Evidence synthesis
Literature review, rapid evidence appraisal, and scientific writing that make complex findings usable.
Research & Career
Kathleen F.
Morales
Epidemiologist · Evidence Synthesis Specialist · Physical Activity Researcher
Connecting global public-health experience with research on stress, adaptive capacity, and human health.
01 / Expertise
Evidence, leadership, and scientific communication.
Kathleen’s work spans molecular immunology, infectious-disease epidemiology, pandemic preparedness, and global vaccine policy. Her consulting and research experience connects evidence appraisal with the practical needs of public-health programs and decision-makers.
Research leadership
International program coordination, surveillance, clinical research support, and collaboration across institutions.
Population health
Epidemiologic research and quantitative analysis, with current interests in physical activity, stress physiology, and adaptive capacity.
02 / Selected experience
From laboratory science to global programs.
Laboratory foundation
NIH malaria and vector research
Laboratory experience in host–pathogen biology, including ELISA, flow cytometry, PCR, and parasite culture.
International research
NIH / NIAID and World Food Programme
Work included nutrition evaluation in Angola and research-program support in Africa, including establishing a research support office in Mali.
Public-health leadership
CDC influenza research program · Kenya
Deputy program leadership spanning influenza surveillance, vaccine research, and pandemic response, with coordination across scientific teams and public-health partners.
Scientific consulting
Evidence, policy, and research strategy
Independent consulting work has included WHO, NIH, CDC, and WFP projects, with contributions to evidence reviews, policy manuscripts, research proposals, and surveillance strategy.
Research and teaching
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Graduate study in Physical Activity Epidemiology and teaching in human physiology, including cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and cellular physiology.
03 / Research in development
Understanding adaptive capacity across domains.
Kathleen’s thesis asks how capacities across multiple domains, considered together, relate to the physiological burden associated with stress. The goal is to identify modifiable capacities that could inform future interventions.
The proposed framework considers four domains in parallel. It keeps stress exposure, adaptive capacity, and allostatic load analytically distinct, rather than treating them as interchangeable measures.
Physiological
Regulatory and recovery capacities that help the body respond to changing demands.
Psychological / emotional
Capacities such as self-efficacy, perceived control, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility.
Behavioral
Patterns of activity, sleep, coping, and recovery through which people respond to demands.
Ecological
Relationships, belonging, community participation, and how people navigate their surrounding context.
This is a framework in development. Planned investigation in NIH’s All of Us Research Program will depend on available measures and cohort feasibility; these domain descriptions are conceptual, not a finalized or validated score.
04 / Selected publications
A published record in evidence and policy.
2021 · Vaccine X · First author
Seasonal influenza vaccination policies in the 194 WHO Member States
Analysis of national vaccination policies, pandemic preparedness, and equitable vaccine access.
2019 · Vaccine X · Coauthor
A rapid evidence appraisal of influenza vaccination in health workers
Evidence synthesis addressing vaccination policy where study findings and evidence quality vary.
2018 · Clinical Infectious Diseases · Coauthor
Using Clinical Research Networks to Assess Severity of an Emerging Influenza Pandemic
Research on how clinical networks can contribute to early pandemic severity assessment.
Publication links open the corresponding PubMed records. Titles are shortened where indicated by omission of subtitles.
05 / Applied interests
Connecting research with application.
wINK — Whole Integrated Nutrition Kinetics — is a development-stage functional beverage project exploring nutrition in relation to stress physiology. It is one application of Kathleen’s broader scientific interests.
06 / Connect
Research, evidence synthesis, and consulting.
For professional opportunities and collaboration, contact Kathleen directly.
info@farriscollins.comfarriscollins.com/research-career.html