Carolina Perez-Heydrich
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PhD Postdoctoral Trainee Carolina Population Center Department of Biostatistics |
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Research
My research with the Carolina Population Center has primarily focused on the influence of social and spatial contextual factors on disease incidence and measures of vaccine efficacy. Vaccine trials conventionally define efficacy across a global scale, in which disease risk is assumed to be homogenous across target populations. Often, risk factors associated with disease can be clustered spatially or within social networks, but are overlooked when defining vaccine efficacy. By addressing and controlling for heterogeneities in disease risk associated with space and social ties, we can better quantify the protective efficacy of vaccination programs, and thus provide better information to guide strategies aimed at mitigating the spread of infection across exposed populations. Along these lines, I have also evaluated novel statistical approaches to estimate direct, indirect, and overall effects of vaccination while controlling for interference among individuals brought about through herd immunity. Additionally as part of my research practicum at CPC, I have served as a statistical collaborator with the Spatial Health Research Group at UNC, which focuses on research associated with population health outcomes as they relate to human-environment interactions. Over the past three years, my work with this group has focused on the role of contextual factors on population patterns of disease, and has involved the use of spatial data to address topics associated with infectious disease and population health.
Education
BS, Biology, Davidson College, 2003
PhD, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2010.
Dissertation: Ecological investigations of mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease in natural populations of threatened gopher tortoises: Insights from population ecology, mathematical epidemiology, and behavioral ecology.
MPH, Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2012.
Funding
Postdoctoral Fellowship, joint appointment through the Department of Biostatistics and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 2010-present
Relevant Publications
Perez-Heydrich, C., J.M. Braly, S. Giebultowicz, J.J. Winston, M. Yunus, P.K. Streatfield, and M. Emch. (in press). Social and spatial processes associated with childhood diarrheal disease in Matlab, Bangladesh. Health & Place. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.10.002.
Winston, J., V. Escamilla, C. Perez-Heydrich, M. Carrel, M. Yunus, P. K. Streatfield, and M. Emch. (accepted). Deep tubewells protect against childhood diarrhea in Matlab, Bangladesh. American Journal of Public Health.
Emch, M., E. D. Root, S. Giebultowicz, M. Ali, C. Perez-Heydrich, and M. Yunus. (2012). Integration of Spatial and Social Network Analysis in Disease Transmission Studies. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 102: 1004-1015.
Manuscripts in Preparation
Perez-Heydrich, C., M. G. Hudgens, M. E. Halloran, J. Clemens, M. Ali, and M. Emch. (submitted). Assessing the effects of cholera vaccination in the presence of interference. Biometrics.
Warren, J. and C. Perez-Heydrich. (submitted). Bayesian Spatial Modeling of Optimal Deep Tubewell Locations in Matlab, Bangladesh. Journal of the American Statistical Association.
Perez-Heydrich, C., A. Verdery, M. Ali, J. Clemens, M. Yunus, and M. Emch. (submitted). Contextual effects of space, environment, and social networks in vaccine trials. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
