Emma Barinas-Mitchell, PhD

Associate Professor, Epidemiology

Assistant Professor, Clinical Translation and Science

Director, Ultrasound Research Laboratory

Co-Director, Cardiovascular Epidemiology Training Program

Director, Health Equity Certificate Program

Contact

130 N. Bellefield Avenue, Suite 338, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, PA 15213
R-znvy: rwo9@cvgg.rqh
Primary Phone: 967-179-8923
Web site:

Personal Statement

Dr. Barinas-Mitchell’s research focuses on the application of subclinical vascular measures to the study of the natural history and prevention of CVD. As Co-Director (2006-2012) and Director (December 2012-present) of the University of Pittsburgh Ultrasound Research Lab (URL), she has collaborated on the application of early markers of vascular aging for >25 NIH-funded observational and intervention studies, including study design and implementation, oversight of collection of primary and secondary vascular outcome measures, data management and analyses of these vascular measures, and interpretation of these data for presentation and >80 peer-reviewed publications. She is also actively involved in research on vascular aging in women and in investigating the role of obesity, related cardiometabolic disturbances, and race/ethnicity in the development and progression of subclinical CVD.  Dr. Barinas-Mitchell is Co-Director of the CVD Epidemiology T32 training program and actively mentors students and trainees at the master's, doctoral and post-doctoral level.

Education

1991 | Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA | BA Chemistry
1998 | University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA | PhD Epidemiology
2001 | University of Pittsburgh,Pittsburgh, PA | Post-doctoral training in CVD Epidemiology
 

Teaching

EPIDEM 2152: Workshop in Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (2007-2012, Co-Instructor; 2012- Present, Instructor)

EPIDEM 2150: Epidemiology Cardiovascular Diseases (2011-Present, Guest Lecturer)   

EPIDEM 2170: Chronic Disease Epidemiology (Fall 2020, Associate Instructor; Fall 2021, Co-Instructor)

BCHS 2526: Health Equity Research Methods (2015-2019, 2021 Guest Lecturer)  

CVD Epidemiology Journal Club (2007- Present, Co-Instructor)                                                                                            

Co-Director, CVD Training Program (2012-Present)

Director, Health Equity Certificate Program

Research Interests

  • Application of subclinical CVD methodology in CVD epidemiology research
  • Cardiometabolic risk factors related to vascular aging
  • Vascular aging in midlife women
  • Racial/ethnic disparities in CVD risk

Research Support

Active Research Support:

Co-Investigator

  • Arterial Stiffness, Cognition and Equol (ACE) (NIA) 2022-2027 (PI: A. Sekikawa)

  • MS BRAIN Renewal - Vasomotor symptoms and neurocognitive health among midlife women (NIA) 2021-2026 (PI: R. Thurston)

  • The RAW Brain - The Effect of Rumination, Anxiety and Worry on Aging and Dementia Risk (NIMH) 2022-2027 (PI: C. Andreescu)

  • PaTH – Childhood Antecedents of Adult Cardiometabolic Health: A Prospective Study of Low-Income Men (NHLBI) 2021-2026 (PI: A. Marsland)

  • Biobehavioral Studies of Cardiovascular Disease (NHLBI) 2019-2023 (PI: P. Gianaros)

  • Subclinical Vascular Disease and AD Pathology in the Transition (NIA) 2018-2023 (PI: O Lopez)
  • Study of Women’s Health Across the Nations (SWAN) VI: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN): The Impact of Midlife and the Menopause Transition on Health and Functioning in Early Old Age (NIA) 2020-2024 (PI: M.Brooks)
  • Long Life Family Study (NIA) 2019-2024 (PI: J. Zmuda)
  • Epidemiology of Cardiac Structure and Function in African Caribbeans: The Tobago Heart Study (NHLBI) 2021-2023 (PI: A. Kuipers)           

 

Completed Research Support (past 4 years):

Subcontract Principal Investigator

  • Social Stressors and Atherosclerosis in Women with Lupus (NIAMSD) 2017-2021 (PI: T Lewis)
  • Expectations of Discrimination and CVD Risk in Women (NHLBI) 2017-2019 (PI: T Lewis)
  • Identifying protective omics profiles in centenarians and translating these into preventive and therapeutic strategies (NIA) 2019-2020 (PI: P Sebastiani)

