Alexis Jeannine Handal

Alexis Jeannine Handal is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Her research focuses on occupational and environmental epidemiology, maternal and child health, and global health, particularly among Latinx and Indigenous populations in Latin America and the U.S. She employs community-based participatory research (CBPR) and mixed methods to address health equity issues related to chemical exposures, social stressors, and precarious employment.

Her work spans over two decades, including studies in Ecuador examining export-led flower production's impact on child health and development, and collaborations in the U.S. such as the Michigan Farmworker Project. She leads the SEMILLA birth cohort study (NIEHS-funded) investigating fungicidal exposure effects on pregnancy and infant health in Ecuador. Dr. Handal's research emphasizes the interplay between environmental and social factors, with a focus on vulnerable populations.

Key collaborations include work with Dr. Fadya Orozco (Universidad San Francisco de Quito) and Dr. Lisbeth Iglesias-Rios. Her projects integrate policy advocacy and community engagement to improve worker and maternal-child health outcomes in agricultural settings.