Center for
Global Health

International Scholar

Languages: Mandarin (native), English (fluent)

BIO STATEMENT

Dr. Ma leads clinical studies at National Taiwan University, Taiwan, utilizing global networks of observational data and clinical trials. His research focuses on illustrating the global burden of endocrine disorders, allergic diseases, and malignancies, and evaluating the safety and efficacy of medications for these diseases, with the goal of translating evidence into practical guidelines that improve patient outcomes worldwide. As a former Penn scholar, Dr. Ma collaborates closely with faculty at Penn. Dr. Ma's work on the global burden of disease and real-world evidence of treatment modalities contributes to disease burden mitigation and promoting global medication safety.

RECENT GLOBAL HEALTH PROJECTS

One of Dr. Ma’s recent projects illustrates the global prescription patterns of anti-diabetic medications and their impact on the disease burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Based on global networks of observational data, Dr. Ma’s studies show shifting trends in the prescriptions of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA) and their safety on a global scale. Dr. Ma’s research also provides real-world evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of GLP1RA and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) for diabetes and its comorbidities.

Another project Dr. Ma led explored the global disease burden and comorbidities associated with atopic diseases and allergic conditions, including atopic dermatitis and asthma, as well as real-world evidence demonstrating the effects of biologics on the disease burden of allergic diseases among global populations. Dr. Ma’s published works suggest the role of medications such as dupilumab in improving clinical outcomes of allergic diseases.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1. Ng WH, Yeo YH, Kim H, Seki E, Rees J, Ma KS, Moylan CA, Rodriquez LM, Abdelmalek M, Villanueva A, Noureddin M, Yang JD. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor use improves clinical outcomes in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases: Target trial emulation using real-world data. Hepatology. 2025 Apr 2. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001333.​

2. Ma KS, Lo JE, Kyttaris VC, Tsokos GC, Costenbader KH. Efficacy and Safety of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular, Renal Events, and Safety Outcomes in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Comorbid Type 2 Diabetes: A Population-Based Target Trial Emulation. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025 Apr;77(4):414-422. doi: 10.1002/art.43037.​

3. Eng K, Zebardast N, Boland MV, Lo JE, Swaminathan SS, Friedman DS, Ma KS. Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors for the Primary Prevention of Glaucoma in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Target Trial Emulation. Am J Ophthalmol. 2025 Mar;271:286-298. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2024.10.029.​

4. Ma KS, Tsai SY, El Saleeby CM, Kotton CN, Mansbach JM. Nirsevimab decreased the subsequent risk of respiratory syncytial virus infection and wheezing in the 2023-2024 RSV season. Pediatr Res. 2025 Jan 9. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03782-4.​

5. Sun CY, Tesfaigzi Y, Lee GY, Chen YH, Weiss ST, Ma KS. Clinical effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A 7-year population-based cohort study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2025 Jan;155(1):219-222.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2024.09.019.​

6. Tsai SY, Phipatanakul W, Hawryluk EB, Oyoshi MK, Schneider LC, Ma KS. Comparative safety of oral Janus kinase inhibitors versus dupilumab in patients with atopic dermatitis: A population-based cohort study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2024 Nov;154(5):1195-1203.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2024.07.019.​

7. Lo JE, Huang YH, Bhattacharyya N, Moulton EA, Ma KS. Allergic Rhinitis and Keratoconus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2024 Nov;12(11):3096-3104. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.05.050.​

8. Tsai SY, Gaffin JM, Hawryluk EB, Ruran HB, Bartnikas LM, Oyoshi MK, Schneider LC, Phipatanakul W, Ma KS. Evaluation of dupilumab on the disease burden in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis: A population-based cohort study. Allergy. 2024 Oct;79(10):2748-2758. doi: 10.1111/all.16265.​

9. Yeo YH, Rezaie A, Hsieh TY, Hu X, Gaddam S, Ma KS; Gastrointestinal Motility and Metabolic Pharmacoepidemiology Group. Shifting Trends in the Indication of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Prescriptions: A Nationwide Analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2024 Sep;177(9):1289-1291. doi: 10.7326/M24-0019.​

10. Chen BS, Chan SY, Bteich F, Kuang C, Meyerhardt JA, Ma KS. Safety and efficacy of liposomal irinotecan as the second-line treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2024 Sep;201:104386. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104386.​

11. Ma KS, Chan SY, Van Dyke TE, Wang SI, Wei JC, Ashina S. Tooth Loss and Chronic Pain: A Population-based Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Pain. 2024 Sep;25(9):104529. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104529.​

12. Shen CH, Yang YS, Lee IT, Chiang MH, Chen ST, Ma KS. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in diabetes and inflammatory skin diseases. Br J Dermatol. 2024 Aug 14;191(3):467-468. doi: 10.1093/bjd/ljae229.​

Last Updated: 14 April 2025