Co-Investigator

  • Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms as a Marker of Brain Aging in Women (NIA) 2016-2021 (PI: R. Thurston)
  • Imaging Pathophysiology in Aging and Neurodegeneration (NIA) 2016-2021 (PI: O.Lopez, A. Cohen)
  • Study of Women's Health Across the Nation - Coordinating Center (NIA) 2009-2012 (PI: K Sutton-Tyrrell), 2012- 2019 (PI: M Brooks)   
  • Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Cardiometabolic Risk (NIA) 2015-2020 (PI:D Buysse)
  • Depression and Subsequent Cardiac Risk Factors (NHLBI) 2015-2019 (PI:  M Kovacs)
  • Multicenter Study on Exceptional Survival in Families (NIA) 2014-2019 (PI:A Newman) 
  • Resistance and Cardiorespiratory Time-matched Exercise in Youth (NHLBI) 2013-2018 (PI:S Lee)

 

ORCID ID

0000-0002-7280-7781

Selected Publications

A complete list of published work can be found in MyBibliography:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/emma.barinas-mitchell.1/bibliography/40073245/public/?sort=date&direction=descending

 

  1. Fujiyoshi A, Zaid M, Barinas-Mitchell E. Is Measuring Risk Marker Progression Useful for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction? 2021;50:752-755. PMID: 34350872. DOI: 10.1159/000517869.
  2. Jakubowski KP, Barinas-Mitchell E, Chang Y, Matthews KA, Maki PM, Thurston RC. The cardiovascular cost of silence: Relationships between self-silencing and carotid atherosclerosis in midlife women. Ann Behav Med. 2021 Jun 14:kaab046. Doi: 10.1093/abm/kaab046. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34124743.
  3. Thurston RC, Fritz MM, Chang Y, Barinas Mitchell E, Maki PM. Self-Compassion and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease Among Midlife Women. Health Psychology. 2021 Nov;40(11):747-753. Doi: 10.1037/hea0001137. PMID: 34914480.
  4. Samargandy S, Matthews KA, Brooks MM, Barinas-Mitchell E, Magnani JW, Thurston RC, El Khoudary SR. Trajectories of Blood Pressure in Midlife Women: Does Menopause Matter? Circ Res. 2022 Feb 4;130(3):312-322. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.121.319424. Epub 2022 Jan 6. PMID: 35113663; PMCID: PMC8814466.
  5. Barinas-Mitchell E, Duan C, Brooks M, El Khoudary SR, Thurston R, Matthews K, Jackson EA, Lewis TT, Derby CA. Cumulative CVD risk factor burden during the menopause transition and late midlife subclinical vascular disease: Does race/ethnicity matter? JAHA. 2020 Feb 18; 9(4):e013876. PMID: 32063114. PMCID: PMC7070180.
  6. Lewis TT, Van Dyke ME, Matthews KA, Barinas-Mitchell E. Race/Ethnicity, Cumulative Midlife Loss and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Middle-Aged Women. Am J Epidemiol. 2021 Apr 6; 190(4):576-587. PMID: 33034337 PMCID: PMC8024052.
  7. Taylor C, Kline CE, Rice TB, Duan C, Newman AB, Barinas-Mitchell E. Snoring severity is associated with carotid vascular remodeling in young adults with overweight and obesity. Sleep Health 2021 Apr; 7(2): 161-167. PMID: 33402252. (Senior Author)*
  8. Stewart AL, Magnani JW, Barinas-Mitchell E, Matthews KA, El Khoudary SR, Jackson EA, Brooks MM. Social Role Stress, Reward and the American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 in Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Dec 15;9(24):e017489. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.017489. Epub 2020 Dec 11. PMID: 33302752. PMCID: PMC7955397.
  9. Cortés YI, Brooks MM, Barinas-Mitchell E., Matthews KA., Thurston RC. Catov JM. Impact of prior preterm or term small for gestational age birth on maternal blood pressure during the menopause transition in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Menopause. 2021 Feb 8;28(3):255-262. Doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001739. PMID: 33570873.
  10. Hutchins F, Krafty R, El Khoudary SR, Catov J, Colvin A, Barinas-Mitchell E, Brooks MM. Gestational Weight Gain and Long-term Maternal Obesity Risk: A multiple-Bias Analysis. Epidemiology 2021 Mar 1;32(2):248-258. Doi:10.1097/EDE.0000000000001310. PMID: 33284167. PMCID: PMC7855686 (available on 2022-03-01).
  11. Thurston RC, Jakubowski K, Chang Y, Koenen K, Maki PM, Barinas-Mitchell E. Sexual Assault and Carotid Plaque among Midlife Women. JAHA. 2021 Feb;10(5):e017629. Doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.017629. PMID: 33619993.
  12. Everson-Rose SA, Barinas-Mitchell EJM, El Khoudary SR, Huang HH, Wang Q, Janssen I, Thurston RC, Jackson EA, Lewis ME, Karvonen-Gutierrez C, Mancuso P, Derby CA. Adipokines and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Post-Menopausal Women: Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Apr 6;10(7):e019173. Doi:10.1161/JAHA.120.019173. Epub 2021 Mar 27. PMID: 33779242.
  13. Matthews K, Chen X, Barinas-Mitchell E, Brooks MM, Derby CA, Harlow S, Jackson EA, Thurston RC, El Khoudary SR. Age at menopause in relation to lipid changes and subclinical carotid disease across 20 years: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. JAHA. 2021 Sep 6;e021362. PMID: 34482713.
  14. Thurston RC, Wu M, Aizenstein AJ, Chang Y, Barinas Mitchell E, Derby CA, Maki PM. Sleep Characteristics and White Matter Hyperintensities Among Midlife Women. Sleep. 2020 Jun 15;43(6):zsz298. Doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsz298. PMID: 31863110. PMCID: PMC7294405.
  15. Jakubowski KP, Barinas-Mitchell E, Chang Y, Matthews KA, Maki PM, Thurston RC. The cardiovascular cost of silence: Relationships between self-silencing and carotid atherosclerosis in midlife women. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. (In press)

