My personal research agenda is: (1) To evaluate whether there are causal associations between educational attainment and health, using techniques that elucidate biological mechanisms, account for infrequently measured confounders, and evaluate education interventions. (2) To determine whether childhood family psychosocial environment and childhood socioeconomic circumstances influence health and biological risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Awards

2012 , BioMed Central Public Health Research Award for the article Loucks EB et al. BMC Public Health. 2011; 11(1):139, voted as the most ground-breaking research article published in BioMed Central Public Health for 2011.
2011, Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring in Public Health, Brown University
2008, 2009, Senior Teaching Excellence Award (McGill University, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Student Society)
2007, Senior Teaching Excellence Award, Runner Up (McGill University, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Student Society)
2007-2012, Canadian Institutes of Health (CIHR) New Investigator Award (declined after 2008 due to moving to United States)
2007-2011, Fonds de la Recherché en Santé Québec (FRSQ) Chercheur-Boursier Junior 1 Salary Award (declined)
2002-2005, Harvard Center for Society and Health Fellowship
2002-2004, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Research Fellowship
1999, W.B. and M.H. Chung Lectureship Award, University of British Columbia
1997-1999, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postgraduate Scholarship
1994-1995, Dean's Honour List, University of British Columbia
1991, Passport to Education Scholarship
1991, Provincial Scholarship (British Columbia, Canada)

Funded Research

2009-2012 NIH/NIA
"The New England Family Study: Fifty Year Post-Perinatal Follow-up for Life Course Effects on Aging"
Role: PI (multiple PIs: Loucks, Buka, Eaton)
Amount: $1,650,000

2009-2014 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant
"A Longitudinal Study of Food Reward and Obesity in Young Children: The Role of Gene-Environment Interaction".
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Robert Levitan)
Amount: $780,390

2008-2009 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant
GENESIS PRAXY (GENdEr and Sex DetermInantS of Cardiovascular Disease: From Bench to Beyond Premature Acute Coronary Syndrome.
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Louise Pilote)
Amount : $100 000

2008-2011 Heart and Stroke Foundations of Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, British Columbia and Yukon, and Alberta and Northwest Territories.
"GENESIS PRAXY (GENdEr and Sex DetermInantS of Cardiovascular Disease: From Bench to Beyond Premature Acute Coronary Syndrome)."
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Louise Pilote)
Amount : $620 062

2006-2009 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant
"Elucidating gender-specific associations between life course socioeconomic position and longitudinal trajectories of cardiovascular disease risk factors"
Role: Principal Investigator (2006-2008), Collaborator (2009, due to moving to United States)
Amount: $141 990

2006-2011 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant
"Longitudinal analysis of the Quebec birth cohort: Pathways between early childhood poverty, stress, child health, cardiovascular risk factors, associated secular trends, and resiliency."
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Gilles Paradis, Louise Seguin)
Amount: $1 380 195

Teaching Experience

My teaching agenda is to effectively transmit knowledge on human biology, social determinants of health and epidemiology that will empower others to improve health and society. I aim to mentor graduate students to become high quality scientists in human biology, social determinants of health and epidemiology.

CURRENTLY OFFERED COURSES

Human Biology for Epidemiology (PHP 2130):
This course provides basic principals of human biology and its applications to Epidemiology. Examples of biology topics include the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, immune system, nervous system, genetics, cancer, cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, and depression. Examples of applied topics include strengths and weaknesses of using biomarkers, accuracy and precision of biological measures, quality assurance and quality control methods for using biomarkers for epidemiologic research. Mixed teaching methods are used, including small group discussions, problem-based learning and guest lectures. Prerequisite: PHP 2120 or permission by course instructor with similar experience. Open to graduate students.

Social Determinants of Health (PHP 1920):
This course provides an overview of social determinants of health. Examples of topics include health effects of educational attainment, social integration, neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics, racial discrimination, gender, income inequality, childhood socioeconomic circumstances, parental neglect, and job strain. Mixed teaching methods are used, including small group discussions, problem-based learning and guest lectures. Open to graduate students and advanced undergraduates.

Scientific Writing: Developing a Successful Grant Proposal and Conducting Collaborative Research (PHP 2090):
This course focuses on providing knowledge and real-life experience in creating high quality health research grant applications. Furthermore, as the vast majority of research now takes place within team contexts, the course provides tools for effective collaborative skills to perform research, including management skills, hiring effectively, leadership in a research context, budgeting, and running effective meetings.

