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Catherine M. Stein, PhD

Professor
Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
School of Medicine

Dr. Catherine M. Stein’s primary research focus on genetic and environmental susceptibility to tuberculosis, specifically the genomics of resistance and how genetic variation in both humans and the tuberculosis pathogen influence TB severity. Dr. Stein also works on speech-sound disorder, building upon more than two decades of Case Western Reserve University study. Additionally, she has developed R software called “strum” to apply multivariate methods to the analysis of related traits, genes, and clinical covariates in family data. She trains students in epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, and biostatistics methods across several School of Medicine programs. 

Teaching Information

Courses Taught

Introduction to Epidemiology
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Ethics in Population Health Services
Public Health Genomics

Research Information

Research Projects

Tuberculosis: Examining the influence of epidemiological risk factors, host genetics, microbial genetics, and host immunology on thd development of latent M. tuberculosis infection and active TB disease

Speech-sound disorder: Modeling the relationships of cognitive domains underlying speech-sound disorder, how these predict later outcomes in reading deficiency, and mapping genes underlying both these clinical traits and endophenotypes

Structural Equation Modeling in Family Data: We have released ‘strum’ software, an R package that implements a generalized framework to conduct SEM analyses in family data based on methodology developed by Dr. Nathan Morris

Professional Memberships

American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), Social Issues Committee
American Statistical Association
International genetic Epidemiology Society
African Society of Human Genetics

Publications

  1. McHenry, ML, Williams, SM, Stein, CM. Genetics and evolution of tuberculosis pathogenesis: New perspectives and approaches. Infect. Genet. Evol. 2020; 81 : 104204. PubMed PMID:31981609 .
  2. Stein, CM, Mayanja-Kizza, H, Hawn, TR, Boom, WH. Importance of Study Design and Phenotype Definition in Ongoing Studies of Resistance to Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection. J. Infect. Dis. 2020; 221 (6): 1025-1026. PubMed PMID:31665355 PubMed Central PMC7050985.
  3. Lewis, BA, Freebairn, L, Tag, J, Igo, RP Jr, Ciesla, A, Iyengar, SK, Stein, CM, Taylor, HG. Differential Long-Term Outcomes for Individuals With Histories of Preschool Speech Sound Disorders. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 2019; 28 (4): 1582-1596. PubMed PMID:31604025 .
  4. Wampande, EM, Naniima, P, Mupere, E, Kateete, DP, Malone, LL, Stein, CM, Mayanja-Kizza, H, Gagneux, S, Boom, WH, Joloba, ML. Genetic variability and consequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage 3 in Kampala-Uganda. PLoS ONE 2019; 14 (9): e0221644. PubMed PMID:31498808 PubMed Central PMC6733460.
  5. Miller, GJ, Lewis, B, Benchek, P, Freebairn, L, Tag, J, Budge, K, Iyengar, SK, Voss-Hoynes, H, Taylor, HG, Stein, C. Reading Outcomes for Individuals With Histories of Suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 2019; 28 (4): 1432-1447. PubMed PMID:31419159 .
  6. Lu, LL, Smith, MT, Yu, KKQ, Luedemann, C, Suscovich, TJ, Grace, PS, Cain, A, Yu, WH, McKitrick, TR, Lauffenburger, D, Cummings, RD, Mayanja-Kizza, H, Hawn, TR, Boom, WH, Stein, CM, Fortune, SM, Seshadri, C, Alter, G. Publisher Correction: IFN-γ-independent immune markers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure. Nat. Med. 2019; 25 (7): 1175. PubMed PMID:31222179 .
  7. Lu, LL, Smith, MT, Yu, KKQ, Luedemann, C, Suscovich, TJ, Grace, PS, Cain, A, Yu, WH, McKitrick, TR, Lauffenburger, D, Cummings, RD, Mayanja-Kizza, H, Hawn, TR, Boom, WH, Stein, CM, Fortune, SM, Seshadri, C, Alter, G. IFN-γ-independent immune markers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure. Nat. Med. 2019; 25 (6): 977-987. PubMed PMID:31110348 PubMed Central PMC6559862.
  8. Stein, CM, Ponsaran, R, Trapl, ES, Goldenberg, AJ. Correction: Experiences and perspectives on the return of secondary findings among genetic epidemiologists. Genet. Med. 2019; 21 (6): 1463. PubMed PMID:30792497 .
  9. Lewis, BA, Freebairn, L, Tag, J, Benchek, P, Morris, NJ, Iyengar, SK, Taylor, HG, Stein, CM. Heritability and longitudinal outcomes of spelling skills in individuals with histories of early speech and language disorders. Learn Individ Differ 2018; 65 : 1-11. PubMed PMID:30555216 PubMed Central PMC6294329.
  10. Stein, CM, Ponsaran, R, Trapl, ES, Goldenberg, AJ. Experiences and perspectives on the return of secondary findings among genetic epidemiologists. Genet. Med. 2019; 21 (7): 1541-1547. PubMed PMID:30467403 .

Publishing impact  

Metrics from Web of Science/publons and Scopus/SciVal: 

  • H-index:  21
  • Total publications from CV: 88
  • Total citations:  1,385 
  • Publications in top-tier journals: 40% 
  • Collaborative publishing national/international: 46%/54%  

Editorial roles:

  • International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, associate editor
  • Biomed Central Infectious Disease, associate editor
  • Genes Immunity, editorial board

Education

Ph.D.
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Case Western Reserve University
2004

Additional Information

Contributions to science:

  • The genetics and epidemiology of TB resistance
  • HIV-TB co-infection as a model to identify TB susceptibility genes
  • Genetic causes of severe developmental speech disorder
  • Multivariate methods for gene mapping

Active grants: 

  • NIH/NIAID R56: Genetics of TB resistance in HIV positive subjects
  • NIAID R01: Resistance to MTB infection in HIV infected individuals in Uganda and South Africa
  • Subcontract from University of Washington: Host determinants of resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
  • NIH/NIDCD R01: Genetic causes of severe development speech sound disorder in families
  • NIDCD R01: Familial study of severe phonology disorders
  • NIH/NIAID UO1: Natural resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
  • NIH/NIAID UO1: Biology and biosignatures of anti-tuberculosis treatment response
  • Gates Foundation: Immunologic and nutritional determinants of failing versus thriving children following severe infection

Student and mentee totals, over Case Western Reserve University career:

  • Master’s taught and mentored: 30/5   
  • PhD: 5           
  • Post-doc:  1   
  • A sampling of CWRU PhD graduates and postdoctoral fellows’ current careers:  
    • Eli Lilly, senior biostatistician
    • National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Senior Service Fellow
    • New York City Department of Public Health, health economist