  16. Cortés YI, Barinas-Mitchell E, Suder Egnot N, Bhasin S, Jasuja R, Santoro N, Thurston RC. Associations of endogenous sex hormones with carotid plaque burden and characteristics in midlife women.  JCEM. 2020 Apr 1; 105(4). PMID: 31900485. PMCID: PMC7077951. 

  17. Kuipers A, Miljkovic I, Barinas-Mitchell E, Nestlerode C, Cvejkus R, Wheeler V, Zhang Y, Zmuda J. Wnt Pathway Gene Expression is Associated with Arterial Stiffness. JAHA. 2020 Feb 4; 9(3):e014170. PMID: 32013702. PMCID: PMC7033870.
  18. Samargandy S, Matthews K, Brooks M, Barinas-Mitchell E, Magnani J, Janssen I, Hollenberg S, El Khoudary S. Arterial Stiffness Accelerates within 1 Year of the Final Menstrual Period: the SWAN Heart Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol.2020 Apr; 40(4): 1001-1008. PMID: 31969013. PMCID: PMC711253.
  19. Duan C, Talbott E, Brooks M, Broadwin R, Matthews K, Barinas-Mitchell E. Residential Exposure to PM2.5 and Ozone and Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis Among Women Transitioning through Menopause: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Journal of Women’s Health(Larchmt). 2019 Jun;28(6):802-811. PMID: 30730252. PMCID: PMC6590715. (Senior Author)*
  20. Cortés YI, Catov JM, Brooks M, El Khoudary SR, Thurston RC, Matthews KA, Isasi CR, Jackson EA, Barinas-Mitchell E. Pregnancy-related events associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease burden in late midlife: SWAN. Atherosclerosis. 2019 Oct; 289:27-35. PMID: 31446211. PMCID: PMC6952268. (Senior Author)*
  21. Catov J, Snyder GG, Bullen BB, Barinas-Mitchell EJM, Holzman C. Women with preterm birth have evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis a decade after delivery. Journal of Women’s Health 2019 May;28(5):621-627. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2018.7148. Epub 2018 Nov 2.PMID: 30388049.
  22. Stewart AL, Barinas-Mitchell E, Matthews KA, El Khoudary SR, Magnani JW, Jackson EA, Brooks MM. Social role-related stress and social role-related reward as related to subsequent subclinical cardiovascular disease in a longitudinal study of mid-life women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Psychosom Med. 2019 Nov/Dec; 81(9): 821-832. PMID: 31299023. PMCID: PMC6832794
  23. Duan C, Talbott EO, Brooks MM, Park SK, Broadwin R, Matthews KA, Barinas-Mitchell E. Five-year exposure to PM2.5 and ozone and subclinical atherosclerosis in late midlife women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 Sep 17. pii: S1438-4639(18)30155-X. doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.09.001. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30236459. (Senior Author)
  24. Cortes YI, Catov JM, Brooks M, Harlow SD, Isasi CR, Jackson EA, Matthews KA, Thurston RC, Barinas-Mitchell E. History of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, Blood Pressure, and Subclinical Vascular Measures in Late Midlife: SWAN (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation). J Am Heart Assoc.2018;7(1).PubMed PMID: 29288157; PubMed CentralPMCID: PMC5778964. (Senior Author)