Selected Publications

• Liu SY, Linkletter CD, Loucks EB, Buka SL. School desegregation and associated decreases in births to Black adolescent females. Soc Sci Med. 2012. 22(3): 183-190. PMID: 22365940.(2012)
• Aslibekyan S, Jensen MK, Campos H, Linkletter CD, Loucks EB, Ordovas JM, Deka R, Rimm EB, Baylin A. Fatty acid elongase gene variants are not associated with serum blood lipids, inflammation, or the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012. 66(3): 353-359. PMID: 22293571.(2012)
• Loucks EB, Buka SL, Rogers ML, Liu T, Kawachi I, Kubzansky LD, Martin LT, Gilman SE. Education and coronary heart disease risk associations may be affected by early life common prior causes: a propensity matching analysis. Ann Epidemiol. 2012. 22(4):221-232. PMID: 22463841.(2012)
• Appleton AA, Buka SL, McCormick MC, Koenen KC, Loucks EB, Kubzansky LD. The association between childhood emotional functioning and adulthood inflammation is modified by early life socioeconomic status. Health Psychology. In press.(2012)
• Appleton AA, Buka SL, Loucks EB, Gilman SE, Kubzansky LD. Divergent associations of adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies with inflammation. Health Psychology. In press.(2012)
• Everage NJ, Gjelsvik A, McGarvey ST, Linkletter CD, Loucks EB. Inverse associations between perceived racism and coronary artery calcification. Ann Epidemiol. 2012. 22(3): 183-190. PMID: 22365645.(2012)
• Gilman SE and Loucks EB. Does the childhood environment influence the association between every X and every Y in adulthood? Am J Epidemiol. In press.(2012)
• Aslibekyan S, Jensen MK, Campos H, Linkletter CD, Loucks EB, Ordovas JM, Deka R, Rimm EB, Baylin A. Fatty acid desaturase gene variants, cardiovascular risk factors, and myocardial infarction in the Costa Rica Study. Frontiers Applied Genetic Epidemiol. In press.(2012)
• Liu T, Gatsonis CA, Baylin A, Kubzansky LD, Loucks EB, Buka SL. A prospective study of prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke and anger proneness. J Psychiatric Res. 2011; 45(12): 1648-1654. PMID: 21890149.(2011)
• Agha G, Murabito JM, Lynch JW, Abrahamowicz M, Harper SB, Loucks EB. Cumulative life course socioeconomic position and ankle-brachial index. Am J Cardiol. 2011; 108(11): 1651-1657. PMID: 21907950.(2011)
• Loucks EB, Almeida ND, Taylor SE, Matthews KA. Family psychosocial environment and coronary heart disease risk: the CARDIA study. Psychosom Med. 2011; 73(7): 563-571. PMID: 21810898.(2011)
• Appleton AA, Buka SL, McCormick MC, Koenen KC, Loucks EB, Gilman SE, Kubzansky LD. Emotional functioning at age 7 years is associated with C-reactive protein in middle adulthood. Psychosom Med. 2011; 73(4): 295-303. PMID: 21536835.(2011)
• Loucks EB, Abrahamowicz M, Xiao Y, Lynch JW. Associations of education with 30 year life course blood pressure trajectories: Framingham Offspring Study. BMC Public Health. 2011; 11(1):139. PMCID: PMC3053249.(2011)
• Smith BT, Lynch JW, Fox CS, Harper SB, Abrahamowicz M, Almeida ND, Loucks EB. Life course socioeconomic position and type 2 diabetes: The Framingham Offspring Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2011; 173(4): 438–447. PMID: 21242301.(2011)
• Martin LT, Schonlau M, Haas A, Derose KP, Rudd R, Loucks EB, Rosenfeld L, Buka SL. Literacy skills and calculated 10-year risk of coronary heart disease. J Gen Intern Med. 2011; 26(1): 45-50. PMID: 20809155.(2011)
• Liu SY, Buka SL, Linkletter CD, Kawachi I, Kubzansky L, Loucks EB. The association between blood pressure and years of schooling versus educational credentials: Test of the sheepskin effect. Ann Epidemiol. 2011; 21(2):128-38. PMID: 21184953.(2011)
• Aslibekyan SH, Campos H, Loucks EB, Linkletter C, Ordovas J, Baylin A. Derivation and validation of a new cardiovascular risk score in the Costa Rica Study. J Nutrition. 2011; 141(7):1375-1380. PMID: 21562240.(2011)
• Loucks EB, Pilote L, Lynch JW, Richard H, Almeida ND, Benjamin EJ, Murabito JM. Life course socioeconomic position is associated with inflammatory markers: The Framingham Offspring Study. Soc Sci Med. 2010; 71(1):187-95. PMCID: PMC2895737(2010)
• Almeida ND, Loucks EB, Kubzansky L, Pruessner J, Maselko J, Meaney MJ, Buka SL. Quality of parental emotional care and calculated risk for coronary heart disease. Psychosom Med. 2010; 72: 148-155. PMCID: PMC2837946.(2010)
• Bacon SL, Bouchard A, Loucks EB, Lavoie KL. Individual-level socioeconomic status is associated with worse asthma morbidity in patients with asthma. Respir Res. 2009; 17(10): 125. PMCID: PMC2806364.(2009)
