A Bayesian Approach to Investigate Life Course Hypotheses

Sreenath Madathil, PhD

Assistant Professor
Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences | McGill University

WHEN: Monday, February 19, 2024 from 4 to 5 pm

WHERE: Hybrid | 2001 McGill College, Rm 1140 | Zoom

Note: Dr. Madathil will be presenting in-person

Abstract

Life-course epidemiology aims to understand the long-term effects of exposures during different life periods, particularly their effects on adult health and disease. A typology of hypotheses has been proposed in the field of life-course epidemiology. Although conceptually simple, investigating empirical evidence for these hypotheses has methodological challenges. In other words, statistical methods to identify the life course hypothesis that best describes the time-dependent association between long-term exposure and later life health outcomes is a developing field. In this presentation, using examples from the field of head and neck cancer epidemiology, I will showcase a novel Bayesian modelling approach to investigate life course hypotheses.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, attendees will:

• Have an overview of the life course approach in chronic disease epidemiology;
• Become familiar with a set of modelling approaches to investigate life course hypotheses;
• Understand the shortcomings and challenges in investigating the effects of protracted exposures across an individual's life course.

Speaker Bio

Sreenath A Madathil is a cancer epidemiologist whose work lies at the intersection of epidemiology, dentistry, and data science. His research interest is the development of advanced statistical models and machine learning approaches to support the clinical decision-making process in oral health care. Dr. Madathil's current research projects include i) the Bayesian approach for life course epidemiology, ii) clinical prediction modelling, and iii) uncertainty quantification in deep learning models for health care applications. His research is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Immunity Task Force, and Fonds de recherché du Quebec - Santé. Dr. Madathil has obtained a bachelor's in dental surgery from the University of Calicut, India, and an MSc and Ph.D. in Craniofacial Health Sciences from McGill University.