Vanessa Perez, Ph.D.

Dr. Perez has worked with clients on several different human health issues in healthcare, biotech, pharmaceuticals, and law. She conducts state of the art scientific reviews, both qualitative and quantitative, to investigate the risk for various health outcomes. For example, Dr. Perez has conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at evaluating the potential risk of disease associated with exposures from transmission lines. She has also performed a comprehensive assessment of health disparities in respiratory disease outcomes to assist in future surveillance, clinical diagnosis, and treatment. Dr. Perez has additional expertise in assisting clients in study design development and performing in-depth epidemiologic data analyses for various types of research including clinical trials and intervention studies; project managing and providing epidemiologic support in the area of medical device products and health outcomes; and has been involved in conducting large-scale community studies to understand associations between target exposures and various health endpoints including respiratory disease and cancer outcomes.

Prior to joining Exponent in 2010, Dr. Perez graduated with her Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Michigan. Her research focused on understanding the relationship between psychological stress and influenza as well as studying the influence of illness behavior on possible transmission of infection within the community setting. In both her training and time at Exponent, Dr. Perez has authored peer-reviewed papers and meta-analyses that have been published in top scientific journals and has presented her research findings at scientific conferences including the Society for Epidemiologic Research and the International Congress of Infectious Diseases.

Aiello AE, Perez V, Coulborn RM, Davis BM, Uddin M, Monto AS. Facemasks, hand hygiene, and influenza among young adults: A randomized intervention trial. PLoS One 2012; 7(1):e29744. Epub 2012 Jan 25.

Holscher HD, Czerkies LA, Cekola P, Litov R, Benbow M, Santema S, Alexander DD, Perez V, Sun S, Saavedra JM, Tappenden KA. Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 enhances intestinal antibody response in formula-fed infants: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Jan 2012; 36(1 Suppl):106S–17S.

Perez V, Uddin M, Galea S, Monto AS, Aiello AE. Stress, adherence to preventive measures for reducing influenza transmission, and influenza-like illness. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Prepublished January 10, 2011 DOI:10.1136/jech.2010.117002.

Aiello AE, Murray G, Perez V, Davis B, Coulborn RM, Uddin M, Waterman S, Shay D, Monto AS. Mask use and seasonal influenza-like illness among young adults: A randomized intervention trial. Journal of Infectious Disease Feb 15 2010; 201(4):491–498.

Aiello AE, Coulborn RM, Perez V, Larson EL. Effect of hand hygiene on infectious disease risk in the community setting: A Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Public Health 2008; 98:1372–1381.

Diaz-Perez S, Ferguson D, Wang C, Csankovszki G, Wang C, Tsai SC, Dutta D, Perez V, Kim S, Eller CD, Salstrom J, Ouyang Y, Teitell MA, Kaltenboeck B, Chess A, Huang S, Marahrens Y. A deletion at the mouse Xist gene exposes trans-effects that alter the heterochromatim of the inactive X chromosome and the replication time and DNA stability of both X chromosomes. Genetics 2006; 174(3):1115–1133.

Diaz-Perez S, Ouyang Y, Perez V, Cisneros R, Regelson M, Marahrens Y. The element(s) at the nontranscribed Xist locus of the active X chromosome controls chromosomal replication timing in the mouse. Genetics 2005; 171:663–672.

Kabanov AV, Komarov VM, Perez V. Mechanism of accumulation in large electric dipole moment of the DNA molecule. Biofizika 2005; 50:434–451.

Abstracts and Presentations

Perez V, Schmier JK, Alexander DD. Race/ethnic disparities in pediatric discharges from all US community, non-rehabilitation hospitals for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among children one year or younger. Oral presentation at the 45th Annual Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, June 27–30, 2012.

Perez V, Alexander DD, Cushing CA, Weed DL. Processed meat consumption and stomach cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective epidemiologic studies. Poster presentation, 3rd North American Congress of Epidemiology, Montreal, QC, June 21–24, 2011.

Perez V, Galea S, Kalbfleisch J, Monto AS, Aiello AE. Effect of influenza-like illness symptoms on hand hygiene and other health habits among US university students. Poster presentation, 14th International Conference on Infectious Disease, Miami, FL, March 9–12, 2010.

Perez V, Aiello AE. The efficacy of influenza vaccine on cardiovascular events in adults: A meta-analysis and evaluation of the literature. Poster presented at the 42nd Annual Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) Meeting, Anaheim, CA, June 23–26, 2009.

Lu YC, Galea S, Perez V, Liu G, Coulborn RM, Uddin M, Monto AS, Aiello AE. Social support, fear, and willingness to comply with non-pharmaceutical interventions against pandemic influenza among US university students. Talk presented at the World Federation of Public Health Associations 12th World Congress on Public Health, Istanbul, Turkey, April 27–May 1, 2009.

Perez V, Uddin M, Galea S, Monto AS, Aiello AE. Psychosocial effects of influenza in the university setting. Poster presented at the Annual Biomedical Conference for Minority Students, Orlando, FL, November 5–8, 2008.

Perez V, Monto AS, Aiello AE. Effect of stress on intervention compliance and influenza-like illness rates. Poster presented at the 41st Annual SER Meeting, Chicago, IL, June 24–27, 2008.

Perez V, Monto AS, Murray GF, Coulborn RM, Aiello AE. Fear, stress, and reported pandemic influenza response among university students in the US. Poster presented at the 13th International Conference on Infectious Disease, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 19–22, 2008.

• Society for Epidemiologic Research (member)
• International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (member)