Sandrah Proctor Eckel, PhD

I am an Associate Professor in the Division of Biostatistics of the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC). My work focuses on on statistical methods and applications in environmental epidemiology and climate change and health. I led an NIEHS-funded R01 on statisical methods for exhaled nitric oxide and I led the statistical group working on methods for sensor-based, integrated health monitoring systems for measuring environmental, physiological, and behavioral factors in epidemiological studies of asthma in children. I direct the PhD Program in Biostatistics at USC.

• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD — PhD — 2009 — Biostatistics

• Statistical methods for exhaled breath biomarkers in environmental epidemiology
  NIH · R01ES027860 · Sep 30, 2017 – Jun 30, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Pediatric Research using Integrated Sensor Monitoring Systems (PRISMS): Data and Software Coordination and Integration Center (DSCIC)
  NIH · U24EB021996 · Sep 30, 2015 – Sep 29, 2019 · Role: Multiple Principal Investigator
• Methods for modeling air pollution effects on exhaled biomarkers
  NIH · K22ES022987 · Aug 15, 2013 – Jul 31, 2017 · Role: Principal Investigator

• Prenatal fluoride exposure and motor development among infants in Los Angeles, California. Environ Res. 2026 Jul 09; 306(Pt 2):125235.. View in PubMed
• Understanding the importance of social and environmental stressors in predicting maternal sleep quality during late pregnancy. Environ Res. 2026 Sep 01; 305(Pt 2):125013.. View in PubMed
• Best-fit heat stress metric for modelling the heat-mortality relation across climatically distinct subregions of Southern California. Environ Res. 2026 Sep 01; 305(Pt 2):124987.. View in PubMed
• Preconception and early-pregnancy exposure to ambient air pollution and trajectories of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Environ Health. 2026 Jun 02.. View in PubMed
• Maternal Heat Shock Protein as a Potential Biomarker of Adaptation to Heat Stress during Pregnancy and Its Relation to Preterm Birth. Environ Sci Technol. 2026 May 12; 60(18):13323-13332.. View in PubMed
• Newborn metabolomics linking prenatal air pollution exposure and autism spectrum disorder risk in children. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2026 Apr 27.. View in PubMed
• Prospective association of tobacco retailer density and neighbourhood walkability with youth vaping initiation in California, USA. Tob Control. 2026 04 13; 35(2):215-222.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal heat stress and predicted postpartum cardiovascular disease risk: a longitudinal cohort study. Sci Rep. 2026 Apr 02; 16(1).. View in PubMed
• Distance to a Drying Saline Lake and Lung Function Development in a Rural Border Cohort of Children. JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Apr 01; 9(4):e264812.. View in PubMed
• The potential effects of hypothetical PM2.5 interventions on childhood autism in different neighborhood socioeconomic contexts. Am J Epidemiol. 2026 03 05; 195(3):689-698.. View in PubMed
• Electric vehicle adoption, gentrification, and housing prices: a longitudinal study in California. Environ Res Commun. 2026 Mar 01; 8(3):031004.. View in PubMed
• Metabolites and proteins may mediate the relationship between diet quality and insulin sensitivity in young adult cohort. J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2026 Jun; 25(1):90.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal exposure to extreme heat and autism in children. Sci Total Environ. 2026 Feb 20; 1017:181373.. View in PubMed
• Zero-emissions vehicle adoption and satellite-measured NO2 air pollution in California, USA, from 2019 to 2023: a longitudinal observational study. Lancet Planet Health. 2026 Jan; 10(1):101379.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal Exposure to Wildfire and Autism in Children. Environ Sci Technol. 2026 Feb 03; 60(4):2907-2916.. View in PubMed
• Third-trimester diet and prenatal depression in the MADRES cohort. Nutrition. 2026 May; 145:113110.. View in PubMed
• Particulate matter levels and children’s lung function in a rural cohort near a drying saline lake. Environ Epidemiol. 2026 Feb; 10(1):e455.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal exposure to heat stress and postpartum depressive symptoms in the MADRES cohort in urban Los Angeles. Environ Res. 2026 Feb 15; 291:123527.. View in PubMed
• Impact of heat exposure on sleep health and its population vulnerability in the United States. Environ Int. 2025 Dec; 206:109942.. View in PubMed
• Polyfluoroalkyl substances and altered glucose homeostasis in adolescents following bariatric surgery. Environ Endocrinol. 2026 Jan; 2(1):wkaf003.. View in PubMed
• Associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in adolescents and young adults: modifying roles of age, lifestyle factors, and PNPLA3 genotype. Environ Res. 2026 Jan 01; 288(Pt 2):123320.. View in PubMed
