About

Matt Hall is a Professor of Public Policy and Sociology at Cornell University and serves as the Director of the Cornell Population Center and the Program for Applied Demographics. He is a demographer whose research focuses on immigration, racial and ethnic inequality, neighborhood change, and demographic methods. His work has contributed to understanding the economic and social impacts of unauthorized migration, the emergence of Latino boom towns and other new destination areas with recent and rapid immigration, and the evolving nature of racial stratification and segregation in housing and neighborhoods. Current research projects led by Hall include examining the consequences of intensified interior immigration enforcement, exploring the relationship between immigration status and child development, describing patterns of racial discrimination in US housing markets, and developing data science tools for demographic estimation. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in demography, immigration policy, and statistics at Cornell University.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Pediatrics
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Radiology
• Psychology
• Law
• Social psychology
• Political economy
• Emergency medicine
• Environmental health
• Public relations
• Medical emergency
• Urology
• Pathology
• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology

Selected publications

• Impact of Anti‐ <scp>HLA</scp> Antibody Desensitization Strategies in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients: A <scp>PHTS</scp> ‐ <scp>PHIS</scp> Linkage Analysis

  Pediatric Transplantation · 2026-04-01 · 1 citations

  article

  ABSTRACT Purpose Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) sensitization can adversely impact heart transplant (HTx) outcomes. We evaluated the effect of panel‐reactive antibody (PRA) and desensitization (DS) strategies on outcomes of pediatric HTx recipients using a unique linkage between clinical registry and administrative databases. Methods The Pediatric Heart Transplant Society (PHTS) registry was queried for all patients transplanted from January 2004 to March 2021 and linked by date of birth, HTx date, and center to the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS). Class I and II PRA at listing, PRA at HTx, underlying diagnosis, age, gender, and graft loss were abstracted from PHTS. Inpatient DS therapy and associated charges were assessed via PHIS. Listed patients were divided by PRA into Low (&lt; 10%), Medium (&gt; 10% to less than median PRA for sensitized patients), and High (≥ median PRA for sensitized patients) cohorts for both Class I and II PRA. DS‐related change in PRA category pre‐HTx as well as 10‐year graft survival were recorded. Results We linked 3229 HTx recipients (87.5% of total PHTS cohort) with PHIS (45% female, 51% congenital heart disease). Among those with PRA &gt; 10%, median Class I and II PRA was 36% and 48%, respectively. There were 223 High Class I and 191 High Class II patients. Of those with PRA &gt; 10%, 10.8% received some DS therapy, including IVIg, rituximab, bortezomib, and/or plasmapheresis pre‐HTx. DS therapies did not significantly alter absolute PRA or drive a change in PRA category from High to Low ( p &gt; 0.05). Patients with Low PRAs at listing had greater 10‐year graft survival than those with High PRA ( p &lt; 0.05). DS therapy did not improve graft survival among patients who were highly sensitized at listing (Figure). Median pharmacy DS charges were $9.9 K (IQR $3.9 K–$28.4 K). Conclusion Elevated PRA adversely impacts graft survival in pediatric HTx recipients. Efficacy of the studied DS therapies in this limited cohort was inconsistent. In patients highly sensitized at listing, efforts at DS are not associated with improved outcomes. Given cost and morbidity associated with DS, careful assessment of risks and benefits for individual patients is warranted.

  PublisherDOI

• Safety and Preliminary Efficacy Findings from a Phase 2A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Setanaxib in Patients with Alport Syndrome

