. I have worked on pediatric epidemiologic research for over 5 years on prenatal and pediatric exposures to environmental chemicals and health outcomes in children and adolescents. I have published 5 first-author research articles at high-impact journals such as Environment International, a leading journal in environmental health. I have 2 additional papers under revision and am leading 2 manuscripts in preparation as the first author. I presented at conferences including the U.S. Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD) Meeting, where I engaged in discussions with researchers across disciplines. My work has also been selected as an oral presentation at the upcoming Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) Annual Meeting.
One representative series of my work is three of my first-author research articles in the Boston Birth Cohort, among which two have been published in Environment International, and one is currently under revision at the Journal of the American Heart Association. These papers reported associations of prenatal exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” with children’s overweight/obesity and hypertension from early childhood to adolescence (2-18 years), and investigated the underlying mechanisms through metabolomic signatures in cord plasma. Notably, I found that the associations of prenatal PFAS exposures with children’s obesity/hypertension were stronger in adolescence than in earlier child life stages. Such intergenerational, long-lasting, and latent effects suggested that the effects of early life adverse factors may impact individuals across the lifespan and may not become evident until adolescence. The studies also emphasized the need to shift pediatric health protection efforts toward addressing environmental factors during the earliest developmental stages.
In addition to my research, I also dedicate myself to voluntary community services for children and adolescents. Over the past years, I have provided voluntary one-on-one tutoring to more than 50 children from low-income and under-educational communities, covering academics, potential development, and health and sex education. I am currently a JH HEAT (Johns Hopkins Health Education and Training) Corps Volunteer, leading public health workshops and delivering health education lectures among K-12 youth in the US.
What makes me an outstanding candidate for the Trainee Representative position is my specialized training in maternal and child health at the Department of PFRH at JHSPH, combined with over five years of experience in pediatric epidemiologic research. Mentored by pediatric experts and collaborating with peers across disciplines related to children’s health, I have developed a comprehensive and unique understanding of the needs of trainees in pediatric epidemiology. My self-taught expertise in advanced statistical methods—including linear mixed-effects regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression, quantile-based g-computation, metabolome-wide association studies, and pathway enrichment analysis—equips me to effectively plan SPER’s Advanced Methods Workshop. Additionally, as I am at an especially meaningful moment transitioning from my master’s to PhD training, I bring insights from both master’s and doctoral students, who make up the majority of SPER trainees.
I also contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the SPER. I am a first-generation graduate student and an international student. I have worked with multiple diverse cohort studies, such as the Boston Birth Cohort, a predominantly Black and Hispanic, low-income, and urban population. My previous research identified stronger associations between prenatal PFAS exposures and health outcomes in Black and Hispanic children and adolescents. Furthermore, I have worked in diverse settings, including wet labs, dry labs, hospitals, the CDC, and communities. These collaborations with culturally and professionally diverse teams have prepared me to lead international multidisciplinary collaborations in addressing pediatric health threats, particularly for those children who bear disproportional health burdens.
My mother, a kindergarten teacher, has dedicated to a happy childhood for thousands of children over 30 years. Passing onto me, I am committed to protecting the health of millions of children around the world. Serving as the Trainee Representative on the SPER Executive Committee would allow me to support my peers in pediatric epidemiology worldwide and work toward a healthier future for children and their future generations.