• Prospective associations of subjective and objective neighborhood disadvantage with cannabis and nicotine vaping among Southern California adolescents. Health Place. 2025 Nov; 96:103577.. View in PubMed
• Dust Events and Children’s Lung Function Near a Drying Saline Lake. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2025 Nov; 211(11):2133-2136.. View in PubMed
• Mediating role of proteomics in the association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure and blood pressure in youth. Environ Pollut. 2025 Dec 15; 387:127336.. View in PubMed
• Translational framework linking perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) exposure to metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease in adolescents. Commun Med (Lond). 2025 Oct 29; 5(1):430.. View in PubMed
• Plasma Metabolomic and Proteomic Signatures of Blood Pressure Management After Bariatric Surgery Among Adolescents. Hypertension. 2025 Dec; 82(12):2183-2196.. View in PubMed
• PFAS Exposure and Postoperative Weight Regain in Adolescents After Bariatric Surgery: Findings From the Teen-LABS Study. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2025 Oct; 33(10):1930-1954.. View in PubMed
• Chrome Plating Facility Siting Is Associated with Neighborhood Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors and Elevated Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Blood in California. Environ Sci Technol. 2025 Jul 01; 59(25):12520-12532.. View in PubMed
• A Co-Created, Community-Informed Model for Electric Vehicle Adoption in Disadvantaged Communities. Transp Res D Transp Environ. 2025 Sep; 146.. View in PubMed
• Beyond the Surface: Mapping DDE’s Metabolic Footprint on Adolescent Obesity. Environ Health Perspect. 2025 Jun 03.. View in PubMed
• Neighborhood deprivation and iodine levels influence air pollution effects on maternal thyroid function in early pregnancy. Environ Res. 2025 Jul 15; 277:121543.. View in PubMed
• Longitudinal patterns of e-cigarette use initiation and progression to frequent vaping from mid-to-late adolescence to young adulthood. Addiction. 2025 Aug; 120(8):1571-1581.. View in PubMed
• Nicotine-Cannabis Transitions and Nicotine Abstinence Among United States Adults. Epidemiology. 2025 Jul 01; 36(4):551-559.. View in PubMed
• Discordant sibling analysis of autism risk associated with prenatal exposure to tailpipe and non-tailpipe particulate matter pollution. Environ Res. 2025 Jun 15; 275:121449.. View in PubMed
• Gestational Blood Pressure Trajectories and 5-Year Postpartum Hypertension Risk in the MADRES Study. JACC Adv. 2025 Apr; 4(4):101660.. View in PubMed
• Proteins and pathways involved in inflammation are longitudinally associated with total body bone mineral density among primarily Hispanic overweight/obese adolescents and young adults. J Bone Miner Res. 2025 Mar 15; 40(3):372-381.. View in PubMed
• Integrated Spheroid-to-Population Framework for Evaluating PFHpA-Associated Metabolic Dysfunction and Steatotic Liver Disease. Res Sq. 2025 Mar 04.. View in PubMed
• Air Pollution Exposure, Prefrontal Connectivity, and Emotional Behavior in Early Adolescence. Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 2025 03.. View in PubMed
• Metabolic Signatures in Adipose Tissue Linking Lipophilic Persistent Organic Pollutant Mixtures to Blood Pressure Five Years After Bariatric Surgery Among Adolescents. Environ Sci Technol. 2025 Mar 11; 59(9):4364-4375.. View in PubMed
• Efficiency of case-crossover versus time-series study designs for extreme heat exposures. Environ Epidemiol. 2025 Apr; 9(2):e370.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal Psychosocial Stressors and Blood Pressure Across 4 Years Postpartum. Hypertension. 2025 05; 82(5):849-858.. View in PubMed
• Perceived Stress During Late Pregnancy and Infant Body Composition at 1 Month. J Endocr Soc. 2025 Jan 06; 9(2):bvae222.. View in PubMed
• Examining disparities in PFAS plasma concentrations: Impact of drinking water contamination, food access, proximity to industrial facilities and superfund sites. Environ Res. 2025 Jan 01; 264(Pt 1):120370.. View in PubMed
• Association of Perceived Neighborhood Disorder with Substance Use Behaviors and Retail Access Among Southern California Adolescents. Subst Use Misuse. 2025; 60(2):228-235.. View in PubMed
• Cannabis use and sleep problems among young adults by mental health status: A prospective cohort study. Addiction. 2025 Apr; 120(4):688-696.. View in PubMed
• Air quality and wheeze symptoms in a rural children’s cohort near a drying saline lake. Environ Res. 2024 Dec 15; 263(Pt 2):120070.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal Exposure to Source-Specific Fine Particulate Matter and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Environ Sci Technol. 2024 Oct 22; 58(42):18566-18577.. View in PubMed
• EV-miRNA associated with environmental air pollution exposures in the MADRES cohort. Environ Epigenet. 2024; 10(1):dvae019.. View in PubMed
