Micaela MartinezAssistant Professor

Education

• B.S., University of Alaska Southeast, 2009
• Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2015

Research Area

• Population Biology, Evolution, and Ecology
• Computational Biology

Research Description

Our research falls into several categories: (1) infectious disease ecology, (2) evolutionary immunology, (2) seasonal and circadian rhythms in health, (3) maternal and infant health, and (5) the intersection between social justice, the environment, and health. We aim to understand how ecology, demography, and physiology intersect to drive the transmission of epidemic-prone diseases, including polio, measles, chickenpox, and SARS-CoV-2. Our research on biological rhythms aims to determine whether humans have seasonal changes in physiology, similar to those found in many other species. We also conduct research on maternal immunity in infants as it relates to the infant vaccine schedule and breastfeeding. We utilize clinical and epidemiological data, coupled with mathematical and statistical models to to gain insight into the dynamics of health and disease. During the pandemic, we also began working on how environmental racism and social inequities generate health disparities, with particular emphasis on black and Latinx communities in New York City.

Publications