  25. Egnot NS, Barinas-Mitchell E, Criqui MH, Allison MA, Ix JH, Jenny NS, Wassel CL. An exploratory factor analysis of inflammatory and coagulation markers associated with femoral artery atherosclerosis in the San Diego Population Study. Thromb Res. 2018 Feb 13;164:9-14. doi: 10.1016/j.thromres.2018.02.003. PubMed PMID: 29459247.  
  26. Thurston RC, Barinas-Mitchell E, von Känel R, Chang Y, Koenen KC, Matthews KA. Trauma exposure and endothelial function among midlife women. Menopause. 2018 Apr;25(4):368-374. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001036. PubMed PMID: 29206773; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5866191.   
  27. Niemczyk NA, Bertolet M, Catov JM, Desai M, McClure CK, Roberts JM, Sekikawa A, Tepper PG, Barinas-Mitchell EJ. Common Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness Increases throughout the Pregnancy Cycle: A Prospective Cohort Study. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth. 2018 May; 18(1): 195. PMID: 29855290. PMCID: PMC5984334. (Senior Author)
  28. Niemczyk NA, Catov JM, Desai M, McClure CK, Roberts JM, Sekikawa A, Tepper PG, Barinas-Mitchell E. Brachial Artery Stiffening in Healthy Primigravidas is Associated with Weight Gain and Increased Cardiac Output. Hypertens Pregnancy 2018 Nov;37(4):204-211. doi: 10.1080/10641955.2018.1524479. Epub 2018 Sep 26.PubMed PMID: 30257118; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6330891. (Senior Author)
  29. Thurston RC, Chang Y, Barinas-Mitchell E, Jennings JR, von KänelR, Landsittel DP, Matthews KA. Physiologically assessed hot flashes and endothelial function among midlife women. Menopause 2017; Aug; 24(8): 886-893. PMID: 28399007.Thurston RC, Chang Y, Barinas-Mitchell E, von Känel R, Jennings JR, Santoro N, Landsittel DP, Matthews KA. Child Abuse and Neglect and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease Among Midlife Women. Psychosom Med. 2017 May; 79 (4): 441-449.PMID: 27763988.
  30. Matthews KA, El Khoudary SR, Brooks MM, Derby CA, Harlow SD, Barinas-Mitchell EJ, Thurston RC. Lipid changes around the final menstrual period predict carotid subclinical disease in postmenopausal women. Stroke 2017; 48 (1): 70-76. PMID 27909203; PMCID: PMC5183479.
  31. Wang NC, Matthews, KA, Barinas-Mitchell EJM, Chang CH, and El Khoudary SR. Inflammatory/Hemostatic Biomarkers and Coronary Artery Calcium Progression in Women at Midlife (From the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation [SWAN] Heart Study). American journal of cardiology 2016 Aug; 118(3): 311-8. PMID: 27289291; PMCID: PMC4949081.
  32. Thompson T, Shields KJ, Barinas-Mitchell E, Newman A, Sutton-Tyrrell K.  Calcified carotid artery plaques predict CVD outcomes in the elderly.  J Hyper. 2015 Apr; 33(4): 810-7. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000000488.   PMID: 25915886.
  33. Hughes TM, Kuller LH, Barinas-Mitchell EJ, McDade EM, Klunk WE, Cohen AD, Mathis CA, Dekosky ST, Price JC, Lopez OL. Arterial Stiffness and β-Amyloid Progression in Nondemented Elderly Adults. JAMA Neurology. 2014 May; 71(5): 562-68.  PMID: 24687165; PMCID: PMC4267249.
  34. Shields KJ, Barinas-Mitchell E, Gingo MR, Tepper P, Goodpaster BH, Kao AH, Manzi S, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Perivascular adipose tissue of the descending thoracic aorta is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and vascular calcification in women. Atherosclerosis. 2013 Nov; 231(1): F129-135. PMID: 24125423.