• Decomposing the variance: The unique and shared associations of fine and ultrafine particulate matter exposed during pregnancy with child autism spectrum disorder. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Dec 01; 954:176609.. View in PubMed
• ZIP Code and ZIP Code Tabulation Area Linkage: Implications for Bias in Epidemiologic Research. Epidemiology. 2025 01 01; 36(1):115-118.. View in PubMed
• Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances and disrupted sleep: mediating roles of proteins. Environ Adv. 2024 Oct; 17.. View in PubMed
• Reducing pain by improving brain and muscle activity with motor cortical neuromodulation in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2024 Sep 12; 25(1):609.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and persistent postpartum depression. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Nov 25; 953:176089.. View in PubMed
• The future of climate health research: An urgent call for equitable action- and solution-oriented science. Environ Epidemiol. 2024 Oct; 8(5):e331.. View in PubMed
• Exposure to agricultural pesticides and wheezing among 5-12-year-old children in the Imperial Valley, CA, USA. Environ Epidemiol. 2024 Oct; 8(5):e325.. View in PubMed
• Smartphone GPS-Based Exposure to Greenspace and Walkability and Accelerometer-Assessed Physical Activity During Pregnancy and Early Postpartum-Evidence from the MADRES Cohort. J Urban Health. 2024 Dec; 101(6):1128-1142.. View in PubMed
• Association between cannabis use and nicotine use persistence among adolescents. Addict Behav. 2024 11; 158:108106.. View in PubMed
• Organophosphate ester flame retardant chemicals and maternal depression during pregnancy. Environ Res. 2024 Oct 15; 259:119581.. View in PubMed
• PFHpA alters lipid metabolism and increases the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in youth-a translational research framework. medRxiv. 2024 Jul 03.. View in PubMed
• Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and alterations in plasma microRNA profiles in children. Environ Res. 2024 Oct 15; 259:119496.. View in PubMed
• Spatial and temporal determinants of particulate matter peak exposures during pregnancy and early postpartum. Environ Adv. 2024 Oct; 17.. View in PubMed
• Joint effects of traffic-related air pollution and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on maternal postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2025 Apr; 35(2):278-287.. View in PubMed
• Does socioeconomic and environmental burden affect vulnerability to extreme air pollution and heat? A case-crossover study of mortality in California. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2025 Apr; 35(2):294-302.. View in PubMed
• Maternal Urinary Fluoride and Child Neurobehavior at Age 36 Months. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 05 01; 7(5):e2411987.. View in PubMed
• Changes in plasma concentrations of per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances after bariatric surgery in adolescents from the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) study. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jun 20; 930:172840.. View in PubMed
• Longitudinal Transitions Between Use of Combustible, Noncombustible, and Multiple Cannabis Products From Adolescence to Young Adulthood and Intersections With Nicotine Use. Am J Epidemiol. 2024 04 08; 193(4):617-625.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal air pollution exposure is associated with inflammatory, cardiovascular, and metabolic biomarkers in mothers and newborns. Environ Res. 2024 Jul 01; 252(Pt 1):118797.. View in PubMed
• Increased Risk of Gestational Hypertension by Periconceptional Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Effect Modification by Prenatal Depression. Hypertension. 2024 06; 81(6):1285-1295.. View in PubMed
• Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and high-throughput proteomics in Hispanic youth. Environ Int. 2024 Apr; 186:108601.. View in PubMed
• Exposure to 4,4′-DDE in visceral adipose tissue and weight loss in adolescents from the Teen-LABS cohort. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2024 05; 32(5):1023-1032.. View in PubMed
• Maternal Dietary Patterns During Pregnancy Are Linked to Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Among a Predominantly Low-Income US Hispanic/Latina Pregnancy Cohort. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 03 05; 13(5):e029848.. View in PubMed
• GPS-derived environmental exposures during pregnancy and early postpartum – Evidence from the madres cohort. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Mar 25; 918:170551.. View in PubMed
• Neighborhood Disadvantage and Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Population With Health Insurance. JAMA Psychiatry. 2024 02 01; 81(2):209-213.. View in PubMed
• Circulating microRNA expression and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescents with severe obesity. World J Gastroenterol. 2024 Jan 28; 30(4):332-345.. View in PubMed