  Journal of the American Society of Nephrology · 2025-10-01

  article

  The study (NCT06274489), evaluated setanaxib—a first-in-class NOX1/4 inhibitor—as a treatment to reduce fibrosis and inflammation in Alport syndrome (AS). Key Findings from the Trial 1. Safety (Primary Endpoint) The study met its primary safety objective. Setanaxib was generally well-tolerated over the 24-week period. • Adverse Events (AEs): Occurred at similar frequencies in both the setanaxib and placebo groups. • Serious Adverse Events (SAEs): One SAE (acute cholecystitis) was reported in the setanaxib group, but it was determined to be unrelated to the treatment. • Discontinuations: No patients discontinued the study due to drug-related side effects. 2. Efficacy (Secondary Endpoints) While the study was a small Phase 2a trial (N=20), it showed a positive trend in reducing proteinuria, a key marker of kidney disease progression. • UPCR Reduction: The setanaxib group showed a 15% mean reduction in the Urine Protein-Creatinine Ratio (UPCR) at 24 weeks compared to placebo. • Post-Dosing Effect: Interestingly, the reduction improved to 27% at four weeks after the treatment period ended. • Response Rate: 15.4% of patients on setanaxib achieved a \ge 25\% reduction in UPCR, whereas no patients in the placebo group reached this threshold. 3. Kidney Function (eGFR) • There was a slight mean reduction in eGFR (5% at 24 weeks) in the setanaxib group compared to placebo, which is often observed with therapies that alter glomerular hemodynamics. Study Design Overview • Participants: 20 patients (aged 12–50) with genetically confirmed Alport Syndrome and significant proteinuria (\text{UPCR} \ge 0.8 \text{ g/g}) despite being on standard-of-care ACE inhibitors or ARBs. • Regimen: Randomized 2:1 to receive either setanaxib (1200 mg or 1600 mg daily based on age) or a placebo for 24 weeks. • Mechanism: Setanaxib targets NOX1 and NOX4 enzymes, which produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that drive the glomerular scarring and podocyte damage characteristic of Alport syndrome. Conclusion The investigators concluded that setanaxib has an acceptable safety profile and shows a clinically meaningful trend toward reducing proteinuria in Alport syndrome patients. These results support further investigation in a larger, Phase 3 clinical trial.

  PublisherDOI

• #2746 Pregnancy and kidney outcomes for individuals receiving kidney replacement therapy

  Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation · 2025-10-01

  article

  Abstract Background and Aims Pregnancy after kidney transplant or while receiving dialysis remains uncommon. Current cohorts are often single centre with inconsistent outcome reporting. High quality data could lead to improved pre-pregnancy counselling and enhanced patient-centred decision making. The UK Renal Registry (UKRR) collates data from kidney centres and hospital laboratories to improve the care of patients with kidney disease in the UK. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data contain admissions, outpatient appointments and historical accident and emergency attendances at NHS hospitals. We aimed to describe pregnancy outcomes for women receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in the United Kingdom using linked population data from UKRR and HES. Method NHS number, ethnicity, cause of kidney failure, date of birth, death, available laboratory data (serum creatinine and proteinuria), date of commencing KRT and KRT modality of all women age 15–50 years were extracted from UKRR (1997–2022) and linked with HES data (1997/98 to 2021/22) by NHS Digital to create a dataset of women with recorded deliveries. Extracted ICD-10 coded comorbidities including diabetes and hypertension, and pregnancy outcomes including parity, mode of delivery, pregnancy induced hypertension, live birth, gestational age and birthweight were reported and birth centiles calculated. Small for gestational age (SGA) was defined as birthweight &amp;lt;3rd centile. Descriptive data were reported according to distribution. Ethical approval was provided by NHS South-West-Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee (14/SW/1088), London Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee (20/LO/029), UKRR CAG and UKRR operational committee. Results 1,215 pregnancies of individuals receiving KRT at conception were identified of whom: 1134 (93.3%) were kidney transplant recipients, 72 (5.9%) were on haemodialysis (HD) and 9 (0.7%) on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Maternal age, parity, preexisting hypertension and diabetes rates were comparable between HD and transplant groups (Table 1 and 2). Low numbers of PD pregnancies limited comparison statistics. There was a higher proportion of individuals of minority ethnicities in those receiving HD 23/72 (31.9%) compared to transplant 193/1134 (17.1%, p&amp;lt; 0.0001). Transplanted individuals had a higher duration of KRT median duration prior to pregnancy of 7.8 years (IQR 4.8, 12.4) compared to HD 3.0 (IQR 1.5, 7.9) and PD 2.2 (1.8, 3.1). The most common primary renal disease was glomerulonephritis (including lupus) seen in 32/72 (44.4%) HD, and 427/1134 (37.7%) transplant pregnancies. Livebirth rates were high 45/47 (95.7%) HD, and 910/927 (98.2%) transplant but with high rates of caesarean births; 36/72 (50.0%) in HD and 755/1134 (66.6%) in transplant. Gestational age was lower in those receiving HD compared to PD and transplant (median 31 v 35 and 36 weeks, p = 0.047 from Kruskal–Wallis test) with higher rates of early preterm birth (&amp;lt;34 weeks) in HD 27/45 (60.0%) v 217/828 (26.2%) in transplant (p &amp;lt; 0.0001) and SGA &amp;lt;3rd 5/44 (11.4%) HD v 46/785 (5.9%) Transplant (p = 0.14). Conclusion This large linkage study provides invaluable data describing pregnancy outcomes for individuals receiving KRT. Livebirth rates were high in those on dialysis or with kidney transplant, but both KRT modalities have higher rates of pregnancy induced hypertension and caesarean birth than the general obstetric cohort in the UK. Pregnancy on dialysis was associated with earlier gestational age at delivery and high rates of SGA compared to transplant recipients although some of this difference may reflect increasing dialysis intensification in pregnancy in recent years. Prospective data are needed to understand the drivers of early delivery especially in the dialysis population as well as the longer-term impact on the children.

