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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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Your Environment. Your Health.

Person Details: Carmen Milagros Velez Vega

Superfund Research Program

Carmen Milagros Velez Vega

University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
Departamento de Ciencias Sociales
Facultad del Programa Doctoral en Salud Publica y Determinantes Sociales
Escuela Graduada de Salud Publica
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00928-1345
Phone: 787-758-2525 x1420
Email: carmen.velez2@upr.edu

Projects

Publications

  • Cardona-Cordero NR, Velez Vega CM, Cordero JF, Rosario Z, Murphy C, Mattei H, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh AN, Vergara C. Social determinants of contaminant exposure and pregnancy in the northern Karst of Puerto Rico. In: Karst Groundwater Contamination and Public Health. Advances in Karst Science. Springer International Publishing,
  • Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Loch-Caruso R, Giese RW, Padilla IY, Vesper D, Kaeli D, Sheahan TC, Brown P, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN. Team science applied to environmental health research: karst hydrogeology and preterm birth in Puerto Rico. In: Karst Groundwater Contamination and Public Health. Advances in Karst Science. Springer International Publishing,

2024

  • Jenkins H, Meeker JD, Zimmerman E, Cathey A, Fernandez J, Montanez G, Park S, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Watkins DJ. 2024. Gestational glyphosate exposure and early childhood neurodevelopment in a Puerto Rico birth cohort. Environ Res 246:doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.118114

2023

  • Cardona-Cordero NR, Previdi IL, Torres H, Ayala I, Boronow KE, Rivera A, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Brody JG, Brown P, Velez Vega CM. 2023. Mi PROTECT: A personalized smartphone platform to report back results to participants of a maternal-child and environmental health research cohort program in Puerto Rico. PLOS Digit Health 2(1):doi:10.1371/journal.pdig.0000172 PMID:36812649 PMCID:PMC9931308
  • Previdi IL, Velez Vega CM, Vasques AC, Repollet EF, Zayas HR, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF. 2023. Lessons learned: community engagement in emergencies in Puerto Rico. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 17:e367. doi:10.1017/dmp.2022.305 PMID:36970863 PMCID:PMC10184461

2022

  • Kim C, Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Maternal metals/metalloid blood levels are associated with lipidomic profiles among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Front Public Health 9:doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.754706 PMID:35096734 PMCID:PMC8790322
  • Kim C, Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Maternal blood metal concentrations are associated with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Environ Res 209:doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.112874 PMID:35123972
  • Previdi IL, Welton M, Rivera JD, Watkins DJ, Diaz Z, Torres H, Galan C, Guilloty NI, Agosto LD, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Velez Vega CM. 2022. The impact of natural disasters on maternal health: Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. Children (Basel) 9(7):940. doi:10.3390/children9070940 PMID:35883924 PMCID:PMC9315789

2021

  • Ashrap P, Aker AM, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Psychosocial status modifies the effect of maternal blood metal and metalloid concentrations on birth outcomes. Environ Int 149:106418. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.106418 PMID:33548848 PMCID:PMC7897320
  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Milne GL, Ferguson KK, Loch-Caruso R, Fernandez J, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Maternal Urinary Metal and Metalloid Concentrations in Association with Oxidative Stress Biomarkers. Antioxidants (Basel) 10:114. doi:10.3390/antiox10010114 PMID:33467519
  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Performance of urine, blood, and integrated metal biomarkers in relation to birth outcomes in a mixture setting. Environ Res 200:111435. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.111435 PMID:34097892 PMCID:PMC8403638
  • Aung MT, Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Maternal lipidomic signatures in relation to spontaneous preterm birth and large-for-gestational age neonates. Sci Rep 11:8115. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-87472-9 PMID:33854141 PMCID:PMC8046995
  • Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Mukherjee B, O'Neill MS, Loch-Caruso R, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Gestational hormone concentrations are associated with timing of delivery in a fetal sex-dependent manner. Front. Endocrinol 12(10):doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.742145 PMID:34603214 PMCID:PMC8479114
  • Kirwa K, Feric Z, Manjourides J, Alshawabkeh AN, Velez Vega CM, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Suh HH. 2021. Preterm birth and PM(2.5) in Puerto Rico: evidence from the PROTECT birth cohort. Environmental Health 20:69. doi:10.1186/s12940-021-00748-5 PMID:34116688 PMCID:PMC8196435

