Department of Epidemiology

Epidemiology

Epidemiology

A cornerstone of public health

Epidemiologists study and analyze the incidence and distribution of diseases. We look at defined populations, considering the possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health.

Epidemiology's impact extends beyond the classroom: it shapes policy decisions and identifies targets for preventive healthcare. The work we do is fundamental to the practice of evidence-based public health and medicine and affects the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Explore Epidemiology at Brown

Discover the programs and people that make up the Department of Epidemiology at Brown University

Fields of Research

Our research spans a wide range of topics, from substance use and harm reduction to pandemic preparedness and environmental hazards
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Academic Programs

Our graduate programs prepare students for careers in research or public health which require knowledge of advanced epidemiologic methods.
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Faculty

Faculty in the Department of Epidemiology are world-renowned researchers.
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Driving Recovery: America's First Mobile MAT Van

Francesca Beaudoin, emergency physician and epidemiologist, explains Rhode Island's latest harm reduction tool: the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) van. By bringing treatment out into the community it serves, CODAC Behavioral Healthcare's mobile unit aims to move the needle on America's overdose crisis.

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Affiliated Centers and Institutes

Innovative research centers conduct epidemiological studies from disease outbreaks to the effects of environmental toxins

International Health Institute

The IHI's mission is to apply interdisciplinary perspectives to research and training to improve the health of populations in developing countries.
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The Mindfulness Center

Dedicated to rigorous research and student-centered education, our goal is to offer programs that improve individual lives and organizational effectiveness.
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The Pandemic Center

The Pandemic Center works to ensure that the world better understands these catastrophic threats, their far-reaching casualties, and develops the tools, policies, and practices to mitigate and prevent their impact.
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People, Place & Health Collective

A diverse team of staff, students, postdocs, and faculty who are tackling the most pressing challenges in America today, from the nation’s overdose crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, to the synergistic effects of overlapping infectious disease and substance use epidemics.
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Survey Research Center

The Survey Research Center is dedicated to conducting high-quality survey research in partnerships with universities, hospitals, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. From proposal to analysis, we are available to advise and assist investigators during every step of the survey process.
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Higher buprenorphine doses associated with improved retention in treatment for opioid use disorder

A new study led by Brown University researchers suggests a need to reevaluate opioid addiction treatment recommendations in the era of fentanyl.

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Degree Programs

Study epidemiology with world-renowned faculty

Brown's Epidemiology graduate program offers a doctoral degree and a MPH concentration which will prepare students for careers in research or public health which require knowledge of advanced epidemiologic methods.

Doctoral Program

Doctoral candidates undergo rigorous training in epidemiologic methods. We prepare students to become leading, independent investigators. Our graduates excel in academia, industry, government and public health practice.

Whether it is investigating an infectious disease outbreak, assessing the impact of in-utero exposure to environmental pollutants and endocrine disrupting chemicals, or the relations of nutritional, genetic, stress-related factors to cardiometabolic health, epidemiology is the foundational discipline underpinning many public health stories in the headlines every day.

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Unique Degree Paths

We offer a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and support an MPH Epidemiology Concentration

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Primary Faculty Members

With over 50 Secondary and Adjunct Faculty Members

Over 50 %

of our recent F31s submitted received funding in their first round

Comparatively, F31 success rate was 27.8% across all NIH institutes in FY2020

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