• Prospective study of e-cigarette use and respiratory symptoms in adolescents and young adults. Thorax. 2024 01 18; 79(2):163-168.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal exposures to organophosphate ester metabolites and early motor development in the MADRES cohort. Environ Pollut. 2024 Feb 01; 342:123131.. View in PubMed
• Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and longitudinal changes in bone mineral density in adolescents and young adults: A multi-cohort study. Environ Res. 2024 03 01; 244:117611.. View in PubMed
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers and dysregulation of MicroRNA expression in humans and animals-A systematic review. Environ Res. 2024 03 01; 244:117832.. View in PubMed
• Predicting the Climate Impact of Healthcare Facilities Using Gradient Boosting Machines. Clean Environ Syst. 2024 Mar; 12.. View in PubMed
• The Role of Social Support and Acculturation Factors on Postpartum Mental Health Among Latinas in the MADRES Pregnancy Cohort. J Immigr Minor Health. 2024 Feb; 26(1):72-80.. View in PubMed
• Urinary fluoride levels and metal co-exposures among pregnant women in Los Angeles, California. Environ Health. 2023 10 26; 22(1):74.. View in PubMed
• Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers with oxidative stress markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Res. 2023 12 15; 239(Pt 1):117308.. View in PubMed
• Poor Sleep Quality Increases Gestational Weight Gain Rate in Pregnant People: Findings from the MADRES Study. Res Sq. 2023 Sep 25.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal exposures to organophosphate ester metabolite mixtures and children’s neurobehavioral outcomes in the MADRES pregnancy cohort. Environ Health. 2023 09 22; 22(1):66.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal ambient air pollution exposure and child weight trajectories from the 3rd trimester of pregnancy to 2 years of age: a cohort study. BMC Med. 2023 09 07; 21(1):341.. View in PubMed
• The interaction of e-cigarette use and mental health symptoms on risk of cigarette smoking initiation among young adults in the United States. Addiction. 2023 12; 118(12):2317-2326.. View in PubMed
• Preconceptional and prenatal exposure to air pollutants and risk of gestational diabetes in the MADRES prospective pregnancy cohort study. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2023 Sep; 25:100575.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal air pollution, maternal immune activation, and autism spectrum disorder. Environ Int. 2023 09; 179:108148.. View in PubMed
• Agricultural burning in Imperial Valley, California and respiratory symptoms in children: A cross-sectional, repeated measures analysis. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Nov 25; 901:165854.. View in PubMed
• Maternal exposure to aircraft emitted ultrafine particles during pregnancy and likelihood of ASD in children. Environ Int. 2023 08; 178:108061.. View in PubMed
• Effects of dual use of e-cigarette and cannabis during adolescence on cigarette use in young adulthood. Tob Control. 2023 May 05.. View in PubMed
• Longitudinal hierarchical Bayesian models of covariate effects on airway and alveolar nitric oxide. Sci Rep. 2023 04 01; 13(1):5346.. View in PubMed
• Sex-specific effects of prenatal organophosphate ester (OPE) metabolite mixtures and adverse infant birth outcomes in the maternal and developmental risks from environmental and social stressors (MADRES) pregnancy cohort. Environ Res. 2023 06 01; 226:115703.. View in PubMed
• Ambient temperature and air pollution associations with suicide and homicide mortality in California: A statewide case-crossover study. Sci Total Environ. 2023 May 20; 874:162462.. View in PubMed
• Geographic Variations in Human Mobility Patterns during the First Six Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic in California. Appl Sci (Basel). 2023 Feb; 13(4).. View in PubMed
• California’s early transition to electric vehicles: Observed health and air quality co-benefits. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Apr 01; 867:161761.. View in PubMed
• A Vegetable, Oil, and Fruit Dietary Pattern in Late Pregnancy is Linked to Reduced Risks of Adverse Birth Outcomes in a Predominantly Low-Income Hispanic and Latina Pregnancy Cohort. J Nutr. 2023 01 14; 152(12):2837-2846.. View in PubMed
• Prenatal exposure to tailpipe and non-tailpipe tracers of particulate matter pollution and autism spectrum disorders. Environ Int. 2023 01; 171:107736.. View in PubMed
• Associations of Autism Spectrum Disorder with PM2.5 Components: A Comparative Study Using Two Different Exposure Models. Environ Sci Technol. 2023 01 10; 57(1):405-414.. View in PubMed
• Depression, perceived stress, and distress during pregnancy and EV-associated miRNA profiles in MADRES. J Affect Disord. 2023 02 15; 323:799-808.. View in PubMed

• Peters, Anne
• McConnell, Rob
• Habre, Rima
• Chen, Jiu-Chiuan
• Chatzi, Vaia
• Garcia, Erika