Dr. Cauley, DrPH, Distinguished Professor and Executive Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). Her primary research interest is the epidemiology of osteoporosis especially the large worldwide ethnic and geographic variability in fracture, osteoporosis treatment, risk factors for fractures and the consequences of osteoporosis in both men and women. She has developed a major research area with respect to calcium and vitamin D supplementation as well as the association between circulating 25 hydroxyvitamin D and several health outcomes including fractures, physical performance and mortality. Her other research has focused on women's health and aging, falls, the interaction between endogenous and exogenous hormones, risk factors, and disease outcomes. Her research examining the inflammation of aging hypothesis has extended to not only fractures and mortality but also physical and cognitive function cross-sectionally and changes over time. She examines the physical changes that occur in women as they transition through menopause with a particular focus on the skeleton.
She was the Principal Investigator (PI) of several large cohort studies including the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture (SOF) and the Osteoporotic Fracture Risk in Older Men (MrOS). The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures recently ended after 31 years. Results from both of these studies have made major improvements in our understanding of osteoporosis in older men and women. Dr. Cauley was Co-PI for the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and served as study wide Chair of the Osteoporosis, Calcium and Vitamin D Committee for almost the entire duration of the trial. She continues to serve on the WHI Osteoporosis Scientific Interest Group.
She has received multiple awards: 2015, Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award, University of Pittsburgh; 2014, 2015, 2016 The World's Most Influential Scientific Minds, (Clinical Medicine), Thomson Reuters; 2013, the Golden Femur Award for her debate at the European Calcified Tissue Society meeting; 2011, Provost Award for Excellence in Mentoring, University of Pittsburgh; 2011, ASBMR Frederic C. Bartter Award for outstanding clinical investigation in disorders of bone and mineral metabolism; 2004, Distinguished Alumni Award, GSPH, University of Pittsburgh; 2002, Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s “Dozen Making a Difference to your Health” series and 1986, FIRST Award: Epidemiology of Apo-Lipoprotein in Older Women and 2018, ASBMR SHirley Hohl Service Award..
She was the Director of the Epidemiology of Aging Training Program, funded by NIH for over 15 years. She is Co-Director of the Center for Aging and Population Health. She is Past President of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). Her responsibilities include chairing the 2018 ASBMR Nominating Committee.
Dr. Cauley has authored more than 797 papers for scientific journals and 24, book chapters. She co-edited a book entitled the Epidemiology of Aging, published in 2012. She is invited to lecture frequently for both national and international meetings.
She has an established track record of mentoring students. As of June 2018, she had 35 PhD students as Primary Mentor and Chair; 3 PhD students as Co-Primary Mentor and 14 Master’s students. She currently has 3 PhD students and Co-Primary Mentor of 1 Master student. She has Directed the 2 credit graduate course on the Advanced Epidemiology of Aging since 1989.
Research Interests
Epidemiology of Osteoporotic Fractures and Falls
Epidemiology of Aging, including Women's Health issues
Epidemiology of Sex Hormones and Their Relationship to Chronic Disease
Inflammation, Vitamin D and Fractures/ Osteoporosis
Ethnic/Racial Differences in Fracture
Sleep and its relationship to fractures, falls, physical and cognitive function and mortality