This program adds a focus on cardiovascular disease to the PhD program in Biostatistics. Biostatisticians at UW have been involved in research on the treatment and prevention of heart disease since the department was founded.
UW biostatisticians also participate in many observational research projects in cardiovascular disease. The Cardiovascular Health Study is following a cohort of 5888 people aged 65-100 in 1989. The primary focus of CHS was on subclinical disease, but it has been a valuable resource for many types of research. The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis is in its early stages, studying the build-up of calcium in plaque in the coronary arteries. Ancillary studies to MESA include a ten-year study of the impact of air pollution on heart disease. Other major efforts include genetic and genomic studies of heart disease to understand the mechanisms that lead to atherosclerosis, and pharmacogenomic research to find ways to help doctors and patients choose the most effective drugs on an individual basis.
The training program differs from the usual PhD program in biostatistics primarily in focusing the required study in biology on cardiovascular disease. Trainees still take the rigorous sequences of courses in statistical theory and methodology for which UW Biostatistics is known, but additional opportunities are available for collaborating on cardiovascular research projects.