Catherine L. Carlson Haggerty, PhD, MPH

As a reproductive, perinatal and pediatric epidemiologist, the overall goal of my work is to improve health, prevent disease and eliminate health disparities among reproductive-aged women and their children.  I have been actively involved in women’s health research for nearly two decades, leading numerous NIH and CDC funded studies that combine reproductive, infectious disease and molecular epidemiology.  Several of my ongoing projects are focused on the role of the vaginal microbiome in pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

I am a Co-lead of the Healthy Environments and Strong Bodies working group of The Pittsburgh Study (TPS), a large longitudinal community-partnered study that follows the health of children in Allegeny County from birth through high school.  The intent is to identify health inequities and determine what interventions help children thrive.  I am committed to examining disparities in pregnancy and child outcomes globally and also co-lead the Longitudinal Indian Family hEalth (LIFE) Study, conducted in collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh, the MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), and Science Health Allied Research & Educaiton (SHARE) INDIA.  We are examining the environmental, infectious, lifestyle, metabolic and genetic factors impacting birth outcomes and early childhood health and development among a large cohort of Indian women recruited preconception and followed through conception, pregnancy and delivery.

2001 - 2004 | NRSA Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (NICHD), University of Pittsburgh

2002 | Community Health Summer Internship, University of Pittsburgh

2001 | University of Pittsburgh, Ph.D. Epidemiology

1999 | University of Pittsburgh, M.P.H. Epidemiology

1994 | University of Pittsburgh, B.S. Mathematics

EPIDEM 2160:  Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

EPIDEM 2720:  Reproductive Epidemiology

• 2011-present | Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health
• 2008-present | Director, Reproductive, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Area of Emphasis, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health
• 2020-present | Epidemiologist Consultant, COVID-19 Response, Allegheny County Health Department
• 2017-present | Affiliate Faculty, Center for Microbiome & Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
• 2016-present | Faculty, Center for Women's Health Research and Innovation, University of Pittsburgh
• 2003-present | Member, Magee-Womens Research Institute 

0000-0002-9849-7865

• Reproductive, perinatal and pediatric epidemiology
• Women's health
• Infectious disease eipdemiology
• Sexually transmitted infections
• COVID-19
• Preconception biomarkers for adverse pregnancy outcomes
• The role of infection and inflammation in infertility, chronic pelvic pain and adverse pregnancy outcomes
• Microbiome
• Global health 

Prospective epidemiologic study of novel etiologic agents of pelvic inflammatory disease (2018 - 2020), NIH/NIAID

Immune activating syncytiotrophoblast microvesicles and danger associated molecular patterns in preeclampsia risk (2019 - 2024), NIH/NICHD

Evaluating the intersection between sexually transmitted infections, inflammation and reproductive success (2020 - 2025), NIH/NIAID

COVID-19 Response (2020), Bureau of Assessment, Statistics, and Epidemiology, Allegheny County Health Department

Member, International Society for Sexually Transmitted Disease Research

Member, International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections

Member, American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association

Member, Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research

Member, The Society of Epidemiologic Research

• 2014 | University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Association (UPPDA) Alumni Award, University of Pittsburgh.  In recognition for dedication to the UPPDA as a founding member of the UPPDA, an UPPDA Executive Board member and for continued support as a faculty member participating in workshops for the postdoc community.
• 2009 | Nominee, Craig Award in Teaching, University of Pittsburgh
• 2006 | Faculty Honoree, University of Pittsburgh Honors Convocation
• 2005 | "40 Under 40" Honoree, awarded by Pittsburgh Magazine and the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP) to "talented individuals under the age of 40 who are making a positive impact on the region's development."
• 2003 | National Institutes of Health Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program Recipient
• 2003 | Women's Health Scholar Award, University of Pittsburgh
• 2002 | Student Honoree, University of Pittsburgh Honors Convocation
• 2001 | Individual Postdoctoral National Research Service Award, NIH
• 2001 | Delta Omega Society Omicron Chapter, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health 

Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/catherine.haggerty.1/bibliography/41139192/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. Haggerty CL, Totten PA, Farooq F, Tang G, Ko D, Fielder TL, Srinivasan S, Astete SG, Fredricks DN.  Presence and concentrations of select bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria are associated with increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.  Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2020 Mar 5. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 32149953.

2. Gondwe T, Ness RB, Astete S, Ferris M, Tang G, Norori J, Gold MA, Martin DH, Haggerty CL.  Novel bacterial vaginosis-associated organisms mediate the relationship between vaginal douching and pelvic inflammatory disease.  Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2019 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print].PMID: 31810995.

3. Gondwe T, Betha K, Kusneniwar GN, Bunker CH, Tang G, Simhan H, Haggerty CL.  Adverse infant outcomes associated with cesarean section delivery in India.  International Health.  2019 Dec 10. pii: ihz111. doi: 10.1093/inthealth/ihz111.  PMID: 31819983.

4. Wiringa AE, Ness RB, Darville T, Beigi RH, Haggerty CL.  Trichomonas vaginalis, endometritis and sequelae among women with clinically suspected pelvic inflammatory disease.  Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2019 Nov 12. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 31719170.

5. Gondwe T, Betha K, Kusneniwar GN, Bunker CH, Tang G, Simhan H, Reddy PS, Haggerty CL.  Maternal factors associated with mode of delivery in a population with a high cesarean section rate.  Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. 2019 Dec; 9(4):252-258. PMID: 31854166.

6. Nagarajan UM, Sikes JD, Burris RL, Popovic B, Jha R, Hennings L, Haggerty CL, Nagarajan S.  Genital Chlamydial infection exacerbates atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic mouse models and a protective role for apoE in uterine pathology after infection.  Atherosclerosis.  2019 Nov;290:103-110. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.09.021.  PMID: 31604170.

7. Messina OR, Fredricks DN, Soge OO, Farooq F, Tang G, Ness RB, Haggerty CL.  Stability of Chlamydia trachomatis RNA after long-term biobank storage.  Sexually Transmitted Infections.  2019 Nov;95(7):551. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2019-054141.  PMID: 31628264.

8. Gondwe T, Betha K, Kusneniwar GN, Bunker CH, Tang G, Simhan H, Reddy P, Haggerty CL.  Mode of delivery and short-term infant health outcomes: A prospective cohort study in a peri-urban Indian population.  BMC Pediatrics.  2018 Nov 6;18(1):346. doi: 10.1186/s12887-018-1324-3.  PMID: 30400845.

9. Taylor BD, Ness RB, Klebanoff MA, Tang G, Roberts JM, Hougaard DM, Skogstrand K, Haggerty CL.  Fetal sexual dimorphism in systemic soluble fms-like tryrosine kinase 1 (sFLT) among normotensive and preeclamptic women.  American Journal of Reproductive Immunology.  2018 Nov;80(5):e13034.  doi: 10.1111/aji.13034.  PMID: 30106204.

10. Taylor BD, Ness RB, Klebanoff MA, Tang G, Roberts JM, Hougaard DM, Skogstrand K, Haggerty CL.  The impact of female fetal sex on preeclampsia and the maternal immune milieu. Pregnancy Hypertension: An International Journal of Women’s Cardiovascular Health. 2018 Feb 24; 12:53-57. PMID: 29674199.