Felix Pabon-Rodriguez, PhD

Bio

Felix Pabon-Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science at Indiana University School of Medicine. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering.

His research interests center on advancing the understanding of infectious diseases and health disparities through the development and application of Bayesian statistical methodologies and other advanced analytical techniques, including joint models of longitudinal and survival data.

Within infectious disease research, he has developed Bayesian approaches for within- and between-host modeling of disease processes to characterize transmission dynamics, immune responses, diagnostic progression, and treatment effects. His work includes Bayesian state-space and joint models applied to diseases such as visceral leishmaniasis and Lyme disease, integrating molecular diagnostic and serologic data to study co-infections and immune system dynamics. A key methodological interest of his research is addressing underreporting, misclassification, and incomplete surveillance data.

He also maintains a strong and sustained focus on studying health disparities. His research examines how social determinants of health (SDOH) and other influencing factors contribute to disparities in outcomes across both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

More broadly, his applied biomedical research spans malaria and other infectious diseases, as well as vaccination, mental health, Hispanic/Latino health, maternal and child health, cancer, and neurological conditions. Across these domains, his goal is to develop and apply rigorous, equity-focused statistical methods that translate complex data into actionable insights to inform public health policy and intervention design.

In addition to his research activities, Felix is actively engaged in service to the university and broader community through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This includes supporting programs that promote Biostatistics and Health Data Science among underrepresented and minority populations through outreach, recruitment, and training programs.

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/felixpabonrodriguez

Email: fpabonr@iu.edu