|
Areas of Emphasis:
The Prevention/Lifestyle and Women's Health Areas of Emphasis are
among the first such tracks to be offered by an American school of public health!
Students take a series of core courses in epidemiology and public health, then may choose to focus on one of several Areas of Emphasis. Faculty in each of these areas have major research and/or community service programs that provide excellent facilities for student research and field training, and some have training grants. Summaries of each area, and their specific details, are provided below.
|
- Areas of research broadly include: successful aging and longevity, physical function, activity and disability, osteoporosis, vascular aging, sarcopenia, brain aging and mobility.
- Training grant: All trainees participate in a three course series on aging, hands-on research training, research conferences and seminar series. Additional career development opportunities for post-doctoral students are available.
- All doctoral trainees design, implement, analyze data, and report the results of an independent study as part of the program with a goal of submitting three manuscripts for publication. Trainees are encouraged to present their research in a variety of venues, including GSPH Dean's Day.
|
- A variety of advanced courses in cancer prevention and epidemiology
- Topics include: breast cancer and hormonal factors; environmental exposures determined by objective biomarkers and gene-environment interaction in the etiology of and susceptibility to cancer, including cancers of the lung, liver, colorectum, breast and urinary bladder; molecular epidemiology; cancer screening and related health services; dietary protective factors on prevention of cancer
- Journal club and discussion on research activities
|
|
|
 |
- Areas of research broadly include: cardiovascular aging and longevity; body composition and obesity; cardiovascular epidemiology; physical activity and subclinical CVD; novel CVD risk factors, high risk and ethnic subpopulations; vascular health; hypertension; peripheral nerve function and lipid metabolism.
- Diabetes areas of research include extensive programs in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. For type 1 diabetes, these include a 25 year follow up study of childhood onset diabetes, (Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study) and the national DCCT/EDIC study also with over 20 years follow up. For type 2 diabetes the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study and the translation of the interventions to the community form the basis of much activity.
- Training grant: Designed to provide concentrated, tailored training in the quality collection of subclinical atherosclerotic measures, organized around four major research strengths: vascular aging, women’s health, genetics and high risk/international populations. All trainees will participate in course work, research field work, and professional development (including CVD and diabetes journal clubs, independent research, grant writing, manuscript preparation and conference presentations). Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Academic Program
|
|
|
|
- The activities of the Epidemiologic Methods group contribute to all areas of emphasis, specializing in design and conduct of studies including adaptive trials, survey sampling, and statistical methods
- The didactic component includes three general methods courses and a design of clinical trials course. The journal club has covered topics including Latent Variable Modeling in Epidemiology and Causal Inference.
- The Epidemiology Data Center (EDC) was established in 1980 as a section of the Department of Epidemiology, founded by Katherine M. Detre, M.D., Dr.P.H., and under the co-direction of Steven H. Belle, Ph.D., Sheryl F. Kelsey, Ph.D., and Stephen R. Wisniewski, Ph.D. The EDC has collaborated in over 100 research studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies. Presently, the EDC coordinates data management and analysis activities for 26 research projects sponsored by federal and various other governmental or private agencies and by industry. For more information, see the EDC web-site (www.edc.pitt.edu)
|
- Areas of research include: air pollution and cardiovascular disease outcomes, cancer epidemiology and cancer cluster investigation, ambient air lead and PM2.5 and health effects, childhood autism and personal and environmental risk factors.
- Graduate student research assistantships for CDC funded projects involving ambient air lead and childhood lead poisoning, childhood autism and the environment , PM2.5 air pollution and cardiopulmonary outcomes.
- All doctoral trainees conduct an independent study with the requirement to submit three manuscripts for publication. Hands on training in the area of environmental epidemiology with collaborations with over 23 state health departments through CDC environmental public health tracking programs.
|
- Application of the Internet and Mobile technology for global health and prevention
- Development of the internet Supercourse with 50,000+ members from over 170 countries, teaching over 50,000,000 students last year
- Opportunities for global health research training in Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean
|
- Areas of research include: epidemiology and molecular epidemiology of serious, vaccine-preventable, drug-resistant and hospital-associated bacterial infections; prevention of HIV infection; infectious diseases surveillance; computational modeling of disease and intervention strategies; use of geotemporal analysis in infectious diseases.
- Training grants: 1) Dengue and vaccine-preventable and drug-resistant bacterial infections in Brazil and 2) prevention of HIV infection in Brazil, India, and Mozambique.
