The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences celebrates the life of a beloved member of the Trojan family, Roman Corral, MS ’12. Corral, who passed away over Labor Day weekend is remembered as hard-working, diligent and extremely kind-hearted by friends and colleagues. He made many contributions to the department as a staff member and student, in particular, to the research group led by Marianna C. Stern, PhD. Dr. Stern remembers him:
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the sudden passing of Roman Corral, a dear past Population and Public Health Sciences member and graduate who worked for ten years in my group. Roman came to USC in 2002, as a recent graduate from UCLA, and helped me start my group as my lab manager. He quickly became my friend and a terrific colleague. Through the years, he helped train others who joined my group, and he collaborated with many people in Population and Public Health Sciences and outside, and earned the respect and friendship of so many. His enthusiasm and curiosity motivated him to pursue an MS in Molecular Epidemiology, which he completed in 2012, with many publications under his belt. He took a job at Keck as part of the Galaxy Health project working at LA County hospital for two years, and contributed to the success of this project. A testament to this is the fact that they hired him at LAC where he worked as a hospital administrator, until now. He was one of the most generous persons I have met, and never hesitated to go the extra mile to help others, or to make someone else happy. He especially liked showing his love of LA and good food to the outsiders and foreigners who spent time in my lab, many of whom became his good friends. He had a gentle and loving soul, a heart of gold, and he touched many lives while he worked here at USC, and many more outside. He had a major impact on my path at USC. I will always remember him with gratitude and love, and will miss his bright smile and shining soul. He leaves behind his parents and two siblings, all of whom live here in LA, and with whom he was very close. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers, they will need much strength to overcome this tragedy. May his memory be a blessing.”
Mariana C. Stern, PhD
Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences & Urology
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Associate Director of Population Sciences
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Program Director, CaRE2 Health Equity Center
University of Southern California
