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Welcome to the Department of Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution of disease in populations and the study of risk and preventive factors for disease.
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Professor and Chair
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The Department of Epidemiology is consistently rated as one of the top epidemiology departments in the United States. There are 70 faculty and approximately 165 graduate students in the department. In addition, more than one hundred health professionals and scientists hold adjunct and affiliate appointments in the department. Faculty research is highly interdisciplinary and encompasses a broad range of topics, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, cardiovascular disease, maternal and child health, injury, trauma and violence, women’s health, diseases of aging, and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to infectious agents, faculty research focuses on behavioral, nutritional, genetic, metabolic, environmental and medical factors associated with disease risk and disease outcome. The department maintains close collaborative ties with a number of other institutions and programs in the area, including Public Health Seattle-King County, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Group Health Cooperative, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, the Veteran’s Administration, and the University of Washington School of Medicine. The department offers MPH, MS, and PhD degrees in epidemiology. The wide range of faculty expertise and research interests fosters a diverse and dynamic teaching program, with numerous research opportunities for students. The mission of the department is to create, integrate, disseminate and apply knowledge promoting the most efficient and effective possible use of resources to maintain and improve the public's health. Please explore our links to learn more about admissions, courses, faculty, research and current events.
Department Mission
The overall mission of the Department of Epidemiology is to provide rigorous training in the fundamentals and practice of Epidemiology, and to contribute to the understanding of the etiology and prevention of disease, and the improvement of the health of the public through excellence in research. To accomplish this mission, the Department focuses on three primary goals:
- To advance knowledge regarding the occurrence and distribution of disease in human populations by maintaining a strong and diverse research program, characterized by outstanding faculty and students.
- To educate and train professionals in epidemiology, through graduate degree programs at the master's and doctoral level; and
- To provide professional service in epidemiology by having faculty and graduate students work with federal, state, and local health agencies and other organizations to conduct collaborative research and to provide technical assistance.