Zeyan Liew, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences)Cards
Contact Info
About
Titles
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences)
Biography
Dr. Liew is an environmental and perinatal epidemiologist and a research methodologist. A core focus of his work is understanding how exposures that occur during critical and vulnerable periods of development may shape disease risks and influence health outcomes throughout our life span. Dr. Liew is leading numerous studies with funding from the NIH to evaluate whether fetal exposures to endocrine disrupting compounds and/or neurotoxicants could harm fetal brain development leading to neurological disorders or impaired neuropsychological function in childhood and young adulthood. He is also interested in methodological research, especially the development of novel study designs and analytical techniques that could help us better address biases in observational studies or research using “real-world” data.
Appointments
Environmental Health Sciences
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Visiting Postdoc
- Aarhus University (2018)
- Visiting Scientist
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2016)
- PhD
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Epidemiology (2014)
- MPH
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Environmental Health Sciences (2011)
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
ORCID
0000-0002-9424-7869- View Lab Website
The Liew Lab - Environmental and Early Life Epidemiology
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Jingyuan Xiao, MPH, BS, BA
Haoran Zhuo
Nicole Deziel, PhD, MHS
Pengfei Guo, MBBS, PhD
Joshua Warren, PhD
Andrew DeWan, PhD, MPH
Pregnancy
Environmental Pollutants
Cerebral Palsy
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Acetaminophen
Publications
2025
Age, Race, and Ethnicity of Maternal Grandparents in Autism Spectrum Disorder, a California Multigenerational Study
Chow T, Meng Q, Xiao J, O'Sharkey K, Liew Z, Ritz B. Age, Race, and Ethnicity of Maternal Grandparents in Autism Spectrum Disorder, a California Multigenerational Study. Autism Research 2025 PMID: 40542519, DOI: 10.1002/aur.70074.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOdds ratioOlder grandparentsBirth cohort studyMother-child pairsHispanic grandmothersASD riskCohort studyInfluence of ageInverse associationWhite raceInvestigate associationsGrandparent ageYounger ageLogistic regressionOlder ageAutism spectrum disorderSpectrum disorderRace/ethnicityAgeOddsRiskMaternal grandparentsGrandparentsDisordersGrandmothersExploring the link between grandmaternal air pollution exposure and Grandchild’s ASD risk: A multigenerational population-based study in California
O'Sharkey K, Chow T, Mitra S, Thompson L, Su J, Cockburn M, Liew Z, Ritz B. Exploring the link between grandmaternal air pollution exposure and Grandchild’s ASD risk: A multigenerational population-based study in California. Environment International 2025, 200: 109526. PMID: 40378475, DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109526.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAir pollutionLand-use regression modelsExposure to air pollutionAP exposureAir pollution exposureMaternal pregnancy exposuresPopulation-based cohortPopulation-based studyMultigenerational exposurePollution exposureLand-useIncreased ASD riskPregnancy exposurePollutionASD riskInfluence ASD riskMaternal pregnancyExposure levelsInfant exposureLogistic regressionMaternal exposureRisk factorsRegression modelsIncreased prevalenceEnvironmental factorsA sibling study of the prenatal and perinatal risks for cerebral palsy
Zhuo H, Rogne T, Liew Z. A sibling study of the prenatal and perinatal risks for cerebral palsy. Pediatric Research 2025, 1-8. PMID: 40316681, DOI: 10.1038/s41390-025-04055-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsSibling comparison designCerebral palsyLow Apgar scoreMaternal pregnancy complicationsSibling designPerinatal factorsAssociated with CPApgar scoreComparison designPregnancy complicationsOdds ratioPreterm birthAttenuated to nullConfidence intervalsPre-pregnancy overweightLifestyle-related factorsCP riskSibling comparison studiesSibling-comparison designGestational ageMaternal cigarette smokingSingleton birthsCP etiologyInterpretation of findingsPre-pregnancyFetal exposure to a mixture of endocrine‐disrupting chemicals and biomarkers of male fecundity: A population‐based cohort study
Hull S, Hougaard K, Toft G, Petersen K, Flachs E, Lindh C, Ramlau‐Hansen C, Wise L, Wilcox A, Liew Z, Bonde J, Tøttenborg S. Fetal exposure to a mixture of endocrine‐disrupting chemicals and biomarkers of male fecundity: A population‐based cohort study. Andrology 2025 PMID: 40220336, DOI: 10.1111/andr.70039.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsExposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicalsFetal exposureEndocrine-disrupting chemicalsPolyfluoroalkyl substancesTesticular volumeFetal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicalsChemical mixturesSperm concentrationPhthalate metabolitesDanish National Birth CohortSemen Quality CohortTotal sperm countMaternal blood samplesPopulation-based cohort studyAssociated with several biomarkersLower sperm concentrationPFAS mixtureConfidence intervalsNational Birth CohortReproductive hormone levelsOne-quartile increaseMale fecundityConcentrations of per-Fetal programmingSperm countPaternal and Maternal Exposures to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Child Behavioral Difficulties: A Parental Comparison Study
Guo P, Luo J, Zhang J, Bonde J, Struciński P, Ohniev V, Arah O, Deziel N, Warren J, Toft G, Liew Z. Paternal and Maternal Exposures to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Child Behavioral Difficulties: A Parental Comparison Study. Environmental Science And Technology 2025, 59: 5973-5982. PMID: 40104843, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c13040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsBehavioral difficultiesAssociated with internalizing difficultiesStrengths and Difficulties QuestionnaireChildren's behavioral difficultiesSex-specific mannerSex-specific cut-offsExternalizing difficultiesMaternal PFASWeeks of gestationParent-rated Strengths and Difficulties QuestionnairePrenatal PFAS exposurePaternal exposurePolyfluoroalkyl substancesDifficulties QuestionnaireChild sexOffspring neurodevelopmentAssociated with behavioral difficultiesPrenatal exposureAntenatal clinicMaternal prenatal exposureINUENDO cohortAged 5Maternal exposurePerfluorononanoic acidDevelopmental toxicityAmbient Toxic Air Contaminants in the Maternal Residential Area during Pregnancy and Cerebral Palsy in the Offspring
