Dr. Karvonen-Gutierrez is the John G. Searle Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. Dr. Karvonen-Gutierrez’s research focuses on critical periods of risk for adverse health outcomes in women. Specifically, she evaluates the impact of chronological aging, reproductive aging and obesity and their intersections, on the development and progression of chronic disease and musculoskeletal outcomes through the creation of a metabolically-dysfunctional and pro-inflammatory environment. To address her research agenda, Dr. Karvonen-Gutierrez uses both epidemiologic and clinical research designs leveraging her leadership in ongoing cohort studies as well as new data collection efforts.
Dr. Karvonen-Gutierrez received her PhD in Epidemiologic Science and MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan. She is a National Institute of Aging Butler Williams Scholar and is on the Editorial Board at the Midlife Women’s Health journal. She has a K01 Mentored Research Scientist award from the National Institute of Aging to examine metabolomics and osteoarthritis. She is the Principal Investigator on the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study and the PROTECT-Moms Study and a co-Investigator on the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.