Dr. María Eugenia (Maru) Castellanos Reynosa is a Lecturer in Epidemiology at the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences. 

Maru is an epidemiologist and medical microbiologist with over 13 years of experience in the research of infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis, malaria and HIV.  She has expertise in the data collection, analysis and implementation of epidemiological studies in low-income settings as shown by her work in Africa and Latin America. She has a BSc in Chemical Biology (Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala), a Master in Medical Microbiology (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kindom) and a PhD in Epidemiology (University of Georgia, United States).

Maru is a member of The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH),  the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) and the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD).

Current funded projects:

1. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of HIV patients co-infected with tuberculosis and histoplasmosis in an urban Latin American setting.  RSTMH's  2021 Small Grants Programme.   Funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), UK.

2.  Research capacity building for control of neglected tropical diseases: A path for sustainable societies in the tropics. This project is being provided under The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's International Relations Grant Program as part of the Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR) Grant Round 2021-2022.

Consultancy

A consultant for the PacMOSSI consortium members at JCU, WHO and national vector-borne disease control programs in Pacific Island countries and areas (PICs). Supporting the review and development of national vector surveillance and control plans.

Teaching

• HS2402: Health Professional Research 1 (Level 2; CNS & TSV)
• HS2405: Health Professional Research 2 (Level 2; TSV)
• HS3401: Health Professional Research 2 (Level 3; TSV)
• TM5501: Tropical Medicine (Level 5; TSV)
• TM5515: Epidemiology for Public Health (Level 5; TSV)
• TM5525: Communicable Disease Control (Level 5; TSV)
• TM5578: Emerging Public Health Threats (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

• Tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, global health, infectious diseases epidemiology, diagnostics, molecular epidemiology.

Teaching

• Infectious diseases epidemiology, public health, medical microbiology, introduction to epidemiology, clinical laboratory.

Experience

• 2021 to present - Lecturer Epidemiology, James Cook University (Townsville, Australia)
• 2019 to 2021 - Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Georgia (Georgia, Unites States of America)
• 2014 to 2019 - Research Assistant, University of Georgia (Georgia, Unites States of America)
• 2008 to 2014 - Research Assistant, Universidad del Valle (Guatemala, Guatemala)

Research Disciplines

• Epidemiology (4202)
• Public health (4206)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Public health (2004)
• Evaluation of health and support services (2002)

Awards

• 2018 - Dissertation Completion Award, Graduate School, University of Georgia.
• 2013 - Fulbright LASPAU Faculty Development Program in the United States.
• 2011 - Top 3 Best Posters by Young Researchers. 7th European Congress on Tropical Medicine & International Health. Barcelona, Spain.
• 2008 - Honor Roll in MSc Medical Microbiology. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and University of Liverpool.
• 2016 to 2018 - Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Program.

Memberships

• 2021 - Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• 2020 - International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.
• 2020 - The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• 2019 - University of Georgia’s Beta Chi Chapter of the Delta Omega Honor Society.
• 2018 - Reviewer PLOS ONE
• 2016 - Society for Epidemiological Research

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Nath K, Boles R, Emeto T, Adegboye O, Castellanos M, Alele F, Pearce J, Ewart B, Ward K, Lai H, Morris E, Hodges G and Irving I (2023) A comprehensive study of the epidemiology of haematological malignancies in North Queensland. Internal Medicine Journal, 53 (4). pp. 540-549
• Sekandi J, Castellanos Reynosa M, Woldu H, Kakaire R, Mutembo S and Mutanga J (2023) Patient satisfaction among persons living with HIV/AIDS and receiving antiretroviral therapy in urban Uganda: A factor analysis. PLoS ONE, 18 (2).
• Castellanos M, Lau-Bonilla D, Moller A, Arathoon E, Samayoa B, Quinn F, Ebell M, Dobbin K and Whalen C (2022) Characterization of the Proportion of Clustered Tuberculosis Cases in Guatemala: Insights from a Molecular Epidemiology Study, 2010–2014. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 106 (4). pp. 1173-1181
• Castellanos M, Rodas S, Juárez J, Lol J, Chanquin S, Morales Z, Vizcaino L, Smith S, Vanden Eng J, Woldu H, Lenhart A and Padilla N (2021) Evaluation of the durability of long?lasting insecticidal nets in Guatemala. Malaria Journal, 20.
• Kakaire R, Kiwanuka N, Zalwango S, Sekandi J, Quach T, Castellanos M, Quinn F and Whalen C (2021) Excess risk of tuberculosis infection among extra-household contacts of tuberculosis cases in an African city. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73 (9). pp. e3438-e3445
• Woldu H, Zalwango S, Martinez L, Castellanos M, Kakaire R, Sekandi J, Kiwanuka N and Whalen C (2021) Defining an intermediate category of tuberculin skin test: a mixture model analysis of two high-risk populations from Kampala, Uganda. PLoS ONE, 16 (1).
• Castellanos M, Zalwango S, Kakaire R, Ebell M, Dobbin K, Sekandi J, Kiwanuka N and Whalen C (2020) Defining adequate contact for transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in an African urban environment. BMC Public Health, 20.
• Dobaño C, Bardají A, Kochar S, Kochar S, Padilla N, López M, Unger H, Ome-Kaius M, Castellanos M, Arévalo-Herrera M, Hans D, Martínez-espinosa F, Bôtto-Menezes C, Malheiros A, Desai M, Casellas A, Chitnis C, Rogerson S, Mueller I, Menéndez C and Requena P (2020) Blood cytokine, chemokine and growth factor profiling in a cohort of pregnant women from tropical countries. Cytokine, 125. pp. 1-11
• Dobaño C, Bardají A, Arévalo-Herrera M, Martínez-Espinosa F, Bôtto-Menezes C, Padilla N, Menegon M, Kochar S, Kochar S, Unger H, Ome-Kaius M, Rosanas-Urgell A, Malheiros A, Castellanos M, Hans D, Desai M, Casellas A, Chitnis C, Severini C, Mueller I, Rogerson S, Menéndez C and Requena P (2020) Cytokine signatures of plasmodium vivax infection during pregnancy and delivery outcomes. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14 (5).
• Martinez L, Woldu H, Chen C, Hallowell B, Castellanos M, Lu P, Liu Q, Whalen C and Zhu L (2020) Transmission dynamics in tuberculosis patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 32 observational studies. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73 (9). pp. e3446-e3455
• McKay B, Castellanos Reynosa M, Ebell M, Whalen C and Handel A (2019) An attempt to reproduce a previous meta-analysis and a new analysis regarding the impact of directly observed therapy on tuberculosis treatment outcomes. PLoS ONE, 14 (5).
• Castellanos Reynosa M, Kirimunda S, Martinez L, Quach T, Woldu H, Kakaire R, Handel A, Zalwango S, Kiwanuka N and Whalen C (2018) Performance of the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube assay in tuberculin skin test converters: a prospective cohort study. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 22 (9). pp. 1000-1006

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 24+ research outputs authored by Dr Maria Castellanos Reynosa from 2012 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Climate change and the Incidence of Bacteraemia and Antimicrobial Resistance from Foodborne Pathogens in Queensland, Australia (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.