Zhuo H, Ritz B, Warren J, Pollitt K, Liew Z. Ambient Toxic Air Contaminants in the Maternal Residential Area during Pregnancy and Cerebral Palsy in the Offspring. Environmental Health Perspectives 2025, 133: 017008. PMID: 39853265, PMCID: PMC11758984, DOI: 10.1289/ehp14742.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsToxic air contaminantsVolatile organic compoundsMaternal residential exposureCerebral palsyMixtures of volatile organic compoundsRisk of CPResidential exposureAir contaminationTraffic emission sourcesRisk factors of CPIncreased risk of CPRisk ratioCP casesEstimate mixture effectsResidential areasInterquartile range increaseConfidence intervalsLive singleton birthsModified Poisson regressionNegative control exposureQuantile-based g-computationFactors of CPCase-cohort studyContaminant mixturesEnvironmental risk factorsAcetaminophen Use in Pregnancy: A Comparison of Self-Reported Intake with Maternal and Newborn Biomarker Measures
Guo P, Johnson C, Yan H, Xiao J, Dennis C, Pierce K, DeWan A, Liew Z. Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy: A Comparison of Self-Reported Intake with Maternal and Newborn Biomarker Measures. Clinical Epidemiology 2025, 17: 1-6. PMID: 39781206, PMCID: PMC11705965, DOI: 10.2147/clep.s484953.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetric
2024
Fetal Growth Associated with Maternal Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Chock E, Glintborg B, Liew Z, Pedersen L, Thunbo M. Fetal Growth Associated with Maternal Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Healthcare 2024, 12: 2390. PMID: 39685012, PMCID: PMC11641325, DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12232390.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsJuvenile idiopathic arthritisEstimated fetal weightRheumatoid arthritisGestational ageIdiopathic arthritisMaternal RAWeeks of gestational ageFetal growth indicatorsFetal Medicine DatabasePregnancies of patientsEvaluate fetal growthInternational Classification of Diseases-10 codesAssociated with SGAFetal biometric measurementsAdverse pregnancy outcomesLow birth weightPopulation-based cohort studyFetal ultrasound scanOffspring of patientsNational Patient RegistrySingleton pregnanciesPregnant patientsZ-score differenceFetal weightPreterm birthInvited Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities in Evaluating the Effect of Chemical Mixtures on Congenital Chromosomal Abnormalities.
Liew Z, Guo P. Invited Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities in Evaluating the Effect of Chemical Mixtures on Congenital Chromosomal Abnormalities. Environmental Health Perspectives 2024, 132: 91301. PMID: 39258901, PMCID: PMC11389476, DOI: 10.1289/ehp15799.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsExposure range matters: considering nonlinear associations in the meta-analysis of environmental pollutant exposure using examples of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and birth outcomes
Guo P, Warren J, Deziel N, Liew Z. Exposure range matters: considering nonlinear associations in the meta-analysis of environmental pollutant exposure using examples of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and birth outcomes. American Journal Of Epidemiology 2024, 194: 1043-1051. PMID: 39227151, DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwae309.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsNon-linear associationMeta-analysisHeterogeneity of effect estimatesEffect estimatesPotential non-linear associationsExposure-outcome relationshipsRisk of preterm birthSubgroup meta-analysisBirth outcomesPollution exposureMeta-analytic approachMeta-analysesEffect sizeEnvironmental pollutant exposureResults heterogeneityExposure levelsHealth effectsPreterm birthEvidence-based policymakingPrenatal exposurePotential heterogeneityMean birth weightBirth weightMethodological challengesCut-off choice
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Activities
activity Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER)
2013 - PresentProfessional OrganizationsMemberactivity International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE)
2013 - PresentProfessional OrganizationsMemberactivity Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research
2015 - PresentProfessional OrganizationsMemberactivity American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine
2020 - PresentProfessional OrganizationsMemberactivity International Society for Autism Research
2016 - 2019Professional OrganizationsMember
Honors
honor Early Career Investigator Research Award
05/22/2024Yale University AwardYale School of Public Healthhonor NIH Research Project Grant Program (R01)
05/15/2024National AwardNational Institute of Environmental Health Scienceshonor Pilot Grant in Climate Change and Health
05/01/2024Yale University AwardYale Center on Climate Change and Healthhonor NIH Research Project Grant Program (R01)
09/15/2023National AwardEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Developmenthonor Planetary Solutions Project seed grant
06/01/2023Yale University AwardYALE PLANETARY SOLUTIONS PROJECT
News & Links
News
- May 27, 2025Source: Yale News
Yale Planetary Solutions Announces a New ‘Constellation’ of Grants
- September 24, 2024
Zeyan Liew receives grants to study the role of PFAS in cerebral palsy
- May 23, 2024
2024 Top Research Awards Announced
- January 23, 2024
Investigating Maternal Inflammatory Arthritis and Pregnancy Outcomes
Get In Touch
Contacts
Locations
Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology (CPPEE)
Academic Office
1 Church Street
New Haven, CT 06510