Dr Yamma Aria

Biography

I joined the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation (ACE) as a Research Assistant/Statistician, where I work on clinical trials and health services research within the ACE and Centre for Healthcare Randomised Trials (CHaRT).

Before joining the University of Aberdeen, I worked as a Research Assistant in Public Health at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. During this time I contributed to research on tobacco control, analysing international survey data as part of a Cancer Research UK funded project.

Earlier in my career I worked with Jhpiego (an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University) in Kabul, supporting maternal and child health programmes and health systems initiatives funded by USAID.

I studied Medicine (M.B.B.S.) at Fujian Medical University in China. I later completed a Master’s in Public Health at the University of York and a Ph.D. in Health Sciences at the University of York, where my research examined mental health disparities among migrant populations.

Prizes and Awards

Equal Access Scholarship, University of York (2021–2024) – Fully funded PhD scholarship.

Studentship Award, University of York (2019–2020) – Partial funding for Master of Public Health studies.

Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) (2012–2018) – Full scholarship awarded for Bachelor’s degree in Medicine.

Departmental Annual Student Prize, University of York (2024).

These scholarships supported my academic training in medicine, public health, and health research.

Research Overview

Dr Yamma Khalid Aria is a public health researcher whose work focuses on population health, health inequalities, and applied statistical analysis in clinical and public health research. His research interests lie at the intersection of epidemiology, migration and health, and health outcomes research.

His work combines quantitative and mixed-methods approaches to investigate complex health issues affecting vulnerable populations, including migrants and displaced communities. He has particular expertise in analysing large population and clinical datasets using advanced statistical techniques.

Dr Aria’s research aims to generate robust evidence that informs clinical practice, health policy, and public health interventions.

Current Research

Dr Aria currently works as a Research Assistant/Statistician, contributing to ongoing clinical trials and health services research projects.

He is currently involved in the ELIPSE trial, a multicentre randomised controlled trial evaluating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of pelvic lymph node removal during prostate cancer surgery.

Within these projects, Dr Aria contributes to trial data management and methodological support for clinical trials.

Past Research

Dr Aria’s doctoral research at the University of York examined mental health inequalities among migrant populations, using quantitative and mixed-methods approaches to understand the impact of migration on mental wellbeing. His research explored the social, structural, and policy determinants influencing mental health outcomes among migrants.

He has also previously worked with Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) on research related to tobacco control, analysing international survey data on the use of non-cigarette tobacco products as part of a Cancer Research UK-funded project.

Knowledge Exchange

Dr Aria is committed to translating research evidence into practice and supporting the dissemination of research findings to diverse audiences.

He has also supported teaching and training activities in statistical analysis, helping postgraduate students develop practical skills in quantitative research methods and statistical software.

Through his research and collaborative projects, Dr Aria aims to ensure that evidence generated from health research contributes to improving health systems, informing policy decisions, and addressing health disparities.

Collaborations

Dr Aria has collaborated with researchers and institutions across the UK and internationally.

His previous work includes collaboration with colleagues at University College London and the University of Waterloo on tobacco control research.

He is currently working with researchers within the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation (ACE) and Centre for Healthcare Randomised Trials (CHaRT) at the University of Aberdeen on multicentre clinical trials.

His work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration between statisticians, clinicians, epidemiologists, and health services researchers.