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Daniel Chu, PhD, MPH

Summary

Researcher experienced with many data collection and analysis methodologies and designs in the study of population health. Statistical programmer with a strong foundation in data processing and modeling using automation and reproducibility. Educator and communicator to diverse audiences and stakeholders.

Skills

Programming/Statistical Languages: R, Python, SAS, Bash, SQL, C++, MPlus.
Statistical Methods: Generalized linear models (and mixed models), survival models (time-to-event analysis), structural equation modeling (EFA, CFA, LCA, LGM, and the like)
Technologies or Frameworks: Linux, S3, Git, GIS, accelerometry

Education

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Doctor of Philosophy in Health Behavior Research (2021)
Dissertation: Pathways of Drug Use Among People Who Inject Drugs
Committee Chair: Ricky Bluthenthal

Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY
Master of Public Health in Sociomedical Sciences (2011)

University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (2008)
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (2008)

Professional Experience

Teladoc Health, Remote
Clinical Data Scientist III (August 2021 - Present)

Emendata, LLC, San Francisco, CA
Senior Data Analyst (October 2021 - June 2022)

  • Team lead on model development for a Medicare Center for Program Integrity evaluation study.
  • Worked with all non-Part C Medicare claims and enrollment data in a secure environment.
  • Developed SAS data infrastructure to process Medicare claims data for elderly Part A and B beneficiaries.
  • Produced and presented models of Medicare service utilization.
  • Communicated results to diverse audiences with various technical backgrounds.
  • Provided assistance, instruction, and assessment to junior team members.

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Senior Research Associate (August 2018 - September 2021)

  • Managed multiple large and complex datasets.
  • Implemented an automated backend data management service using R, Bash, RabbitMQ, PostgreSQL, and MinIO.
  • Developed data processing packages for various projects using R, Python, and C++ (using Rcpp).
  • Developed a publicly available R package for accelerometer data processing.
  • Provided statistical consulting on a broad range of statistical methods and concepts.
  • Contributed as statistician or statistical consultant to published research reports.

Research Experience

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Research Assistant, MATCH Study (May 2017 - August 2018)

  • Principal Investigator: Genevieve F. Dunton, PhD
  • Wrote R code for reproducible data management procedures.
  • Parsed, cleaned, transformed, and distributed ecological momentary assessment and accelerometer data for around 400 participants over 6 assessment waves.
  • Implemented novel accelerometer processing methods in R for automated and reproducible bulk processing of data.
  • Advised data users on statistical methods and data processing and transformations.

Research Assistant, Adherence to PrEP in Risky MSM Study (August 2016 - May 2017)

  • Principal Investigator: Joel Milam, PhD
  • Wrote R code for reproducible data management procedures.
  • Analyzed survey data from men who have sex with men on pre-exposure prophylaxis medication in a multisite California study.
  • Used R and SAS for reproducible data management and analysis with latent transition models.

Research Assistant, Late Initiates Study (August 2011 - August 2014)

  • Principal Investigator: Ricky N. Bluthenthal, PhD
  • Collected survey and in-depth interview data from people who inject drugs at various settings.
  • Conducted data analysis using qualitative and quantitative methods in Atlas.ti, SPSS, and R.
  • Collaborated with a multisite interdisciplinary research staff for data collection, analysis, and research publications.

The Williams Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Research Assistant, Project ACCESS (August 2012 - March 2013)

  • Principal Investigator: Ilan H. Meyer, PhD
  • Interviewed service providers for a needs assessment for gay male youth of color.
  • Participated in collaborative qualitative data analysis.
  • Investigated the barriers to service provision for gay male youth of color experienced by community-based organizations.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY
Research Intern, Queens Library HealthLink Project (September 2010 - December 2010)

  • Principal Investigator: Alyson Moadel, PhD
  • Assisted with the evaluation of an NCI-funded community-based intervention targeting early-stage cancer screening in minority neighborhoods in the Borough of Queens in New York City.
  • Conducted street-intercept surveys throughout the project area,
  • Investigated potential associations between neighborhood perceptions of social trust and control and healthcare use and access.

Center for the Study of Asian American Health, New York University, New York, NY
Research Intern, B Free CEED (July 2010 - December 2010)

  • Principal Investigator: Mariano J. Rey, MD
  • Investigated the role of disease stigma in hepatitis B public health interventions.
  • Conducted a systematic literature review on hepatitis B and stigma focusing on the Asian American community.
  • Collected and catalogued quantitative scales, indicators, and questions on hepatitis B stigma and quality of life.
  • Designed a hepatitis B stigma scale for pilot testing.

Teaching Experience

Semester Course Code: Course Title Institution
2014-3 Fall HP 300: Theoretical Principles of Health Behavior University of Southern California
2014-3 Fall PM 501: Foundations in Health Education and Promotion University of Southern California
2015-1 Spring PM 501: Foundations in Health Education and Promotion University of Southern California
2016-3 Fall PM 501: Foundations in Health Education and Promotion University of Southern California
2017-1 Spring PM 501: Foundations in Health Education and Promotion University of Southern California

Publications

In reverse chronological order within publication type.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

Yi, L., Xu, Y., Eckel, S. P., O'Connor, S., Cabison, J., Rosales, M., Chu, D., Chavez, T. A., Johnson, M., Mason, T. B., Bastain, T. M., Breton, C. V., Dunton, G. F., Wilson, J. P., Habre, R. (2022). Time-activity and daily mobility patterns during pregnancy and early postpartum – Evidence from the MADRES cohort. Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology, 41, 100502. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sste.2022.100502

