Nasra Giama, DNP, RN, PHN

Dr. Giama is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. She is a public health nurse interested in the intersection of health education and culture with a primary emphasis on health promotion and prevention in immigrant populations and adolescents. Dr. Giama provides professional, scholarly leadership in four primary areas: (1) health promotion and prevention, (2) scholarship focused on methods to promote the health and well-being of immigrant and refugee communities through community engagement strategies (3) transforming health equity and social justice in nursing education, (4) mentorship for diverse students in healthcare.

Dr. Giama's projects and publications are focused around disparities in health related to liver cancer, viral hepatitis, and developing interventions to deliver culturally and linguistically tailored care to immigrant communities as well as the coordination of national and international studies on the early detection and prevention of liver and bile duct cancers. Additionally, her community health funded projects aim to promote the educational attainment of minority students as well as implementing coalition building interventions to increase community capacity.

DNP, University of Minnesota
Major: Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

DNP, University of Minnesota
Major: Public Health and Adolescent Nursing

BSN, University of Minnesota 
Major: Nursing

• Registered Nurse, Minnesota Board of Nursing
• Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, Minnesota Board of Nursing

• Rising Star Award, University of Minnesota School of Nursing Alumni Society, 2022
• Daisy Award for Commitment to the Understanding of Social Determinants, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 2020
• WHO Dedicated Year of the Nurse and the Midwife Award, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, 2020
• Faculty Public Service Award, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 2019
• Faculty Diversity and Inclusivity Award, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 2015
• Excellence through Teamwork Recipient, Mayo Clinic, 2012
• Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Fellowship, 2012

• Africa HepatoPancreatoBiliary Cancer Consortium
• Early Detection Research Network (EDRN), National Cancer Institute
• International Association of Adolescent Health
• National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health
• Network of Minority Health Research (NMRI)
• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
• Transcultural Nursing Association

Olukotun, O., Abusbaitan, H., Hearst, M. O., Pirsch, A., Hoffman, S. J., Martin, L., Connor, J. J., Adebayo, C. T., Eyadat, A., Dressel, A., Giama, N., McMorris, B. J., Adams, S., Gondwe, K. W., Lopez, A. A., Graf, M., Mekonnen, H., Mersha, S. B., Demissie Ashenafi, A., & Mkandawire-Valhmu, L. (2025). Gender-based violence in the lives of Somali women with refugee status: A Framework for Analysis and Action. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 36(2), 112-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/10436596241274121 

Martini, A., Prasai, K., Zemla, T. J., Ahmed, F. Y., Elnagar, M. B., Giama, N. H., Guzzardo, V., Biasiolo, A., Fassan, M., Yin, J., Pontisso, P., & Roberts, L. R. (2024). SerpinB3/4 expression is associated withpoor prognosis in patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Cancers, 16(1), 225. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16010225

Mohamed, E. A., Giama, N. H., Abdalla, A. O., Shaleh, H. M., Oseini, A. M., Ali, H. A., Ahmed, F., Taha, W., Ahmed Mohammed, H., Cvinar, J., Waaeys, I. A., Ali, H., Allotey, L. K., Ali, A. O., Mohamed, S. A., Harmsen, W. S., Ahmmad, E. M., Bajwa, N. A., Afgarshe, M. D., Shire, A. M., … Roberts, L. R. (2022). High prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis B and C in Minnesota Somalis contributes to rising hepatocellular carcinoma incidence. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 28(35), 5217–5229. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v28.i35.5217 

Miyabe, K., Chandrasekhara, V., Wongjarupong, N., Chen, J., Yang, L., Johnson, S., Chia, N., Walther-Antonio, M., Yao, J. Z., Harrington, S. C., Nordyke, C. K., Eaton, J. E., Gossard, A. A., Oli, S., Ali, H. A., Lavu, S., Giama, N. H., Hassan, F. A., Ali, H. M., Enders, F. T., … Roberts, L. R. (2022). Potential role of inflammation-promoting biliary microbiome in primary sclerosing cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma. Cancers, 14(9), 2120. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14092120 

Wongjarupong, N., Negron-Ocasio, G. M., Mara, K. C., Prasai, K., Abdallah, M. A., Ahn, K. S., Yang, J. D., Addissie, B. D., Giama, N. H., Harmsen, W. S., Therneau, T. M., & Roberts, L. R. (2021). BALAD and BALAD-2 predict survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients: A North American cohort study. HPB, 23(5), 762-769.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpb.2020.09.014

