Enrique Schisterman, PhD

Dr. Schisterman is a national leader in reproductive epidemiology and epidemiological methods. His complementary training in epidemiology and statistics has enabled him to improve study designs; to fuel new methods; and to solve analytical challenges, helping us to better understand the etiology of reproductive health. Specifically, Dr. Schisterman’s research focuses on the methodological components of exposure assessment – particularly the use of biomarkers – and on the etiologic study of reproduction, including randomized trials of low-cost interventions to improve reproductive function. These studies fill an urgent public need, given that high-priced private treatment is generally the only available option to treat infertility. Similarly, both scientific discovery and constantly evolving public needs motivate his leadership as Chair of the DBEI.

Prior to his arrival at Penn in early 2021, he served as senior investigator and Epidemiology Branch Chief in the Division of Intramural Population Health Research in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). His works include the BioCycle Study, a prospective observational study to assess the relationships between endogenous hormones and biomarkers – including those for oxidative stress – across the menstrual cycle. His research expanded to designing and implementing randomized clinical trials on low-cost interventions to improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes, and has reaped several important discoveries. Ongoing work related to the Effects of Aspirin on Gestation and Reproduction (EAGeR) Trial suggests that low-dose aspirin increases live birth overall for some women with chronic inflammation. The Folic Acid and Zinc Supplementation Clinical Trial (FAZST) debunked the utility of folic acid and zinc supplements for fertility in men, highlighting the need for more attention to the understudied role of male factors in couples’ fertility. The pooling of biomarkers has been a significant theme in his research, and his work on collinearity and over-adjustment in causal inference frameworks has advanced our understanding of basic concepts in the field.

Dr. Schisterman has published more than 350 peer-reviewed papers in leading methodological and etiological research journals. He is Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Epidemiology. His many awards include the Outstanding Contributions to Epidemiology in Methods Development Award from the American College of Epidemiology, the Excellence in Education Award from the Society of Epidemiologic Research, and the SPER Mentoring Award from the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research. Dr. Schisterman is an elected member of the American Epidemiological Society and is the past president of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research.