Naya, C. H., Chu, D., Wang, W., Nicolo, M., Dunton, G. F., Mason, T. B. Children's daily negative affect patterns and food consumption on weekends: An ecological momentary assessment study. (2022). Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, (in press). https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2022.02.007

Yi, L., Wang, S. D., Chu, D., Ponnada, A., Intille, S. S., Dunton, G. F. (2022). Examining whether physical activity location choices were associated with weekly physical activity maintenance across 13 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in emerging adults. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 19(6), 446-455. https://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2021-0769

Naya, C. H., Yi, L., Chu, D., Dunton, G. F., Mason, T. B. Cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations of park coverage, greenness exposure and neighbourhood median household income with children's depressive and anxiety symptoms. (2022). Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 58(4), 662-668. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15809

Mason, T. B., Do, B., Chu, D., Belcher, B. R., Dunton, D. F., Lopez, N. V. (2022). Associations among affect, diet, and activity and binge-eating severity using ecological momentary assessment in a non-clinical sample of middle-aged fathers. Eating and Weight Disorders, 27, 543–551. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40519-021-01191-8

Ponnada, A., Wang, S., Chu, D., Do, B., Dunton, G., Intille, S. (2022). Intensive longitudinal data collection using microinteraction ecological momentary assessment: Pilot and preliminary results. JMIR Formative Research, 6(2), e32772. https://dx.doi.org/10.2196/32772

Mason, T. B., Smith, K. E., Naya, C., Chu, D., Dunton, G. F. (2021). Eating-related guilt and mental health across middle childhood to early adolescence. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 6, 100221. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100221

Yi, L., Mason, T. B., Yang, C. H., Chu, D., Dunton, G. F. (2021). Longitudinal associations between neighborhood park and open space access and children’s accelerometer-assessed measured physical activity: the evidence from the MATCH study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 18(9), 1058–1066. https://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2021-0177

Dunton, G. F., Chu, D., Naya, C. H., Belcher, B. R., Mason, T. B. (2021). Associations of mothers' and children's stress with children's device-measured physical activity and sedentary behavior trajectories across 3 years. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 18(5), 477-487. https://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0558

Dunton, G. F., Chu, D., Naya, C. H., Belcher, B. R., Mason, T. B. (2021). Longitudinal associations of maternal stress and child stress with child body mass index trajectory. Pediatric Obesity, 16(3), e12724. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12724

McAlister, K. L., Zink, J., Chu, D., Belcher, B. R., Dunton, G. F. (2021). Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between non-school time physical activity, sedentary time, and adiposity among boys and girls: An isotemporal substitution approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4671. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094671

O'Connor, S. G., Habre, R., Bastain, T. M., Toledo-Corral, C. M., Gilliland, F. D., Eckel, S. P., Cabison, J., Naya, C. H., Farzan, S. F., Chu, D., Chavez, T. A., Breton, C. V., Dunton, G. F. (2019). Within-subject effects of environmental and social stressors on pre- and post-partum obesity-related biobehavioral responses in low-income Hispanic women: Protocol of an intensive longitudinal study. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 253. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6583-x

Mason, T. B., O'Connor, S. G., Schembre, S. M., Huh, J., Chu, D., Dunton, G. F. (2019). Momentary affect, stress coping, and food intake in mother-child dyads. Health Psychology, 38(3), 238-247. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/hea0000714

Bluthenthal, R. N., Chu, D., Wenger, L. D., Bourgois, P., Valente, T., Kral, A. H. (2018). Differences in time to injection onset by drug in California: Implications for the emerging heroin epidemic. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 185, 253–259. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.01.005

Bluthenthal, R. N.., Wenger, L., Chu, D., Bourgois, P., Kral, A. H. (2017). Drug use generations and patterns of injection drug use: Birth cohort differences among people who inject drugs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 175, 210–218. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.04.001

Schmitz, J., Kral, A. H., Chu, D., Wenger, L. D., Bluthenthal, R. N. (2016). Food insecurity among people who inject drugs in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Public Health Nutrition, 19(12), 2204-2212. https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980016000306

Novak, S., Bluthenthal, R. N., Wenger, L., Chu, D., Kral, A. H. (2015). Initiation of heroin and prescription opioid pain relievers by birth cohort. American Journal of Public Health, 106(2), 298-300. https://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302972

Kral, A. H., Wenger, L., Novak, S. P., Chu, D., Corsi, K. F., Coffa, D., Shapiro, B., Bluthenthal, R. N. (2015). Is cannabis use associated with less opioid use among people who inject drugs? Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 153, 236-241. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.05.014

Bluthenthal, R. N., Wenger, L., Chu, D., Lorvick, J., Quinn, B., Thing, J. P., Kral, A. H. (2015). Factors associated with being asked to initiate someone into injection drug use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 149, 252-258. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.02.011

Bluthenthal, R. N., Wenger, L., Chu, D., Quinn, B., Thing, J., Kral A. H. (2014). Factors associated with initiating someone into illicit drug injection. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 144, 186-192. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.09.008

Quinn, B., Chu, D., Wenger, L., Bluthenthal, R. N., Kral, A. H. (2014). Syringe disposal among people who inject drugs in Los Angeles: The role of sterile syringe source. International Journal of Drug Policy, 25(5), 905-910. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.05.008

Arreola, S., Bluthenthal, R. N., Wenger, L., Chu, D., Thing, J., & Kral, A. H. (2014). Characteristics of people who initiate injection drug use later in life. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 138, 244-250. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.02.026

Conference Presentations

To be filled.

Published Abstracts

To be filled.

Fellowships

2013 EDGE & APD Summer Institute Fellow
2015 USC Endowed Fellowship