Institute for Public Health Genetics
Founded in 1997, the University of Washington’s Institute for Public Health Genetics (IPHG) is a leader in the emerging field of public health genetics. Alone among U.S. universities, the UW, through IPHG, offers graduate degrees at both the Master’s and Ph.D. levels. Students enrolled in other UW graduate departments can earn a Graduate Certificate in Public Health Genetics.
What is public health genetics?
Public health genetics is an emerging field that applies advances in human genetics, genomics, and molecular biotechnology to improve public health and prevent disease.
The mission of the Institute is to provide broad, interdisciplinary training for future public health professionals, to facilitate research in public health genetics, and to serve as a resource for continuing professional education.
Curriculum and Competencies
IPHG programs integrate genetics and genomics with:
- Public health science disciplines: epidemiology, environmental health, biostatistics, pathobiology, and health services
- Bioethics, social sciences, law, public policy, health economics, and health outcomes research
The curriculum focuses on understanding genetic susceptibility to disease in populations and communities. It also addresses the ethical, legal, cultural, economic, and policy issues involved in applying genomics to public health.
The University of Washington collaborates with several other major universities and government agencies to provide leadership in defining competencies for public health genetics professionals. IPHG programs are designed to develop those competencies in students.
IPHG Faculty and Students
The Institute’s distinguished faculty are drawn from a wide range of UW departments and schools, and from professional communities outside the University, including the Washington State Department of Health and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. IPHG students are from a variety of educational backgrounds. When they complete their studies, they are prepared for many exciting career opportunities.
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board for the IPHG consists of deans of the UW schools and colleges and chair of the departments involved with the Institute. There are also representatives from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center. The board generally meets annually, and more often as needed, to provide guidance to IPHG.