Catarina Kiefe

Catarina Kiefe, Ph.D., M.D., is a Professor and holds the Melvin S. and Sandra L. Cutler Chair in Biomedical Research at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, leading the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences (PQHS). She previously served as the inaugural Chair of PQHS from 2009 to 2019 and currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer of PQHS and the Cutler Chair. Her research integrates mathematical rigor with clinical medicine, focusing on improving healthcare outcomes through epidemiological and health services research.

Education: She earned a BS in Science from the University of Porto (Portugal), a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and an M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco. She completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics.

Research Interests: Dr. Kiefe's work spans cardiovascular health, social determinants of health, geriatric conditions, and the application of data-driven approaches to healthcare improvement. She explores how factors like socioeconomic status, neighborhood environments, and psychological stress influence health outcomes, particularly in underserved populations. Her projects often combine quantitative methods with clinical insights to address disparities and improve patient care.

Publications: Her 300+ peer-reviewed articles reflect her focus on cardiovascular epidemiology, health disparities, and healthcare quality. Recent work includes studies on atrial fibrillation survival prediction, social determinants of cardiovascular health, and the impact of historical redlining on obesity.

Awards: Dr. Kiefe is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Medical Care, a premier journal in health services research. She has led numerous NIH-funded grants and mentors early-career researchers through training programs like the NHLBI T32 grant.

Leadership: She promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and cohesion among teams, emphasizing translational research. Her roles include leadership in the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and affiliations with multiple programs in bioinformatics and clinical investigation.