Epidemiology is the study of the distribution of diseases in populations, their causes, and the  ways in which they can be prevented and controlled.

The Department teaches both medical and graduate students (see Academic Programs for specifics). In keeping with the increasing national need for training in epidemiology, the Department's teaching mission is to encourage public health awareness and epidemiologic sophistication among medical students, and to provide graduate students in epidemiology with training that will allow them to participate in disease control activities and investigations of disease etiology.

Professor Jim Anthony of MSU with research collaborator Professor Yueqin Huang, MD, MPH,PhD, Peking University, Beijing

The Department's service mission is to provide consultation in epidemiologic and biostatistical study design and analysis to MSU faculty, community health professionals, and public health agencies. The faculty constitutes a resource of expertise to address issues in public health.  The Department's research mission is to conduct cutting-edge epidemiologic investigations of importance to public health, especially the public health of Michigan. The Department has a strong record of obtaining research grants from federal agencies such as NIH, NIMH, NIAAA, AHCPR and the CDC and in publishing important scientific research in major peer-reviewed journals.

Epidemiologists are interested not only in the biological origins of disease, but in the impact of social, economic and environmental conditions that may contribute to ill-health. To develop clues to what may cause disease, they examine variations in rates of diseases over time, by geographic area, and in different groups of people. They investigate localized outbreaks of diseases of known cause to understand where the public health infrastructure needs to be strengthened. Epidemiologists also frequently study the effects of clinical protocols and medical care systems to see what works best. Prevention programs, health education efforts and public health policy are all important applications of epidemiologic research.

Joseph Gardiner
Interim Department Chair

Collaborators

The Department of Epidemiology work in partnership with a wide variety of instituttions across the world. 
•  Click here for a list of some of the institutions that the Department of Epidemiology work in partnership with

Department of Epidemiology Chairs Nigel Paneth 1989 - 2002 (left), Joseph Gardiner,(center) Current Chair Jim Anthony  2003 - 2008 (right)

History of MSU's Program The College of Human Medicine established a Program in Epidemiology in 1989 under the direction of Dr. Nigel Paneth.  The program grew and developed and was elevated to departmental status in 1997.  Dr. Paneth continued his leadership as departmental chair until 2002.  Dr. Jim Anthony gave leadership from October 2003 until December 2008.  Dr. Joseph Gardiner currently is the Interim Chair of Epidemiology.