Summary
Research Overview
My research is drawn toward understanding the link between the dynamic human-environment relationship, developing statistical models that capture interdependences among data. In particular, I focus on integrating theory with statistical methods and geospatial computational tools for analysing environmental, climatic, epidemiological and ecological data, disentangling the effects of complex environmental exposures on human health, and studying their implications.
Methodologically, my research focuses on spatial and spatio-temporal statistics, time-series analysis, dimension reduction and methods for the integration of multi-scale sources of data. I am also interested in Bayesian hierarchical modelling approaches, and in the exploitation of hierarchical modelling ideas into Bayesian nonparametric statistics.
Teaching
- Leader of the module Advanced analytics as part of the MSc Health Data Analytics and Machine Learning.
- Co-leader of the module Bayesian reasoning and methods for spatio-temporal data as part of the MSc Epidemiology.
Education
I received my PhD in Environmental Studies from King’s College London (2016), working on Bayesian statistical modelling for temporal and spatio-temporal airborne particles. I obtained a BSc and MSc in Biostatistics and Experimental Statistics from the University of Milan-Bicocca (2009) with a thesis on spatial statistics, and a MSc in Epidemiology from the Catholic University of Rome (2004). Before that, I received a degree in Political Science (curriculum Sociology) and a post-degree Specialization in Sociology of Health from the University of Bologna (2001).
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chiaravalloti-Neto F, Lorenz C, Lacerda AB, et al., 2023, Spatiotemporal bayesian modelling of scorpionism and its risk factors in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol:17, ISSN:1935-2727, Pages:1-17
Konstantinoudis G, Gómez-Rubio V, Cameletti M, et al., 2023, A workflow for estimating and visualising excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic, The R Journal, Vol:15, ISSN:2073-4859, Pages:89-104
Baerenbold O, Meis M, Martínez‐Hernández I, et al., 2023, A dependent Bayesian Dirichlet process model for source apportionment of particle number size distribution, Environmetrics, Vol:34, ISSN:1180-4009
Castellani B, Bartington S, Wistow J, et al., 2022, Mitigating the impact of air pollution on dementia and brain health: Setting the policy agenda, Environmental Research, Vol:215, ISSN:0013-9351, Pages:1-13
Roca-Barcelo A, Fecht D, Pirani M, et al., 2022, Trends in temperature-associated mortality in Sao Paulo (Brazil) between 2000 and 2018: an example of disparities in adaptation to cold and heat, Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, Vol:99, ISSN:1099-3460, Pages:1012-1026
Konstantinoudis G, Cameletti M, Gómez-Rubio, et al., 2022, Regional excess mortality during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in five European countries, Nature Communications, Vol:13, ISSN:2041-1723, Pages:1-11
Huang G, Blangiardo M, Brown PE, et al., 2021, Long-term exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 incidence: A multi-country study, Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology, Vol:39, ISSN:1877-5845, Pages:1-11
Maes MJA, Pirani M, Booth ER, et al., 2021, Benefit of woodland and other natural environments for adolescents' cognition and mental health, Nature Sustainability, Vol:4, ISSN:2398-9629, Pages:851-858
Pirani M, Mason A, Hansell A, et al., 2020, A flexible hierarchical framework for improving inference in area-referenced environmental health studies, Biometrical Journal, Vol:62, ISSN:0323-3847, Pages:1650-1669
Blangiardo M, Cameletti M, Pirani M, et al., 2020, Estimating weekly excess mortality at sub-national level in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic, PLOS One, Vol:15, ISSN:1932-6203
Wang Y, Pirani M, Hansell A, et al., 2019, Using ecological propensity score to adjust for missing confounders in small area studies, Biostatistics, Vol:20, ISSN:1465-4644, Pages:1-16
Blangiardo M, Pirani M, Kanapka L, et al., 2019, A hierarchical modelling approach to assess multi pollutant effects in time-series studies, PLOS One, Vol:14, ISSN:1932-6203
Pirani M, Panton A, Purdie DA, et al., 2016, Modelling macronutrient dynamics in the Hampshire Avon river: a Bayesian approach to estimate seasonal variability and total flux, Science of the Total Environment, Vol:572, ISSN:0048-9697, Pages:1449-1460
Morandi G, Periche Tomas E, Pirani M, 2016, Mortality risk in alcoholic patients in northern Italy: comorbidity and treatment retention effects in a 30-year follow-up study, Alcohol and Alcoholism, Vol:51, ISSN:1464-3502, Pages:63-70
Pirani M, Best N, Blangiardo M, et al., 2015, Analysing the health effects of simultaneous exposure to physical and chemical properties of airborne particles, Environment International, Vol:79, ISSN:0160-4120, Pages:56-64
Alpaca RIP, Forastiere F, Pirani M, 2013, Low exposure to lead and reproductive health: a cohort study of female workers in the ceramic industry of Emilia-Romagna (Northern Italy), Epidemiologia & Prevenzione, Vol:37, ISSN:1120-9763, Pages:367-375
Pirani M, Gulliver J, Fuller G, et al., 2013, Bayesian spatiotemporal modelling for the assessment of short-term exposure to particle pollution in urban areas, Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, Vol:N/A, ISSN:1559-064X
Pirani M, Marcheselli R, Marcheselli L, et al., 2011, Risk for second malignancies in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors: a meta-analysis, Annals of Oncology, Vol:22, ISSN:0923-7534, Pages:1845-1858
El Mistiri M, Pirani M, El Sahli N, et al., 2010, Cancer profile in Eastern Libya: incidence and mortality in the year 2004, Annals of Oncology, Vol:21, ISSN:0923-7534, Pages:1924-1925
Federico M, Pirani M, Rashid I, et al., 2010, Cancer incidence in people with residential exposure to a municipal waste incinerator: An ecological study in Modena (Italy), 1991-2005, Waste Management, Vol:30, ISSN:0956-053X, Pages:1362-1370
Agabiti N, Pirani M, Schifano P, et al., 2009, Income level and chronic ambulatory care sensitive conditions in adults: a multicity population-based study in Italy, Bmc Public Health, Vol:9
Ferretti S, Guzzinati S, Zambon P, et al., 2009, Cancer incidence estimation by hospital discharge flow as compared with cancer registries data, Epidemiologia & Prevenzione, Vol:33, ISSN:1120-9763, Pages:147-153
Gerra G, Bertacca S, Zaimovic A, et al., 2008, Relationship of personality traits and drug of choice by cocaine addicts and heroin addicts, Substance Use & Misuse, Vol:43, ISSN:1082-6084, Pages:317-330
Pirani M, Schifano P, Agabiti N, et al., 2006, [Potentially avoidable hospitalisation in Bologna, 1997-2000: temporal trend and differences by income level]., Epidemiologia & Prevenzione, Vol:30, ISSN:1120-9763, Pages:169-177
Antolini G, Pirani M, Morandi G, et al., 2006, [Gender difference and mortality in a cohort of heroin users in the Provinces of Modena and Ferrara, 1975-1999]., Epidemiologia & Prevenzione, Vol:30, ISSN:1120-9763, Pages:91-99
Conference
Sacchi S, Pirani M, Marcheselli L, et al., 2009, Second Malignancy After Treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: a Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of Population-Based and Cohort Studies, 51st Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology, AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY, Pages:761-761, ISSN:0006-4971