Life course epidemiologist · UNC Chapel Hill

Hi, I'm Dr. Chantel Martin

I study how the places we live, grow, work, and play get under the skin to shape our health.

Dr. Chantel Martin
My story

Epidemiology found me

I didn't start out in public health — I earned my degree in finance with a minor in economics. Then a post-bac class introduced me to public health, and everything clicked: epidemiology married my curiosity about why communities experience health so differently with my lifelong love of math and numbers. I've been asking those questions with data ever since — and I still can't imagine doing anything else.

More about my journey →
Dr. Chantel Martin
My work

Ways we can work together

Whether you're planning an event, building a study, or growing as a scientist — here's how I show up.

01

Research

I lead studies on epigenetics, cardiometabolic health, and healthy aging across the life course — tracing how social and environmental stressors become biology.

02

Speaking & Consulting

From keynotes to workshops, I translate complex science into stories people carry home — and I partner with organizations making health equity real.

03

Mentorship & Collaboration

I invest in the next generation of scientists and build cross-disciplinary teams — because these questions are too big for any one of us alone.

Why I do this work

Science in service of community

My work is committed to communities disproportionately impacted by structural inequities — particularly Black communities. By understanding how neighborhood conditions, segregation, and environmental stressors get under the skin, I aim to build the evidence for earlier, more equitable prevention strategies and policies that let every community thrive.

Featured talks

Invite me to speak
Keynote

Embodiment of Place: How Neighborhoods Get Under the Skin

Invited seminar · NC State Toxicology Program

Panel

Social Epigenetics and the Roots of Health Inequities

Annual Review of Public Health authors series

Dr. Chantel Martin speaking
Workshop

Translating Life Course Science into Equitable Policy

Community & public health partners

In the media

Feature

Research on early-life disadvantage and Black women's mental health covered in national outlets

Cited

“Understanding Health Inequalities Through the Lens of Social Epigenetics” — Annual Review of Public Health

Press

Highlighting inequities in treatment of postpartum depressive symptoms

Honors & awards

Award

ASPPH award for research excellence

NIH

K99/R00 Pathways to Independence Award, NIMHD

Fellow

Faculty Fellow, Carolina Population Center

Accessibility Statement

Access to information is part of my commitment to equity, and that includes this website.

This site is designed to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA. All color combinations meet contrast standards for readable text. The site can be fully navigated with a keyboard, including a “skip to main content” link and visible focus indicators. All meaningful images include descriptive alternative text, and decorative elements are hidden from screen readers. Videos are embedded with descriptive titles. Text can be resized without loss of functionality, and the site respects your device’s reduced-motion settings.

An accessibility toolbar is available in the lower right corner of every page. It lets you increase text size, switch to high-contrast mode, and highlight all links. Your preferences are saved for your next visit.

Some third-party content embedded on this site, such as videos hosted on YouTube, may not fully meet these standards.

If you encounter any barrier while using this site, contact me at info@chantelmartin.com and I will address it promptly.