RESEARCH STATEMENT
Research Interest
I am interested in understanding the impact of environmental exposures on health through the use of epidemiological exposure assessment methods that emphasize the significance of place. My line of research is focused in two main areas, including: the measurement of environmental exposures (mainly, built environment characteristics and air quality) and investigating the pathways through which these exposures are related to chronic diseases (mainly, cardiorespiratory diseases and cancer) and their risk factors. I am also interested in understanding how any relationship pathways operate at varying geospatial scales, from micro (e.g., indoors) to macro (e.g., regional). A secondary line of research focus is examining how social forces create disparities in the distribution of environmental exposures and evaluating any moderating effects of these disparities on observed relationships between exposures and health. I emphasize the significance of place through spatial epidemiology and geographic information system (GIS).
Training and Expertise
My research expertise were developed and honed over the course of my academic trainings and through participation in environmental epidemiological studies. These academic and research experience allowed me to develop robust capabilities in the skills necessary to excel in my areas of research focus. Skills for environmental exposure measurements and methods include: developing protocols and workflow for equipment- and survey-based collection of environmental data, retrieval and sorting of collected environmental data, processing of geospatial datasets, and computation of composite measures for environmental exposures. Skills for environmental exposures and chronic diseases pathways include: design of environmental epidemiological studies for cross-sectional, case-control and cohort datasets, training in correlation and regression analysis, and modeling of environmental data.
I have applied these knowledge and skill-set tomany research studies in my focus areas. Briefly, these projects include: assessmentof aerial dissemination of C. Difficile spores in hospital environment (NIOSHfunded; 2009-2010), examination of the relationship between objective measuresof the built environment and physical activity behaviors and obesity (NCIfunded; 2010-2011), original composition of a GIS-based composite index forchoosing study areas for an obesity reduction clinical trial, and subsequentdescription of health-enhancing built environment features in the same studyareas (CDC funded; 2012-2016), evaluation of the environmental correlates ofneighborhood recreational walking (secondary data; 2015-2016), and investigationof the impact of light rail development and accompanying changes to the builtenvironment on physical activity behavior (NIDDKD funded; 2014-2018). Sincejoining the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), I have contributed environmentalhealth expertise to the conceptualization, design and implementation of severalongoing research studies, including those described in my “Research Activities”statement.