- All doctoral trainees conduct an independent study with the requirement to submit three manuscripts for publication. Trainees can choose traditional epidemiology or molecular epidemiology as the basis of their doctoral research.
|
- Applied research in broad areas of unintentional and intentional injury including but not limited to injury from motor vehicle crash, falls, natural disasters, poisoning, head trauma, criminal violence, child maltreatment, domestic violence, and treatment of injury.
- Emphasis on the application of epidemiologic methods in population and clinical settings to understand key risk and prognostic factors for primary and secondary prevention of injury.
- Trainees participate in academic training in injury epidemiology and/or injury prevention and control and applied research training on specific injury and violence topics using mentors from multiple disciplines in the fields of epidemiology, statistics, trauma, behavioral sciences, surgery, psychiatry, criminology and others.
|
- Training in genetic epidemiology including aging, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes obesity and osteoporosis
- Requirements vary depending on student background and needs, and are offered in collaboration with the Departments of Environmental and Occupational Health and Human Genetics in the Graduate School of Public Health
- Didactic and laboratory courses are offered
|
|
|
|
- This program focuses on translating the proven benefits of lifestyle intervention on a broad range of health outcomes, encompassing the conceptual and practical foundation needed for such public health translation initiatives. Learning objectives include a thorough understanding of disease prevention, behavioral theory, and lifestyle intervention training, along with a critical understanding of the methodological issues in designing and evaluating these efforts. Course work includes formal preventionist training and a practicum in which students gain community-based experience administering the lifestyle intervention.
- An integral part of this AOE in the Department of Epidemiology is the Diabetes Prevention Support Center (DPSC). The DPSC is comprised of Epidemiology faculty who were originally part of the Diabetes Prevention Program, the national multi-center clinical trial that demonstrated the benefits of lifestyle intervention in preventing a chronic disease. The DPSC serves as the central training center for lifestyle intervention delivery as well as provision of subsequent post-training support.
- The Department of Epidemiology is also the home of the Physical Activity Resource Center for Public Health (PARC-PH) which was developed to provide the physical activity assessment information and lifestyle intervention tools necessary to carry out prevention/translation efforts.
|
- Focuses on the application of epidemiology methods and cutting-edge neuroimaging methodologies in population and clinical studies to enhance etiological research and evaluation of specific therapies in the disorders of the central nervous system.
- Targets the interdependent nature of clinical characterization, epidemiological methods and multimodal assessment of disorders of the central nervous system through rigorous academic training and applied research opportunities.
- Maximizes the potential for applied research training and for successful field placements of the trainees through multidisciplinary mentored work with leaders in the fields of epidemiology, psychiatry, neuroscience, neurology, and others. A Specialization in Neuroepidemiology will be available in the Department of Epidemiology in 2013.
|
- The Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program, funded by NIMH since 1977, focuses on the acquisition of epidemiological, biostatistical, and psychiatric concepts and methods, and on their application to research in the field of psychiatric disorders
- Training is accomplished through course work in epidemiology and biostatistics, and through courses in psychiatric epidemiology that were designed specifically for the PET Program
- The training experience includes the opportunity to work on research projects with faculty mentors who are active researchers in psychiatry and epidemiology within the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) and the Department of Psychiatry within the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Areas of research broadly include: reproductive, perinatal and pediatric epidemiology; women's health across the lifespan from adolescence through pregnancy, menopause, and late life; fertility and contraception; breastfeeding; and sexually transmitted infections. A major clinical site for collaboration is Magee-Womens Hospital, the obstetrics, gynecologic, and reproductive sciences specialty hospital associated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
- RPP Training grant: Designed to provide concentrated, tailored training on the patterns, risk factors, and interventions that might improve reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric health, as well as women's health across the lifespan. All trainees will participate in coursework, research field work, and professional development including courses in Reproductive Epidemiology and Epidemiology of Women's Health, a Seminar in Reproductive, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology, a Maternal and Child Health journal club, independent research, grant writing, manuscript preparation, and scientific conference presentations.
- RPP Trainees who engage in community service activities in addition to completing the didactic requirements will be eligible for a Women's Health Specialization, which honors trainees' combined interests in women's health research and community outreach.
- Menopause and Aging focuses on furthering our understanding of chronological aging versus ovarian aging. Emphasis is placed on a broad range of topic areas including the skeleton, cardiovascular disease, mental health, physical function and disability, body composition and lifestyle.
|
|