Pant, K., Peixoto, E., Richard, S., Biswas, A., O'Sullivan, M. G., Giama, N., Ha, Y., Yin, J., Carotenuto, P., Salati, M., Ren, Y., Yang, R., Franco, B., Roberts, L. R., & Gradilone, S. A. (2021). Histone deacetylase sirtuin 1 promotes loss of primary cilia in cholangiocarcinoma. Hepatology, 74(6), 3235–3248. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.32080

Yang, J. D., Ghoz, H., Aboelsoud, M. M., Taylor, W. R., Yab, T. C., Berger, C. K., Cao, X., Foote, P. H., Giama, N. H., Barr Fritcher, E. G., Mahoney, D. W., Moser, C. D., Smyrk, T. C., Kipp, B. R., Gores, G. J., Roberts, L. R., & Kisiel, J. B. (2021). DNA methylation markers for detection of cholangiocarcinoma: Discovery, validation, and clinical testing in biliary brushings and plasma. Hepatology Communications, 5(8), 1448–1459. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep4.1730

Chen, V.L., Yeh, M.‐L., Yang, J.D., Leong, J., Huang, D.Q., Toyoda, H., Chen, Y.‐L., Guy, J., Maeda, M., Tsai, P.‐C., Huang, C.‐F., Yasuda, S., Le, A.K., Dang, H., Giama, N.H., Ali, H.A., Zhang, N., Wang, X., Jun, D.W., Tseng, C.‐H., Hsu, Y.‐C., Huang, J.‐F., Dai, C.‐Y., Chuang, W.‐L., Zhu, Q., Dan, Y.Y., Schwartz, M., Roberts, L.R., Yu, M.‐L. and Nguyen, M.H. (2021). Effects of cirrhosis and diagnosis scenario in metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease‐related hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology Communications, 5(1), 122-132. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep4.1606

Mohamed, E. A., Giama, N. H., Shaleh, H. M., Kerandi, L., Oseini, A. M., Ahmed Mohammed, H., … Roberts, L. R. (2020). Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of viral hepatitis among recent African immigrants in the United States: A community based participatory research qualitative study . Frontiers in Public Health Frontiers 8, 25. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00025 

Lavu, S., Therneau, T.M., Harmsen, W.S., Mara, K.C., Wongjarupong, N., Hassan, M., Ali, H.A., Antwi, S., Giama, N.H., Miyabe, K. and Roberts, L.R. (2020). Effect of statins on the risk of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Hepatology, 72(4), 1298-1309. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.31146

• Giama, N. H. "International Hepatobiliary Neoplasia Registry and Biorepository," Africa HepatoPancreatoBiliary Cancer Consortium, Nairboi, Kenya. (August 2024).
• Giama, N. H. "Community Engagement: Partnering with Immigrant & Refugee Communities in Minnesota," University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, Minneapolis, MN. (April 2024).
• Giama, N. H. "Improving Liver Care for African and Southeast Asian Communities: A Webinar for Health Care Providers," Somali Health Advisory Committee. (July 2023).
• Giama, N. H.  & Mustafa, T. "Fundamentals in Health Equity," Interprofessional Leadership Seminar, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN. (March 2023).
• Giama, N. H. "A Discussion About Birth Care with BIPOC Community Members," Abbott Northwestern Hospital-The Mother & Baby Center, Minneapolis, MN. (November 2022).
• Giama, N. H. "Nurses and Health Equity Integrative Nursing Webinar," Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, Minneapolis, MN. (October 2022).
• Giama, N. H. "Community Engagement: Partnering with Immigrant/Refugee Communities in the USA," Africa HepatoPancreatoBiliary Cancer Consortium, Cairo, Egypt. (August 2022).
• Giama, N. H. "Structural Racism and Nursing," MHealth Fairview Nurses Week, Minneapolis, MN. (May 2021).
• Giama, N. H. (panelist) "Diversifying Health Care," University Minnesota Rochester Health Core Forum, Rochester, MN. (November 2020). 

• Giama, N. H. "Caring for Immigrant and Refugee Communities," Minnesota Student Nurses Association (MSNA) Annual Convention, Minneapolis, MN. (February 2020).