Research and Teaching Interests

Dr. Nelís Soto-Ramírez is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health. Her research focuses on maternal and child health across the life course, including perinatal mental health, early-life immune and epigenetic influences on child health, and social and environmental determinants of health.  Her work examines how early exposures, such as infant feeding and maternal immune markers, shape risks for asthma, eczema, and other child health outcomes. She also studies mental health service access and telemental health among children and youth involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems, as well as protective factors that support migrant and seasonal farmworker families. Dr. Soto-Ramírez also serves on the leadership team of the USC Center for School Behavioral Health, where she collaborates across disciplines to advance equitable behavioral health research, practice, and partnerships for children, adolescents, and families.
Dr. Soto-Ramírez uses epidemiologic, longitudinal, mixed-methods, and administrative data approaches to produce evidence that informs equitable public health practice and policy. Her current work includes participant-centered approaches to improve early identification of perinatal depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period. 
In her teaching, Dr. Soto-Ramírez helps students apply epidemiologic and quantitative methods to real-world public health questions. She teaches quantitative methods, public health surveillance, applied practice, and integrative learning courses and mentors students in translating data into actionable evidence.