Michele  Marcus

Dr. Marcus is Professor of Epidemiology, Environmental Health and Pediatrics. She has over 20 years experience conducting large epidemiologic cohort studies. Dr. Marcus received her MPH and PhD in Epidemiology at Columbia University as well as completing a fellowship in Neuroepidemiology.  As Assistant Director of the Center for Health Research for Kaiser Permanente Georgia, she established a biobank with 85% participation of African American and Caucasian women and served on the Leadership Team for Kaiser’s National Biobanking efforts. She has been invited to speak at national and regional IRB organization meetings concerning ethical issues of biobanking and studying genetic information. She has received continuous federal funding for nearly 20 years as PI of a long-term follow-up study of individuals exposed to toxicant-contaminated food. This cohort study now contains multiple generations and strong community involvement. She has published extensively on multi-generational health effects utilizing several cohorts including the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Dr. Marcus has conducted several federally-funded studies evaluating psychosocial stress and ergonomic stress as predictors of adverse musculoskeletal health outcomes and a randomized clinical trial of an ergonomic intervention. She has contributed to the scientific literature in multiple areas of cohort research from recruitment and community engagement to data collection and analyses.

Dr. Marcus has served on federal expert panels reviewing health effects of electromagnetic fields, bisphenol A, phthalates, gene/environment interactions and service in the Persian Gulf War. She served on the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine Committee on dioxin exposure among Vietnam Veterans. She has studied the health consequences of various exposures including psychosocial stress, PCBs, PBBs, PFCs and electromagnetic fields.

Dr. Marcus has served in many additional leadership positions including Director of Graduate Studies and Interim Chair for the Department of Epidemiology and Co-Director of the Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit. Her research on multi-generational health effects has been recognized with awards from the CDC and the EPA. She currently serves on the Leadership Team for the Emory Healthy Aging Study.