2020

  • Aker AM, McConnell R, Loch-Caruso R, Park S, Mukherjee B, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Huerta-Montanez G, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2020. Interactions between chemicals and non-chemical stressors: The modifying effect of life events on the association between triclocarban, phenols and parabens with gestational length in a Puerto Rican cohort. Sci Total Environ 708:134719. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134719 PMID:31785910 PMCID:PMC6957748
  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Boss J, Richards M, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2020. Maternal blood metal and metalloid concentrations in association with birth outcomes in Northern Puerto Rico. Environ Int 138:doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.105606 PMID:32179314 PMCID:PMC719823
  • Ingle ME, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Calafat AM, Ospina M, Ferguson KK, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2020. An exploratory analysis of urinary organophosphate ester metabolites and oxidative stress among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Sci Total Environ 703:134798. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134798 PMID:31726298 PMCID:PMC6954949
  • Manjourides J, Zimmerman E, Watkins DJ, Carpenito T, Velez Vega CM, Huerta-Montanez G, Rosario-Pabon Z, Ayala I, Vergara C, Feric Z, Ondras M, Suh H, Gu AZ, Brown P, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh AN. 2020. Cohort profile: Center for Research on Early Childhood Exposure and Development in Puerto Rico. BMJ Open 10(7):e036389. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036389 PMID:32690520 PMCID:PMC7371225
  • Rodriguez-Carmona Y, Ashrap P, Calafat AM, Ye X, Rosario Z, Bedrosian LD, Huerta-Montanez G, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Watkins DJ. 2020. Determinants and characterization of exposure to phthalates, DEHTP and DINCH among pregnant women in the PROTECT birth cohort in Puerto Rico. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 30:56-69. doi:10.1038/s41370-019-0168-8 PMID:31481681 PMCID:PMC6917904
  • Watkins DJ, Zayas H, Velez Vega CM, Rosario Z, Welton M, Arroyo L, Cardona-Cordero NR, Reguero Z, Rivera A, Huerta-Montanez G, Brown P, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2020. Investigating the impact of Hurricane Maria on an ongoing birth cohort in Puerto Rico. Popul Env 42:95-111. doi:10.1007/s11111-020-00345-7
  • Welton M, Velez Vega CM, Murphy C, Rosario Z, Torres H, Russell E, Brown P, Huerta-Montanez G, Watkins DJ, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF. 2020. Impact of hurricanes irma and maria on puerto rico maternal and child health research programs. Matern Child Health J 24(1):22-29. doi:10.1007/s10995-019-02824-2 PMID:31728717 PMCID:PMC7059554

2019

  • Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2019. Associations of phthalates and phthalate replacements with CRH and other hormones among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. J Endocr Soc 3(6):1127-1149. doi:10.1210/js.2019-00010 PMID:31093596 PMCID:PMC6510018
  • Ferguson KK, Rosen EM, Rosario Z, Feric Z, Calafat AM, McElrath TF, Velez Vega CM, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2019. Environmental phthalate exposure and preterm birth in the PROTECT birth cohort. Environ Int 132:105099. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.105099 PMID:31430608 PMCID:PMC6754790
  • Watkins DJ, Velez Vega CM, Rosario Z, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2019. Preliminary assessment of exposure to persistent organic pollutants among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Int J Hyg Environ Health 222:327-331. doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.02.001 PMID:30738742 PMCID:PMC6408968

2018

  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Calafat AM, Ye X, Rosario Z, Brown P, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2018. Elevated concentrations of urinary triclocarban, phenol and paraben among pregnant women in Northern Puerto Rico: predictors and trends. Environ Int 121:990-1002. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.020 PMID:30316544
  • Brown P, Velez Vega CM, Murphy C, Welton M, Torres H, Rosario Z, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Padilla IY, Meeker JD. 2018. Hurricanes and the environmental justice island: Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. Environ Justice 11(4):148-153. doi:10.1089/env.2018.0003 PMID:31131071 PMCID:PMC6114726
  • Dong S, Feric Z, Li X, Rahman SM, Li G, Wu C, Gu AZ, Dy J, Kaeli D, Meeker JD, Padilla IY, Cordero JF, Velez Vega CM, Rosario Z, Alshawabkeh AN. 2018. A hybrid approach to identifying key factors in environmental health studies. In: 2018 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (Big Data). (). IEEE, New York, NY.
  • Dong S, Feric Z, Li X, Rahman SM, Li G, Wu C, Gu AZ, Dy J, Kaeli D, Meeker JD, Padilla IY, Cordero JF, Velez Vega CM, Rosario Z, Alshawabkeh AN. 2018. A hybrid approach to identifying key factors in environmental health studies. Big Data 2855-2862.
  • Dong S, Feric Z, Yu L, Kaeli D, Meeker JD, Padilla IY, Cordero JF, Velez Vega CM, Rosario Z, Alshawabkeh AN. 2018. An efficient data management framework for Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT). In: 2018 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (Big Data). (). IEEE, New York, NY.

2017

  • Cardona-Cordero NR, Velez Vega CM, Cordero JF, Rosario Z, Murphy C, Mattei H, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh AN, Vergara C. 2017. Social determinants of contaminant exposure and pregnancy in the northern karst of Puerto Rico. In: Karst Groundwater Contamination and Public Health: Beyond Case Studies. Springer, New York, NY. pp.169-175.
  • Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Loch-Caruso R, Giese RW, Padilla IY, Vesper D, Kaeli D, Sheahan TC, Brown P, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN. 2017. Team science applied to environmental health research: karst hydrogeology and preterm birth in Puerto Rico. In: Karst Groundwater Contamination and Public Health: Beyond Case Studies. Springer, New York, NY. pp.17-25.

2016

  • McIntosh S, Perez-Ramos J, Demment MM, Velez Vega CM, Avendano E, Ossip DJ, Dye TD. 2016. Development and implementation of culturally tailored offline mobile health surveys. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2(1):e28. doi:10.2196/publichealth.5408 PMID:27256208 PMCID:PMC4911512
  • Velez Vega CM, Brown P, Murphy C, Figueroa A, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN. 2016. Community engagement and research translation in Puerto Rico's Northern Karst Region: the PROTECT Superfund research program. New Solut 26(3):475-495. doi:10.1177/1048291116667715
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