The National Children's Study Wisconsin Study Center research team includes investigators and staff from institutions of higher education and from community-based, statewide, and national organizations. In addition to those listed here, many other investigators at the collaborating institutions contribute their expertise to the project.
Investigators listed under headings for formative research are collaborating with the Wisconsin Study Center on individual, short-term formative and methodological projects. These projects will inform future methodology and analytics of the National Children's Study.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Investigators
Maureen Durkin, Ph.D., Dr.P.H.
Co-Principal Investigator
Professor of Population Health Sciences and Pediatrics
Nora Kate Schaeffer, Ph.D.
Co-Investigator
Sewell Bascom Professor of Sociology
Faculty Director of the University of Wisconsin Survey Center
Staff
Dina Drankus, M.S.W., Information Systems Manager
Kelly Elver, B.S., NCS Call Center Director, UW Survey Center
Elizabeth Gall, M.S., Program Manager
Marie-Noel Sandoval, M.P.H., Study Coordinator
Formative Research
Philip Giampietro, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Pediatrics
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Project Title: Methodologies for Analyzing Environmental Exposures and Candidate Genes in Congenital Vertebral Malformations
Martin Shafer, Ph.D.
Associate Scientist
Environmental Health Division, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Chemistry & Technology Program
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Project #1 Title: Assessment of Oxidative Stress Exposure from Air Particulates and House Dust: Integration of Automated and Real Time Reactive Oxygen Species Assays into the National Children's Study
Project #2 Title: Analysis of Environmental Chemicals in Dried Blood Spots
www.engr.wisc.edu/centers/staff/shafer_martin.html
www.slh.wisc.edu/research/shafer.dot
Whitney Witt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Project Title: Maternal Stress Measures and Validation for the National Children's Study
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Medical College of Wisconsin
Investigators
Steven Leuthner, M.D., M.A., Co-Principal Investigator, Professor of Pediatrics
Carey Ehlert, M.D., Co-Investigator, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Randall Scott Kuhlmann, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Investigator, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Staff
M. Katie Miller, B.A.
Community Liaison
Formative Research
Omar Ali, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Epigenetic Profiling
Laura Cassidy, Ph.D., M.S.
Associate Professor
Department of Surgery and Director of Clinical Outcomes Registry and Research
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Commercial Tracing Resources
Aoy Tomita-Mitchell, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Surgery Cardiothoracic Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Collecting Fetal DNA from Mom's Blood
Nita Salzman, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Metagenomic Assessment of the Microbiome
Sara Szabo, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Medical College of WI
Project Title: Placenta Studies
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Children's Service Society of Wisconsin
David Whelan, M.S.W., CSSW
Project Director
National Opinion Research Center
Investigator
Colm O'Muircheartaigh, Ph.D.
Senior Sampling Advisor
Staff
Angela DeBello, M.A.
NORC Project Director
Shara Goodiwalla, M.P.H.
NORC Assistant Project Director
State of Wisconsin, Department of Health Services
Henry Anderson, M.D.
Murray Katcher, M.D.
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Formative Research Investigators
The investigators below are collaborating with the Wisconsin Study Center on individual formative and methodological projects. These projects will help the National Children's Study identify the most effective and efficient data collection methods.
Maureen Durkin, Ph.D., Dr.P.H.
Associate Professor
Department of Population Health Science
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Project Title: Development and Validation of Autism Case Confirmation Approach
Omar Ali, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Epigenetic Profiling
Laura Cassidy, Ph.D., M.S.
Associate Professor
Department of Surgery and Director of Clinical Outcomes Registry and Research
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Commercial Tracing Resources
Maureen Durkin, Ph.D., Dr.P.H.
Associate Professor
Department of Population Health Science
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Project Title: Maternal Stress Measures and Validation
Philip Giampietro, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Pediatrics
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Project Title: Methodologies for Analyzing Environmental Exposures and Candidate Genes in Congenital Vertebral Malformations
Aoy Tomita-Mitchell, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Surgery Cardiothoracic Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Collecting Fetal DNA from Mom’s Blood
Nita Salzman, M.D., Ph.D.
Medical College of Wisconsin
Project Title: Metagenomic Assessment of the Microbiome
Sara Szabo, M.D.
Medical College of WI
Project Title: Placenta Studies
Martin Shafer, Ph.D.
Associate Scientist
Environmental Health Division
Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Chemistry and
Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Project Titles:
1. Assessment of Oxidative Stress Exposure from Air Particulates and House Dust:
Integration of Automated and Real Time Reactive Oxygen Species Assays into the
National Children's Study
2. Analysis of Environmental Chemicals in Dried Blood Spots
www.engr.wisc.edu/centers/staff/shafer_martin.html
www.slh.wisc.edu/research/shafer.dot
Whitney Witt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Population Health Sciences
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Project Title: Maternal Stress Measures and Validation for the National Children's Study