Marina Dascăl, PhD(c)
Research Assistant & PhD Candidate
Biography
Marina Dascăl is a PhD candidate and Research Assistant with more than eight years of experience in public health research. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Services and Policies and a Master’s degree in Psychology of Public and Clinical Health from Babeș-Bolyai University. Throughout her career, she has worked as both a researcher and local grant director, coordinating scientific activities while also managing the operational and administrative components of international research projects. Her experience spans mHealth, maternal and child health, domestic violence, visual impairment, psycho-oncology, perinatal nicotine addiction, and arts-based health promotion. Marina represented Babeș-Bolyai University in the Clinical Science Scholars program of Harvard Medical School and Semmelweis University, strengthening her skills in clinical research and study design. She also served as a Principal Clinical Investigator, certified under ISO 14155, for an assistive-technology start-up developing mobility and orientation devices for visually impaired users, contributing to early clinical validation and user testing. In 2023, Marina was included in Forbes Romania’s Forbes 30 Under 30 special edition, recognizing her growing contributions to research, innovation, and the advancement of public health.
Research Interests
Publications
- Blaga, O. M., Pădure, M., Amariei, C., & Dascăl, M. D. Psychometric Validation of the Romanian Version of the Independent Mobility Questionnaire. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 00343552251386454
- Blaga, O. M., Dascal, M. D., Onișor, A., Frățilă, T., Morar, A., Mihu, D., ... & Meghea, C. I. (2025). Smartphone intervention for pregnancy smoking cessation with peer support: the study protocol of the SmokeFree Together 2.0 (SFT 2.0) randomised controlled trial. BMJ open, 15(3), e100259
- David, O. A., Fodor, L. A., Dascăl, M. D., & Miron, I. S. (2023). The efficacy of online parenting interventions in addressing emotional problems in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 69(5), 1100-1112
- Dascăl, M. D., & Kállay, É. (2022). The investigation of changes in health-related quality of life before and after giving birth in a sample of Romanian women. Psychological Thought, 15(1)
- Dascăl, M. D., Meghea, C. I., & Blaga, O. M. (2020). A cross-section study of relationship characteristics and smoking cessation during pregnancy in a sample of Romanian pregnant women. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 24(9), 1113-1120
Current Projects
- RESPREMO - mHealth intervention to prevent smoking relapse after pregnancy (2017-2019)
- SMOKE-FREE TOGETHER 2.0 - Smartphone intervention for pregnancy smoking cessation (2020-2022)
- TESSA - Ethical considerations related to e-cigarette use for pregnancy smoking cessation (2019-2020)
- IFF Notifications - Mobile health intervention for family smoking cessation (2019-2020)
Courses
- Introduction to Research Methods - BA - English
- Introduction to Public Health - BA - Romanian
- Scientific Writing - BA - English
- Psychology and Mental Health - BA - English