemistry teacher. He holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Oakwood University, a historically Black institution, where he studied silver nanoparticle-bacteria dynamics as an NSF HBCU-UP Scholar and conducted oncology research on BRCA1-NRF2 interactions at Meharry Medical College. By bridging bench science and patient care, Micaiah works to dismantle structural barriers in healthcare and improve public health delivery for marginalized populations. In his free time, he enjoys music, basketball, and photography.
Marcus Shaw (he/him) – (MSW Candidate, Clinical)
Marcus Shaw is a MSW clinical alumnus at Boston University School of Social Work and earned his Bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College studying African, and African American Studies. Marcus currently interns at Essence of Pearls Counseling where he works with BIPOC clients from ages 8-48 in individual, family, and couples context. Marcus supports his clients in navigating their traumatic life experiences and achieving their goals through a liberation, strengths based, psychodynamic, narrative, and mindful approach. He works with the ALAS and MenTalK labs and is also involved in the Yale NIH study.
Rhea Dcunha, MPH (she/her)
Rhea Dcunha, MPH, specialized in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Boston University, with a strong foundation in statistical programming, clinical research, and public health data analysis. She holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery and has experience as a Graduate Research Assistant at the ALAS lab, where she conducts screening and recruiting study participants, literature reviews, and healthcare disparities research. Previously, she worked as a Clinical Documentation Specialist, improving patient data accuracy and clinical workflows, and as an intern at MGM Dental College & Hospital, providing care in public health centers. Passionate about leveraging data-driven approaches to improve health outcomes, Rhea is particularly dedicated to addressing health disparities in underserved populations.
Xavier Price-Kirkham (he/him) – (M.S. and MPH Candidate, School of Medicine)
Xavier is graduate student at Boston University pursuing a dual degree in Medical Sciences and Public Health, with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. He aspires to medical school and to use his training to advance health equity and improve outcomes for underserved communities. His medical thesis advisor is Dr. López. He works with ALAS and MenTalK labs. He works on BU CISS and Yale NIH Study.
Lukas Chaves, MSW (he/him) (Ph.D Student, School of Social Work)
Lukas Chaves is a second year PhD student in Boston University’s School of Social Work. Lukas’ research interests focus on the use of qualitative methods to examine how systems of oppression, including racism and cisheterosexism, shape relational navigation among individuals with intersecting marginalized identities. He is also interested in cultural betrayal trauma theory, trauma and dissociation in sociocultural context, social determinants of health, and HIV/AIDS. Drawing on extensive practice experience, Lukas brings a deeply clinical perspective to his work. He holds two master’s degrees —a master’s in clinical mental health counseling and an MSW in clinical social work, both from Rhode Island College. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies, Lukas worked across diverse social work settings, including psychiatric emergency services, higher education case management, university accessibility services, hospital social work, mental health education, and suicide-prevention clinical research. Lukas is committed to producing research that centers the lived experiences of marginalized communities and informs equitable social work practice.
RESEARCH AFFILIATES:
Alex Camacho (he/him), (MS Candidate, School of Medicine)
Alex Camacho (he/him) is a MS (Master of Medical Sciences) Candidate in the School of Medicine at Boston University. His background is based in clinical practice, including over 2,900 hours of experience as an Emergency Department Technician at Beth Israel Lahey Health. He is NREMT-certified EMT-B and have received extra training in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and HazMat/CBRNE response. He has prior experience working with sexual assault survivors in hospital settings.
RA Alumn:
Emma LaPenta, M.S. (she/her) (School of Medicine)
Emma LaPenta, just graduated BU in the School of Medicine. She worked on supporting Title IX efforts at BU. Her medical thesis advisor was Dr. López. Her thesis focused on peer-education training on PrEP among Black and Latino GBM.
Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Antonio Garcia (he/him) , PhD, MSW. Professor, North Carolina State University
Dr. Garcia focuses on health outcomes for Latine and Black populations. He has published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has disseminated his findings in local, national, and international contexts. Collectively, his body of work centers on developing, disseminating, and implementing strategies to mitigate racial inequities in service provision across child and family systems of care. Using mixed methods, he is dedicated to examining whether these strategies ultimately promote positive psychosocial and developmental outcomes among children and young adults with lived experiences in systems of care.
Dr. Marquis Hawkins (he/him) – Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Current Lab Projects:
- Funder: Yale University
Black MSM Male Sexual Assault Survivors – CIRA HIV Pilot Grant (Portuguese version below)
Agredido e Estigmatizado: Práticas Promissoras para Reduzir Múltiplos Estigmas Entre HSH Negros Sobreviventes de Agressão Sexual com Maior Exposição ao Risco de HIV
- O objetivo deste estudo de pesquisa é entender as experiências vividas por sobreviventes pretos cisgêneros gays, bissexuais e HSH (homens que fazem sexo com homens) de agressão sexual, com foco em entender as preocupações médicas dos homens pretos que acreditavam estar em risco de contrair HIV como resultado da agressão sexual. O estudo também examinará como o estigma devido às identidades dos sobreviventes pode afetar a prestação de serviços médicos. O foco estará em todas as preocupações médicas dos HSH pretos que procuraram atendimento pós-agressão, incluindo preocupações com lesões físicas, testes de HIV/IST, revelação da agressão sexual, barreiras, o papel da discriminação e/ou estigma ao receber cuidados, saúde mental e provisão de recursos. Os resultados do estudo serão usados para obter informações que ajudem a melhorar as experiências de outros HSH pretos sobreviventes de agressão sexual.
2. Medical Care Provision for Black and/or Latino GBM Survivors
Funder: Boston University CISS
3. Boston University Clinical and Translational Institute – Enhancing Black Men’s Mental Health in Boston