My research focuses on the reduction of morbidity and mortality in underserved pediatric populations worldwide. I apply epidemiology and biostatistics to facilitate the development of effective disease prevention and control strategies for pediatric infectious diseases. My research scope includes the following areas: (1) respiratory infections,(2) the interaction between micronutrient status, infection and immunity, (3) nutritional interventions, (4) nutritional immunology, (5) nutrient regulation of host-pathogen interactions, (6) antimicrobial resistance, and (7) vaccines.

International Health, pediatric infectious diseases, micronutrients, nutrition, pneumonia, pneumococci, antimicrobial resistance, host immune responses, cytokines

2006 Mentored Research Scientist Development

Award (K01), NIDDK

2002 Individual National Research Service Award

for Postdoctoral Fellows, NHLBI

1998-1999 Fulbright Scholarship (India)

Coles CL, Bose A, Moses PD, Mathew L, Agarwal I, Mammen T, Santosham M. Infectious etiology modifies treatment effect of zinc in severe pneumonia. Am J Clin Nutr.2007;86:397– 403.

Bose A, Coles CL, Gunavathi, John H, Moses P, Raghupathy P, Kirubakaran C, Black RE, Brooks WA, Santosham, M. Efficacy of zinc in the treatment of pneumonia in hospitalized children less than 2 years of age in South India. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;83(5):1089-96.

Coles CL, Fraser D, Givon-Lavi N, Greenberg D, Gorodischer R, Bar-Ziv J, Dagan R. Nutritional status and diarrheal illness as independent risk factors for alveolar pneumonia. Am J. Epidemiol. 2005;162(10):999-1007.

Levy A, Fraser D, Rosen SD, Dagan R, Deckelbaum RJ, Coles C, Naggan L. Anemia as a risk factor for infectious diseases in infants and toddlers: results from a prospective study. Eur J Epidemiol. 2005;20(3):277-84.

Coles CL, Levy A, Gorodischer R, Dagan R, Deckelbaum RJ, Blaner WS, Fraser D. Subclinical vitamin A deficiency in Israeli-Bedouin toddlers. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 May; 58(5):796-802

Rahmathullah L, Tielsch JM, Thulasiraj RD, Katz J, Coles C, Devi S, John R, Prakash K, Sadanand AV, Edwin N, Kamaraj C. Impact of supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A on early infant mortality: community based randomised trial in southern India. BMJ. 2003 Aug 2; 327(7409):254.

Coles CL, Rahmathullah L, Kanungo R, Thulasiraj RD, Katz J, Santosham M, Tielsch JM. Nasopharyngeal carriage of antibiotic resistant pneumococci in young South Indian infants. Epidemiol. Infect. 2002 Dec; 129: 491–497.

Coles CL, Kanungo R, Rahmathullah L, Thulasiraj RD, Katz J, Santosham M, Tielsch JM. Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonization in young South Indian infants. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2001 March;20(3):289-295.

Coles CL, Rahmathullah L, Kanungo R, Thulasiraj RD, Katz J, Santosham M, Tielsch JM. Vitamin A supplementation at birth delays pneumococcal colonization in South Indian infants.J Nutr. 2001 Feb; 131(2):255-261.