Dr. Martin Lajous Loaeza

Biography

I am a medical doctor and epidemiologist with research interests in nutrition, cardiovascular health, and epidemiologic methods. I became a researcher at the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico (INSP) in 2004 and associated researcher at the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health at the French National Institute of Medical Research in 2011. As the Principal Investigator of the Mexican Teachers’ Cohort (MTC), I was involved in the inception, overall design, and instrument development. The MTC is a strong cohort of 115,315 female teachers living in Mexico, established to study the risk factors for chronic disease. In collaboration with Dr. López-Ridaura, I oversee MTC's day-to-day activities, follow-ups, clinical data, biospecimen collection, and data management. With 11 years of experience conducting epidemiological studies in Mexico, I analyze complex longitudinal data from large prospective cohort studies. My strong methodological training has focused on the application of novel causal inference models in nutritional epidemiology. The MTC currently assesses risk factors for subclinical cardiovascular disease in relation to BPA, phthalates, and glucose metabolism. Due to increasing concerns about criminal activity and insecurity in Mexico, I received funding to study the relationship between violence, insecurity, psychological stress, and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, I have designed and taught introductory courses on epidemiology and causal inference at INSP and developed an interest in how the Mexican health system responds to the increasing burden of chronic disease. I organize a triannual Colloquium on Health Policy in Mexico to provide a protected space for policymakers to discuss immediately relevant and politically sensitive health issues.

Research Interests