  PublisherDOI

• Editorial Note Regarding Begum et al. (2018), Hammar et al. (2025), and Begum et al. (2025)

  Demography · 2025-12-01

  editorialOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Association of rehospitalization after pediatric kidney transplantation with kidney function at 1-year posttransplant and long-term allograft failure

  American Journal of Transplantation · 2025-11-26

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Increasing ketamine administration in children’s hospitals for youth with sickle cell disease

  Blood Advances · 2025-12-03

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT: Ketamine is recommended as an opioid-sparing adjunct for sickle cell disease (SCD)-related pain management. Little is known regarding its use in hospitalized youth with SCD. We aimed to describe trends in ketamine administration and examine associations between ketamine administration and outcomes in hospitalized youth with SCD. We conducted a cross-sectional, multicenter study examining hospital admissions for youth with SCD from 44 children's hospitals in the United States from 2016 to 2023. Youth aged ≥6 months with SCD were identified using International Classification of Diseases tenth revision codes. Exposures included age, sex, race, payor, childhood opportunity index, hydroxyurea administration, and concomitant methadone, buprenorphine, or gabapentinoid administration. The primary outcome was ketamine administration during admission. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, days on IV opioids, all-cause 14-day readmission rates, and intensive care unit stays during admissions with ketamine administered during the first 3 days of hospitalization (early) and hospital day 4 or later (late). From 2016 to 2023, 4.5% (n = 3391) of admissions for patients with SCD included ketamine administration, with prevalence increasing from 2.3% in 2016 to 5.7% in 2023 (P< .001). Age groups ≥12 years and the year ≥2019 was associated with increased odds of ketamine administration. Admissions with ketamine administration were also more likely to have administration of methadone and hydroxyurea. Early vs late ketamine administration was associated with shorter length of stay and fewer parental opioid days, indicating randomized controlled studies are needed to determine not only which patients benefit from ketamine but also the impact of early administration.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Intravenous line‐related outcomes by antibiotic route for children hospitalized with pneumonia

  Journal of Hospital Medicine · 2025-10-24

  article

  We evaluated whether peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) utilization and complications (i.e., infiltration/extravasation) differed between children hospitalized with pneumonia who received initial oral versus intravenous antibiotics. In a retrospective cohort study of children hospitalized with pneumonia at four affiliated sites within a single hospital system from 2014 to 2020, we evaluated PIV outcomes and compared them using bivariable analyses and multivariable regression models. Among 1035 children, 65% received initial oral antibiotics and 59% had PIVs. PIVs were placed in 38% of children with oral antibiotics and 99% with IV antibiotics. Infiltration/extravasation occurred in 1% of children with oral antibiotics and 9% with IV antibiotics. Among children with PIVs, those with oral antibiotics had lower odds of infiltration/extravasation (odds ratio [OR]: 0.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.17-0.9). Given the pain and anxiety of PIVs for children and the morbidity associated with infiltrations/extravasations, initial oral antibiotics provide an opportunity to improve patient and family experiences and minimize PIV-related harms.