  35. Cooper JN, Columbus ML, Shields KJ, Asubonteng J, Meyer ML, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Goodpaster BH, Delany JP, Jakicic JM, Barinas-Mitchell E. Effects of an intensive behavioral weight loss intervention consisting of caloric restriction with or without physical activity on common carotid artery remodeling in severely obese adults. Metabolism. 2012 Nov; 61(11): 1589-97. PMID: 22579053.(senior author) 
  36. Lloyd K, Barinas-Mitchell E, Kuller L, Mackey RH, Wong EA, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Common Carotid Artery Diameter and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight or Obese Postmenopausal Women. International Journal of Vascular Medicine. 2012; PMCID: 2295725.
  37. El Khoudary SR, Barinas-Mitchell E, White J, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Kuller LH, Curb JD, Shin C, Ueshima H, Masaki K, Evans RW, Miura K, Edmundowicz D, Sekikawa A, for the ERA JUMP Study Group. Adiponectin, systolic blood pressure, and alcohol consumption are associated with more aortic stiffness progression among apparently healthy men. Atherosclerosis. 2012 Dec; 225(2): 475-80. PMID: 23040831.
  38. Libman IM, Barinas-Mitchell E, Bartucci A, Chaves-Gnecco D, Robertson R, Arslanian S. Fasting and 2-hour plasma glucose and insulin: relationship with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in overweight non-diabetic children. Diabetes Care. 2010 Dec; 33(12): 2674-76. PMID: 21115769.
  39. Rhew EY, Manzi SM, Dyer AR, Kao AH, Danchenko N, Barinas-Mitchell E, Sutton-Tyrrell K, McPherson DD, Pearce W, Edmundowicz D, Kondos GT, Ramsey-Goldman R. Differences in subclinical cardiovascular disease between African American and Caucasian women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Transl Res. 2009 Feb; 153(2): 51-9. PMID: 19138649. PMCID: PMC2674850.
  40. Whipple MO, Lewis TT, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Matthews KA, Barinas-Mitchell E, Powell LH, and  Everson-Rose SA. Hopelessness, depressive symptoms and carotid atherosclerosis in women: the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Heart Study. Stroke. 2009 Oct; 40(10): 3166-72. PMID:19713542. PMCID:PMC2762349. 
  41. Barinas-Mitchell E, Kuller LH, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Hegazzi R, Harper P, Mancino J, Kelley DE. Effect of Weight Loss and Nutritional Intervention on Arterial Stiffness in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.  Diabetes Care. 2006 Oct; 29(10): 2218-22. PMID: 17003296
  42. Barinas-Mitchell E, Kuller L, Pietropaolo S, Zhang Y-J,  Henderson T, Pietropaolo M. The Prevalence of GAD65 Autoantibodies by Glucose Tolerance Status in Elderly Patients from the Cardiovascular Health Study.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Aug; 91(8): 2871-7.  PMID: 16720660.
  43. Barinas-Mitchell E, Cushman M, Meilahn EN, Tracy RP, Kuller LH. Associations between C-Reactive Protein, Obesity, Weight Gain, and Hormone Replacement Therapy in Healthy Post-Menopausal Women. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2001 Jun; 153(11): 1094-1101. PMID: 11390329. 

Emma Barinas-Mitchell