JHSPH Department of Epidemiology

The Department of Epidemiology is one of ten academic departments in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). The mission of the Department of Epidemiology is to improve the public's health by training epidemiologists and by advancing knowledge concerning the causes and prevention of disease and the promotion of health.

The American Journal of Epidemiology (originally named the American Journal of Hygiene) has been based in the Department of Epidemiology since the journal's inception in 1920. In addition, the Department of Epidemiology is home to Epidemiologic Reviews (current Editor-in-Chief is Dr. Michel Ibrahim). Several major research studies are housed in the Department of Epidemiology and led by epidemiology faculty members, including the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, the Multicultural AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), and the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS).

History

The Department of Epidemiology is the oldest (established in 1917) and among the largest in the world. The Department of Chronic Disease was originally created as a division in Public Health Administration in 1954, made into a department in 1961, and then merged with the Department of Epidemiology in 1970. The Department of Chronic Disease, before it merged with the Department of Epidemiology, was chaired by Joseph Earle Moore (1954-1957) and Abraham Lilienfeld (1958-1970).

Degree Programs

The Department of Epidemiology offers three doctoral-level programs, two master's-level programs, and one joint degree for undergraduate students. The Department co-sponsors three concentrations for the school-wide Master of Public Health program: 1) Epidemiological & Biostatistics Methods for Public Health and Clinical Research, 2) Food, Nutrition & Health and 3) Infectious Diseases.

• Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) - first awarded in 1921
• Doctor of Science in Hygiene (ScD) - first awarded in 1924
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - first awarded in 1965
• Master of Health Science (MHS) - first awarded in 1973
• Master of Science (ScM)
• Bachelor of Arts/Master of Health Science (BA/MHS)

Non-Degree Programs

Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics - The Department of Epidemiology began offering the Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in 1983. The Graduate Summer Institute offers short, intensive courses in epidemiology and biostatistics intended to develop an understanding of the principles, methodologic strategies and practical aspects of epidemiological research. Course lengths span one day, one week, or three weeks, and are offered online or on-site in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Department of Epidemiology offers a number of certificate programs online or on-site, including:

• Epidemiology for Public Health Professionals.
• Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Control, and Prevention
• Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
• Clinical Trials

Training Programs

The Department of Epidemiology currently has the largest overall postdoctoral training program in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.^[1] Many postdoctoral fellows and predoctoral trainees (master's level and doctoral level degree students) are supported by NIH-funded training programs (i.e. T32 Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award).^[2]

• Cardiovascular Epidemiology Institutional Training Program (Director: Dr. Josef Coresh, Co-Director: Dr. Elizabeth Selvin)
• Renal Disease Epidemiology Training Program (Director: Dr. Lawrence J. Appel)
• Epidemiology and Biostatistics of Aging and Biostatistics Training Program^[3] (Director: Dr. Karen Bandeen-Roche)
• Cancer Epidemiology Training Program (Director: Dr. Elizabeth Platz)
• Johns Hopkins HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Sciences Training Program (Director: Chris Beyrer, Co-Director: Dr. Shruti Mehta)
• Eye & Vision Genomics Training Program (Director: Dr. Terri Beaty)
• Johns Hopkins Training Program in STIs (Co-Directors: Drs. Susan Sherman and Jacky Jennings)
• MD GEM: The Maryland Genetics, Epidemiology, and Medicine Training Program (Director: Dr. Priya Duggal)

Tracks

The Department of Epidemiology offers eight different tracks for student research and training:

• Cancer Epidemiology (Director: Dr. Kala Visvanathan)
• Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Epidemiology (Director: Dr. Elizabeth Selvin, Co-Director: Dr. Josef Coresh, Co-Director: Dr. Lawrence J. Appel) - The track was originally named the Division of Clinical and Chronic Disease Epidemiology and was directed by Moyses Szklo from 1979 until 1986. In 1986, it was split into two divisions: The Division of Clinical Epidemiology was directed by Paul K. Whelton from 1986 until 2001, and the Division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology was directed by Moyses Szklo from 1986 until 2001.
• Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis (Director: Dr. Kay Dickersin)
• Environmental Epidemiology (Director: Dr. Eliseo Guallar)
• Epidemiology of Aging (Director: Dr. David Roth)
• General Epidemiology and Methodology (Director: Dr. Lisa P. Jacobsen, Co-Director: Dr. Bryan Lau)
• Genetic Epidemiology (Director: Dr. Priya Duggal) - This track was previously called the Division of Human Genetics. The division was founded in 1979 and was directed by Bernice H. Cohen (1979-1988) and Terri H. Beaty (1989-2007).
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology (Director: Dr. William Moss) - This track was previously named the Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, and it was founded in 1974. The Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology has been directed by Neal Nathanson (1974-1979), Harvey R. Fischman (1979-1984), B. Frank Polk (1985-1988), Kenrad E. Nelson and Alfred Saah (1989-1990), Alfred Saah (1990-1993), and Kenrad E. Nelson (1993-1999), David Celentano (1999-2007), Taha El Tahir Taha (Co-director, 2003–), William J. Moss (Co-director, 2007–).

Some divisions no longer exist. The Division of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology was founded in 1979 and was directed by Genevieve M. Matanowski. The Division of Veterinary Epidemiology was founded in 1979 and directed by Harvey Fischman (1979-1995).

Department Chairs

• Wade Hampton Frost (1919-1938)
• Kenneth Maxcy (1938-1954)
• Philip Sartwell (1954-1970)
• Abraham Lilienfeld (1970-1974)
• Leon Gordis (1975-1993)
• Jonathan M. Samet (1994-2008)
• David Celentano (2009–present)

Affiliated Centers and Institutes

• Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research - Director: Dr. Lawrence J. Appel
• George W. Comstock Center for Public Health Research and Prevention - Director: Dr. Josef Coresh^[4]
• Center on Aging and Health (COAH) - Director: Dr. David Roth
• Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities - Director: Dr. M. Daniele Fallin^[5]
• StatEpi Coordinating Center
• Institute for Clinical & Translational Research - Director: Dr. Dan Ford, Co-Director: Dr. Scott Zeger
• Evidence-Based Practice Center (EPC) - Co-Directors: Drs. Eric Bass and Karen Robinson
• Center for Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Research, Prevention, and Training - Director: Dr. Jonathan Zenilman
• Center for Public Health and Human Rights - Director: Dr. Chris Beyrer
• Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness - Co-Directors: Dr. Jodi Segal and G. Caleb Alexander
• Johns Hopkins Biological Repository - Laboratory Director: Dr. Homayoon Farzadegan, Clinical Laboratory Director: Dr. Joseph Margolick
• Center for Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis - Director: Dr. Kay Dickerson
• Center to Eliminate Cardiovascular Health Disparities - Director: Dr. Lisa Cooper
• Global Obesity Prevention Center - Director: Dr. Bruce Lee

References