• Senese LC, Almeida ND, Kittler Fath A, Smith BT, Loucks EB. Associations between childhood socioeconomic position and adulthood obesity. Epidemiol Rev. 2009; 31: 21-51 PMCID: PMC2873329.(2009)
• Loucks EB, Lynch JW, Pilote L, Fuhrer R, Almeida ND, Richard H, Agha G, Murabito JM, Benjamin EJ. Life course socioeconomic position and incidence of coronary heart disease: Framingham Heart Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2009; 169 (7): 829-836. PMCID: PMC2727217.(2009)
• Gilman SE, Martin LT, Abrams DB, Kawachi I, Kubzansky L, Loucks EB, Rende R, Rudd R, Buka SL. Educational attainment and cigarette smoking: a causal association? Int J Epidemiol. 2008; 37: 615-624. PMID: 18180240.(2008)
• Loucks EB, Juster RB, Pruessner JC. Neuroendocrine biomarkers, allostatic load, and the challenge of measurement: A commentary on Gersten. Soc Sci Med. 2008; 66:525-530.(2008)
• Loucks EB, Magnusson KT, Cook S, Rehkopf DH, Ford ES, Berkman LF. Socioeconomic position and the metabolic syndrome in early, middle and late life: Evidence from NHANES 1999-2002. Ann Epidemiol. 2007; 17(10): 782-790. PMID: 17697786.(2007)
• Loucks EB, Rehkopf DH, Thurston RC, Kawachi I. Socioeconomic Disparities in the Metabolic Syndrome Differ by Gender: Evidence from NHANES III. Ann Epidemiol. 2007; 17(1):19-26. PMID: 17140811.(2007)
• Loucks EB, Sullivan LM, Hayes LJ, D'Agostino RB, Sr., Larson MG, Vasan RS, Benjamin EJ, Berkman LF. Association of educational level with inflammatory markers in the Framingham Offspring Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2006; 163(7):622-8. PMID: 16421236.(2006)
• Loucks EB, Berkman LF, Gruenewald TL, Seeman T. Relation of Social Integration to Inflammatory Marker Concentrations in Men and Women 70-79 Years. Am J Cardiol. 2006; 97(7):1010-6. PMID: 16563907.(2006)
• Ford ES, Loucks EB, Berkman LF. Social isolation and concentrations of C-reactive protein among US adults. Ann Epidemiol. 2006;16:78–84. PMID: 16271297.(2006)
• Loucks EB, Sullivan LM, D'Agostino RB, Larson MG, Berkman LF, Benjamin EJ. Social networks and inflammatory markers in the Framingham Heart Study. J Biosoc Sci. 2006; Jan 27:1-8. PMID: 16441967.(2006)
• Loucks EB, Berkman LF, Gruenewald TF, Seeman TE. Social integration is associated with fibrinogen concentration in elderly men. Psychosom Med. 2005; 67: 353-358. PMID: 15911896.(2005)
• Loucks EB, Aldama A, Maria Ibarra A, Barcelo Perez C, Guzman Pineiro R, Tate B, Spiegel J. Vivienda y salud en residents de Centro Habana. Parte II. Condiciones de vida y salud. Rev Cubana de Hig Epidemiol. 2004; 42(1).(2004)
• Spiegel J, Barcelo C, Loucks EB, Bonet M, Aldama A, Yassi A. What the Cuban context provides health researchers: the feasibility of a longitudinal multi-method study of the impact of housing improvements on health in Havana, Cuba. J Public Health. 2004; 26(1): 95-100. PMID: 15044583.(2004)
• Barceló Pérez C, Guzmán Piñeiro R, Loucks EB, Spiegel J, Plá Rodríguez E. Vivienda y salud en residentes de Centro Habana. Parte I, Ambiente Físico. Rev Cubana de Hig Epidemiol. 2003; 41(2-3).(2003)
• Loucks EB, Godin DV, Walley KR, McManus B, Rahimian R, Granville D, Hong JM, Aktary FM, Qayumi AK. Role of platelet activating factor in cardiac dysfunction, apoptosis and nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression in the ischemic-reperfused rabbit heart. Can J Cardiol. 2003; 19(3): 267-274. PMID: 12677282.(2003)
• Loucks EB, Spiegel JM, Barcelo C, Yassi A, Aldama A, Dunn JR, Tate R, Seccombe D, McLean D, Guzman Pineiro R, Eugenia Triana M. Using biomarkers for measurement of the health effects of housing conditions: practical guidelines. Conference Proceedings of the 5th PAHO Inter-American Health and Housing Conference. May 2002.(2002)
• Loucks EB, Qayumi AK, English JC, Al Mahmeed T, Lim SP, Horley KJ, Gul S. Therapeutic potential of PAF antagonist in the management of myocardial infarction. Can J Cardiol. 2000; 16(4): 497-504. PMID: 10787465.(2000)
• Loucks EB. The origin and future of transplantation surgery. J Invest Surg. 1998; 11(2): iii-iv. PMID: 9700615.(1998)
• Qayumi AK, English JC, Godin DV, Ansley DM, Loucks EB, Lee JU, Kim CW. The role of platelet activating factor in the pathophysiology of regional myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ann Thorac Surg. 1998. 65: 1690-1697. PMID: 9647083.(1998)
• Loucks EB. The role of anesthesia in the advancement of surgical technique. J Invest Surg. 1997; 10(3): 3-4. PMID: 9219080.(1997)
• Loucks EB, Symersky P, Qayumi AK. Platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonism: A new concept in the management of regional myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. J Invest Surgery. 1997; 10(6): 321-338. PMID: 9654389.(1997)