  PublisherDOI

• Antibiotic susceptibility patterns in US children's hospitals

  Journal of Hospital Medicine · 2025-10-21

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Antibiograms are important tools to guide empirical antibiotic selection. Aggregate antibiograms for children can provide guidance when local data are scarce (e.g., unavailable, insufficient isolates) and support regional and national comparisons; however, aggregate reporting is limited. OBJECTIVE(S): To examine antibiotic susceptibility patterns for children and to compare patterns of resistance by isolate source and geographic region. METHODS: A request for submission of the most recent institutional antibiogram was sent to 51 US children's hospitals in April 2023. Data elements were transcribed and standardized to facilitate aggregate analysis. Aggregate antibiograms were generated, and logistic regression was performed to examine regional differences in susceptibilities. RESULTS: We received 46 institutional antibiograms. Antibiograms varied in presentation including the number and types of bacteria and antibiotics, reporting by specimen source (e.g., urine) and location (i.e., hospital unit). Staphylococcus spp. were the most frequently reported Gram-positive bacteria. Of the more than 35,000 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 35.4% were identified as methicillin resistant and nearly 80% were susceptible to clindamycin. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. were the most frequently reported Gram-negative bacteria with 85.4% and 84.1% of isolates, respectively, demonstrating susceptibility to cefazolin. Regional differences in susceptibilities were observed. For example, S. aureus isolates from hospitals located in the Southern region of the United States had the lowest susceptibility to oxacillin. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides regional and national data on pediatric antibiotic susceptibilities at US children's hospitals. Many opportunities exist for the use and reporting of aggregate antibiograms to enhance antimicrobial stewardship processes and monitor changes in antimicrobial resistance.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Normal Tissue Complication Probability Model Predicting the Risk of Radiation Necrosis after Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Small Brain Metastases

  International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics · 2025-09-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Characterizing the burden of care for children with solid tumors in the United States: A cross‐sectional analysis from the Child Health Evaluation of Surgical Services Group

  Cancer · 2025-12-18 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: The complexity of pediatric solid tumor care has been associated with improved outcomes but has also increased the burden of care for families. This study aimed to understand and quantify the medicalized days experienced by children with solid tumors during the first year after diagnosis, and changes over time, via national population-level data. METHODS: A retrospective population-based cohort study was performed of children enrolled in a national claims database that tracks health care utilization across medical encounters. Children (aged <18 years) with a solid tumor diagnosis were identified. The number of medicalized days over the first year after diagnosis was quantified. We also compared trends over time. RESULTS: For 5263 children with solid tumors, the median number of medicalized days during the first year after diagnosis was 45 days per child (interquartile range [IQR], 45.0-45.3 days). Children saw a median of three providers (IQR, two to seven providers), and underwent a median of 3.8 surgical procedures (IQR, 3.8-3.9 surgical procedures). Total medicalized days increased significantly across the study period (p < .001). Lost economic productivity for families ranged from 14.4% to 22.3% of household income. CONCLUSIONS: Children with solid tumors experience a high number of medicalized days in the first year after diagnosis. Furthermore, the number of medicalized days has increased over the last decade. Quantifying medicalized days provides a way to track the social and economic burdens of care. Better understanding of this care burden may provide an opportunity for physicians, patient advocates, and policymakers to address the financial toxicity of treatment.

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Frequent coauthors

• Samir S. Shah

  Community Eye Care Foundation

  601 shared

• Jay G. Berry

  Harvard University

  318 shared

• Sara K. Pasquali

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  236 shared

• Anthony D. Slonim

  Renown Health

  213 shared

• Bradley S. Marino

  Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

  186 shared

• Jessica L. Bettenhausen

  University of Missouri–Kansas City

  133 shared

• Kathy J. Jenkins

  123 shared

• Meryl S. Cohen

  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  121 shared