The Department of Epidemiology of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health is leading research and prevention activities that impact public health by training students to evaluate and respond to important public health issues in aging and chronic disease prevention, reproductive health, environmental health, and infectious diseases.

The program provides a strong foundation in epidemiology, which is a core discipline in public health. Our epidemiology graduate programs incorporate into the teaching program activities that provide a practical and clinically relevant educational experience that is based on a foundation of research excellence.. Students take a series of core courses in epidemiology and public health, and may choose to focus on one of several Areas of Emphasis. Faculty in each of these areas direct major research programs and training grants that provide excellent opportunities for student research and field training.

Find a research program for your interests

Pitt Public Health faculty members conduct small and large observational studies and clinical trials of problems that have major impact on the health of populations, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, premature birth, and injury. Faculty members may also lead field centers or coordinating centers for multicenter national and international observational studies and clinical trials.

Major areas of emphasis include...

  • Aging
  • Applied public health
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular and diabetes
  • Clinical trials and methods
  • Environmental
  • Global health
  • Infectious disease
  • Injury prevention
  • Molecular and genetic
  • Population neuroscience
  • Obesity and nutritional
  • Prevention, lifestyle and physical activity
  • Psychiatric
  • Reproductive, perinatal and pediatric
  • Women’s health

 

As Washington Co. parents want deeper look at fracking and cancer, Talbot calls for study of historical pesticide use

WESA - Epidemiologists say it...
As Washington Co. parents want deeper look at fracking and cancer, Talbot calls for study of historical pesticide use

WESA - Epidemiologists say it is rare to prove an environmental cause for a cancer cluster. EPI's Evelyn Talbot says there's some evidence linking pesticide exposure with Ewing sarcoma and suggests conducting a case control study of historical pesticide use in the areas agricultural fields.  (07/08/2019)

Pitt Public Health dean steps down at a time when the region is losing other top leaders in the field (video)

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - The...
Pitt Public Health dean steps down at a time when the region is losing other top leaders in the field (video)

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - The departure of EPI's Donald S. Burke, dean emeritus, from his position as dean comes at a time when the region is losing two other top public health officials - Arthur Levine, senior vice chancellor of the health sciences, and Karen Hacker, director of the Allegheny Coun... (07/08/2019)

Personalities of Pittsburgh: Dr. Donald Burke becomes dean emeritus, continues as professor (subscriber content)

PITTSBURGH BUSINESS TIMES - D...
Personalities of Pittsburgh: Dr. Donald Burke becomes dean emeritus, continues as professor (subscriber content)

PITTSBURGH BUSINESS TIMES - Donald Burke is retiring from his role as dean but he’ll remain active with the University. He reflected on his career, including time in the military and international work in two dozen countries and shared concerns about scientific denialism. "As a scientific community... (07/03/2019)

Does the overdose plunge mean the epidemic is over? Burke says no.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - "Wh...
Does the overdose plunge mean the epidemic is over? Burke says no.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - "What I'm worried about is that, if in fact it is a statistical aberration or an epidemic anomaly, that we psychologically, in public health, take credit for it and presume that we're doing enough," said Dean Donald Burke. "The response still has not been proportionate to ... (06/27/2019)

King finds rates of drug-, alcohol-linked death triple after weight-loss surgery

U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT - ...
King finds rates of drug-, alcohol-linked death triple after weight-loss surgery

U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT - EPI's Wendy King and colleagues say their findings highlight the need for more education, diagnosis, treatment, and tracking of alcohol and drug use as part of post-surgery care and called on primary-care doctors to be more aware of these risks as they treat patients wh... (06/27/2019)