Texas Tech University

Surya Raj Niraula, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Nutritional Sciences

Email: surya.niraula@ttu.edu

Phone: (806) 834-4934

Dr. Surya Raj Niraula has been providing Biostatistics and research services for public health, medical, nursing, and dental faculties, researchers, and students for over 27 years. He is currently an Associate Professor in the College of Human Sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences, at Texas Tech University. He completed a postdoctorate (Postdoc) in Biostatistics from the University of Washington, USA (Fulbright program, 2013) and a doctorate degree (PhD) in Statistics from the Central Department of Statistics, Nepal in 2008. He was awarded the 'Young Scientist Award' in 2009, Nepal Bidhyabhusan 'KA' in 2010, and honored by the President of the Constitutional Assembly in 2011. Dr. Niraula had worked as an adjunct faculty member of Statistics at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, since 2022. Dr. Niraula had worked at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal for 27 years. He has taught biostatistics at the Master's Level in Public Health, M.Sc. Nursing and Post Graduate Medical students. He has provided consultation services to researchers of faculties, NGOs, and INGOs. He has conducted several health research studies and disseminated findings through over 106 international and national publications. He has completed 19 research grant projects related to public/community health, epidemiological, nutrition, communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health (smoking, alcohol, marijuana, drugs, stress, depression, suicide, IPV etc), experimental/educational intervention, RCT, and oral health. He serves as an editorial board member and reviewer for numerous international journals. He has worked as a consultant for many INGOs and NGOs' research.

Photo Description

Research Focus

My collective research works on drug abuse, malnutrition, obesity, HIV/AIDs, STDs, TB, alcoholism, tobacco use, intimate partner violence, suicide, depression, hypertension, diabetes, women health, dental health, different infectious and non infectious diseases, have addressed the public problems and identified many risk factors which are already published in many international and national journals. All researches have significant implications for public health. I believe that the purpose of public health and medicine is to reduce the burden of infectious and non-infectious diseases through the development of sound social policies, healthy physical, economic, and social environments, efficient and equitable health care systems, and skilled human resources.

Research Interests

His expertise lies in public health and epidemiological studies, with a particular interest in substance-dependent research and its methodology. His current research interests for collaboration in nutrition and public health research on childhood diabetes and food habits of children, internet addiction, loss of physical activities and obesity/overweight, cancer epidemiology, survival analysis, and inactive lifestyles and diets with DM and HTM.

Selected Publications

Niraula SR, Manandhar N, Pandey S, Jha N. Stressors of Suicide Among the Residents of Ilam, Eastern Nepal: an Investigation Into a Neglected Burden. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00480

Niraula SR. A review of research process, data collection and analysis. Insights Biol Med. 2019; 3: 1-6. https://doi.org/10.29328/journal.ibm.1001014

Niraula SR, Connell FA. Probability Sampling in Matched Case-Control study in Drug Abuse. International Journal of Statistics in Medical Research 2018; 7(1): 18-24.

Niraula SR,Barnawal SP, Agrahari AK, Bista N, Yadav DK, Jha N, Pokharel PK. Prevalence and CD4 cell count pattern of TB co-infection among HIV infected individuals in Nepal. SAARC Journal of Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases & HIV/AIDS 2013; 10(1); 27-36.

Niraula SR, Barnawal SP, Paudel S, Mishra S, Dahal S, Das S, Pradhan S, Ghimire S, Khanal S, Sharma S, Rajput S, Bhattarai S, Jha N.  Prevalence and associated risk factors with malnutrition among under-five Nepalese children of Borbote village, Ilam. Health Renaissance 2013; 11 (2): 111-118.

Niraula SR, Chhetry DB, Singh GK, Nagesh S, Shyangwa PM. Risk Factors for Drug Abuse Among Nepalese Samples Selected from a Town of Eastern Nepal. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 2009; 7(3): 430-440.

Niraula SR, Chhetry DB, Singh GK, Nagesh S. Sampling Methods and Possibility of Random Sampling to Select Drug Abusers from the Community. Health Renaissance 2007; 4(1): 1-6.

Niraula SR&Khanal SS. Critical Analysis of Performance of Medical Students: A Study at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Eastern Nepal. Education for Health 2006; 19(1): 5-13.

Niraula SR, Shyangwa PM, Jha N, Paudel RK & Pokharel PK. Alcohol Use Among Women in a town of Eastern Nepal. Journal of Nepal Medical Association 2004, 43 (155): 244-9.

Niraula SR. Tobacco Use among Women in Dharan, Eastern Nepal. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition 2004; 22 (1): 68-74.

Niraula SR, Jha N. Review of Common Statistical Tools for Critical Analysis of Medical Research. Journal of Nepal Medical Association 2003, 42: 113-9.

Niraula SR, Jha N., Mishra RN & Singh SP. Awareness and risk taking behaviors Regarding sexually transmitted diseases among long distance drivers in a township of Dharan: A study from Nepal. Indian Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine 2003, 34 (3&4): 129-38.

Nutritional Sciences

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