Elinor Fondell
Elinor Fondell
Assistant Professor
Elinor Fondell
508-929-8457 efondell@worcester.edu
Faculty Member's Office
ST-110L
Office Hours:
Please call for this information.
Areas of Expertise
Infectious disease epidemiologyPublic health, nutrition, epidemiology

Bio

During my PhD studies in Sweden, I studied the impact of nutrition, physical activity, stress, and sleep on the immune system. Specifically, I looked at how these lifestyle factors affect susceptibility to common cold and influenza.
For my postdoc training at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, I studied ALS and cognitive decline.

Education
2002
Stockholm University
Nutrition
BA
2011
Karolinska Institutet
Epidemiology
PhD
2011-2015
Harvard School of Public Health
Epidemiology
Postdoc
Sample Courses
Introduction to Epidemiology
In this course basic epidemiologic concerns are covered and applications of concepts to everyday problems; e.g., hazards in food supplies and risks associated with lifestyle will be presented. Students will be introduced to key concepts of epidemiology and the basic science of public health; presenting epidemiology as a scientific way of thinking applicable to a wide range of fields from basic and clinical sciences to public policy.
3 Credits
Research Seminar
This course will examine each step of the research process: identifying a study question, selecting a study approach, designing the study and collecting data, analyzing data and reporting the findings.
3 Credits
Infectious disease epidemiology
In this course, general principles of the epidemiology of infectious diseases will be covered including COVID-19. The students will discuss the ways in which infectious diseases are classified, the basic epidemiologic characteristics of infectious diseases, and how the system of surveillance of infectious diseases works.
3 Credits
Bälter K, Bälter O, Fondell E, Lagerros YT. Web-based and mailed questionnaires: A comparison of response rate and compliance. Epidemiology: 2005 Jul;16(4):577-9.
Fondell E, Lagerros YT, Sundberg CJ, Lekander M, Bälter O, Rothman KJ, Bälter K. Physical activity, perceived stress and self-reported upper respiratory tract infection. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2011 Feb;43(2):272-9.
Fondell E, Christensen S, Balter O, Balter K. Adherence to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations as a measure of a healthy diet and self-reported upper respiratory tract infection. Public Health Nutrition. 2011 May;14(5)860-9.
Fondell E, Bälter O, Rothman KJ, Bälter K. Dietary intake and supplement use of vitamins C and E and upper respiratory tract infection. Journal of American College of Nutrition. 2011 Aug; 30(4):248-58.
Fondell E, Axelsson J, Franck K, Ploner A, Lekander M, Bälter K, Gaines H. Short natural sleep is associated with higher T cell and lower NK cell activities. Brain, Behavior and Immunity. 2011 Oct;25(7):1367-75.
Raposo SE, Fondell E, Ström P, Bälter O, Bonn SE, Nyrén O, Plymoth A, Bälter K. Intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc and polyunsaturated fatty acids and upper respiratory tract infection-a prospective cohort study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2017 Apr;71(4):450-457.
Bälter K, Möller E, Fondell E. The effect of dietary guidelines on cancer risk and mortality. Curr Opin Oncol. 2012 Jan;24(1):90-102
Fondell E, O’Reilly EJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, McCullough ML, Thun MJ, Park Y, Kolonel LN, Ascherio A. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Results from five prospective cohort studies. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. 2012 Oct;13(6):573-9. PMCID: PMC3474335
Fitzgerald KC, O’Reilly EJ, Fondell E, Falcone GJ, McCullough ML, Thun MJ, Park Y, Kolonel LN, Ascherio A. Intakes of vitamin C and carotenoids and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Pooled results from 5 cohort studies. Annals of Neurology. 2013 Feb; 73(2):236-45. PMCID: PMC3608702
Fondell E, O'Reilly EJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, McCullough ML, Park Y, Kolonel LN, Ascherio A. Magnesium intake and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Results from five large cohort studies. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2013 Sep;14(5-6):356-61. PMCID:PMC3743429
Fondell E, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, O'Reilly EJ, Ascherio A. Early-Onset Alopecia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Cohort Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2013 Oct 1; 178(7):1146-9. PMCID:PMC3783095
Fondell E, O'Reilly EJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, Kolonel LN, Park Y, McCullough ML, Ascherio A. Dietary Fiber and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Results from 5 large cohort studies. Am J Epidemiol. 2014 Jun 15; 179(12):1442-9. PMCID: PMC4051879
Fondell E, O'Reilly EJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, Kolonel LN, Park Y, Gapstur SM, Ascherio A. Intakes of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Results from five cohort studies. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2015;16(5-6):366-71.
Fondell E, Townsend MK, Unger LD, Okereke OI, Grodstein F, Ascherio A, Willett WC. Physical activity across adulthood and subjective cognitive function in older men. Eur J Epidemiol. 2018 Jan;33(1):79-87.
Bhushan A, Fondell E, Ascherio A, Yuan C, Grodstein F, Willett W. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and subjective cognitive function in men. Eur J Epidemiol. 2018 Feb;33(2):223-234
Yuan C, Fondell E, Ascherio A, Okereke OI, Grodstein F, Hofman A, Willett WC. Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated with Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women. J Nutr. 2020 May 9. Online ahead of print.
Yuan C, Fondell E, Bhushan A, Ascherio A, Okereke OI, Grodstein F, Willett WC. Long-term intake of vegetables and fruits and subjective cognitive function in US men. Neurology. 2019 Jan 1;92(1):e63-e75.