Dr. Margolis has extensive research and public policy experience and expertise related to the health impacts of climate change and environmental factors, most notably heat and air pollution, on vulnerable populations, especially children and older adults. Her 20 years experience as a California state scientist and program lead, and academic training in epidemiology (PhD), immunology (MA), and marine sciences (oceanography)/biology (B.A.) gives her a unique knowledge-base and perspective on issues related to climate change. Her ARRA Challenge Grant ('Projected Heat Wave Magnitudes and Public Health Impacts'; NIEHS) is advancing understanding of heat-related illness and morbidity that occurs even under relatively mild conditions across California. Dr. Margolis' research interests include: Public health impacts of climate change and variability, including clinical ramifications and interventions to reduce vulnerability; pathophysiology/mechanisms and influence of environmental factors on natural history of chronic diseases (respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, immunologic); pediatric asthma and lung function growth; gene-environment interactions; exposure assessment; and translation of research findings into integrated public health and environmental policies. A particular interest is development of multiple-determinant models of chronic disease and related health outcomes that incorporate individual- and community-level factors and assess vulnerability across the life-span. She is committed to addressing issues of ethics in environmental health research, social inequities in health and environmental policy and access to healthcare.

Fellowships

• Switzer Foundation, San Francisco, CA, 1999
• University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 1996
• University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 1999