Faculty Profile
Xin Wang, PhD, MPH
- Research Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
Dr. Wang is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the
University of Michigan (U-M) School of Public Health. He received his Ph.D. in Epidemiology
in 2020 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at U-M from 2020 to 2021. Grounded
in environmental epidemiology, Dr. Wang is advancing his career by investigating the
implications of environmental exposures, such as metals and air pollution, on aging-related
diseases. These include cardiometabolic disorders as well as Alzheimer's Disease and
related dementias.
His long-term research goals are organized around three primary areas of interest:
(1) to investigate environmental risk factors of aging-related diseases, especially
metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases; (2) to elucidate the mechanisms
of aging-related diseases linked to environmental risk factors using biomarkers and
metabolomic profiles; and (3) to identify susceptible populations at increased risks
due to environmental exposures for more effective disease prevention and intervention.
His overarching mission is to leverage this knowledge for more effective disease prevention
and intervention strategies.
- PhD, University of Michigan, 2020
- MPH, University of Michigan, 2016
- BS, Wuhan University, 2013
Research Interests:
Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, Diabetes, Obesity, Heavy metals, Air pollution,
Environmental Epidemiology, Exposomes, Mixture analysis.
Research Projects:
In collaboration with Drs. Sung Kyun Park and Kelly Bakulski, Dr. Wang's research
in the Study of the Environment and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (SEAD)
systematically examines how environmental factors affect the risk of Alzheimer's Disease
and Related Dementias. Utilizing Medicare claims data, his work also involves building
risk prediction models for Alzheimer's Disease using machine learning algorithms that
leverage exposome data.
In addition to his SEAD research, Dr. Wang has made significant contributions in the
Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). This includes investigating exposure
to metals, longitudinal cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's Disease biomarkers from
mid-to-late life. Dr. Wang has pioneered research using novel blood-based biomarkers
for Alzheimer's Disease in midlife to predict future cognitive decline. Alongside
this, he has also investigated the health effects of exposure to pollutant mixtures
on cardiometabolic outcomes including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic
syndrome.
Wang, X., Bakulski, K.M., Paulson, H.L., Albin, R.L. and Park, S.K., 2023. Associations of healthy lifestyle and socioeconomic status with cognitive function
in US older adults. Scientific Reports, 13(1), pp.1-12. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-34648-0
Wang, X., Mukherjee, B. and Park, S.K., 2018. Associations of cumulative exposure to heavy metal mixtures with obesity and its comorbidities
among US adults in NHANES 2003-2014. Environment international, 121, pp.683-694. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412018312650
Wang, X., Karvonen-Gutierrez, C.A., Gold, E.B., Derby, C., Greendale, G., Wu, X., Schwartz, J. and Park, S.K., 2022. Longitudinal Associations of Air Pollution With Body Size and Composition in Midlife Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Diabetes Care. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article-abstract/doi/10.2337/dc22-0963/147568/Longitudinal-Associations-of-Air-Pollution-With
Wang, X., Karvonen-Gutierrez, C.A., Herman, W.H., Mukherjee, B., Harlow, S.D. and Park, S.K., 2021. Urinary heavy metals and longitudinal changes in blood pressure in midlife women: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Hypertension, 78(2), pp.543-551. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.121.17295
Wang, X., Mukherjee, B., Karvonen-Gutierrez, C.A., Herman, W.H., Batterman, S., Harlow, S.D. and Park, S.K., 2020. Urinary metal mixtures and longitudinal changes in glucose homeostasis: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Environment international, 145, p.106109. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202032064X
Wang, X., Karvonen-Gutierrez, C.A., Herman, W.H., Mukherjee, B. and Park, S.K., 2022. Metals and risk of incident metabolic syndrome in a prospective cohort of midlife women in the United States. Environmental Research, 210, p.112976. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122003036
Goolge scholar link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1Pa-jp0AAAAJandhl
Email: xwangsph@umich.edu
Address: M5523 SPH II
1415 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, MI, 48109
For media inquiries: sph.media@umich.edu
Areas of Expertise: Aging, Chronic Disease, Diabetes, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Mental Health, Nutrition, Precision Health, Reproductive Health, Women’s Health