Maya L. Petersen

Dr. Maya L. Petersen is a Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health. She holds dual appointments in the Department of Biostatistics and the Department of Epidemiology. Her research bridges advanced statistical methodology with critical global health challenges, particularly in HIV prevention and care. She is a Founding Editor of the Journal of Causal Inference and serves on the editorial board of Epidemiology.

Education:

• MD, University of California, San Francisco (2007–2009)
• PhD in Biostatistics, UC Berkeley (2004–2007)
• Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2001–2006)
• MS in Health and Medical Sciences, UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program (1999–2002)
• BA in Human Biology, Stanford University (1994–1998)

Research Interests: Dr. Petersen's work focuses on causal inference methods (e.g., dynamic treatment regimes, longitudinal data analysis) and their application to HIV/AIDS, adaptive clinical trials, and implementation science. She leads initiatives such as the Sustainable East Africa Research in Community Health consortium, evaluating universal HIV testing/treatment programs. Her methods address complex issues like mobile populations' care retention and economic incentives for treatment adherence.

Key Collaborations:

• Co-PI of the ADAPT-R study (behavioral interventions for HIV care retention)
• Co-PI of the SEARCH Dynamic Choice HIV Prevention Trial
• Co-developer of the Causal Roadmap framework for rigorous real-world evidence

Teaching: Dr. Petersen teaches advanced causal inference courses (PB HLTH 252D/E) and mentors doctoral students in epidemiology and biostatistics. She emphasizes bridging theoretical methods with real-world health challenges.

Labs & Teams: Her work is conducted through the Biostatistics and Epidemiology Research Group, collaborating with global partners in Kenya, Uganda, and the U.S. on HIV, TB, and chronic disease integration programs.