Rafael Meza

Rafael Meza is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan. He holds additional roles as Honorary Professor at the Mexico National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Coordinating Principal Investigator of the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) lung group, and core member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMCCC). He also collaborates with the UM Tobacco Research Network (UMTRN) and the Caswell Diabetes Institute.

Education: BSc in Applied Mathematics from Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM) (2000), PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Washington (2006). Postdoctoral fellowships at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (2008–2010) and the University of British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (2010–2013).

Research focuses on the intersection of epidemiology, biostatistics, and biomathematics, with emphasis on cancer risk assessment, mathematical modeling of disease dynamics, and public health policy design. Key projects include evaluating lung cancer screening strategies, modeling tobacco control policies, and diabetes prevention strategies in Mexico. He develops mechanistic models of carcinogenesis and infectious disease impacts on cancer etiology.

Notable contributions include work on lung cancer screening cost-effectiveness, the impact of smoking cessation interventions, and policy frameworks for tobacco regulation. His research has been supported by NIH grants, including projects on lung cancer control policies, health equity in tobacco regulation, and precision screening strategies.

Awards and roles include leadership in CISNET, involvement in the PROSPR initiative for precision lung cancer screening, and contributions to the Cancer Center Support Grant at the University of Michigan. He advises on global health initiatives, such as the Canadian Lung Outcomes in Vaping Users (CLOUD) study and the Tobacco Control Policy Tool.