Epidemiology News

Seyoung Kim and Alexander J. Sundermann

Department of Epidemiology welcomes two new faculty

The Department of Epidemiology  is pleased to announce the faculty appointments of Seyoung Kim, PhD, as visiting associate professor and Alexander J. Sundermann, DrPH, MPH, as visiting assistant professor.
Mary Tranchine and Kim Beringer (second row, first and second from the left, respectively.)

After 40 years, these Pitt employees have seen plenty of change

Congratulations to Department of Epidemiology's Kim Beringer and Mary Tranchine for 40 years at the University of Pittsburgh!
Older women walking. Photo credit: Getty Images

Older women's health is woefully understudied

Jane Cauley, a distinguished professor of epidemiology , wants more data about the condition among older Black, Asian and Hispanic women, who are undertreated. She also wants better drugs with fewer side effects.
Photo credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Record-breaking rise in deadly infections in Japan renews focus on the mysteries of strep

“When a patient comes in with group A strep in the blood, unless they have a wound, you often don’t know how it got into the body,” said Lee Harrison, professor of epidemiology and infectious diseases and microbiology.
(LEFT TO RIGHT) TINA NDOH, SALLY WENZEL, TIFFANY GARY-WEBB, JEANINE BUCHANICH, AND DARA MENDEZ,

Advocates listen and learn, celebrate and plan at first Environmental Justice Summit

May 9-11 was Pittsburgh’s first Environmental Justice Summit with the theme Reflections, Connections, and Collaborative Action.
Epi alum Kruthika Doreswamy

Alum Kruthika Doreswamy (EPI '22) receives Fulbright

Kruthika Doreswamy (EPI '22) is one of 13 Pitt students and alumni to be named award recipients by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Amy Hartman and Dara Méndez

Dara Méndez and Amy Hartman selected as Health Sciences Ascending Star Awardees

Congratulations to Dara Méndez, associate director of the center for health equity and associate professor of epidemiology and Amy Hartman, associate professor of infectious diseases and microbiology, on receiving 2024 Ascending Star Awards.
Nicole Leckenby

Staff Spotlight: The Many Faces of Nicole Leckenby

There is more than one Nicole Leckenby.

One of them is on staff in the School of Public Health, where she is a post-award grants administrator for the Department of Epidemiology. Another is vice president of the Pleasant Hills Borough Council. Another is “soccer mom” to sons Liam and Colin, and wife to husband Brian, an information technology professional. Then there’s the one who writes children’s books.

Andrea Kozai and Benjamin Warner and poster award winners

2024 Postdoctoral Research Symposium award winners

Congratulations to Department of Epidemiology PhD students Andrea Kozai and Benjamin Warner on winning the Best Poster Presentation Award at the 17th annual University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Research Symposium!
Anne Newman

Grant funds study of inflammation’s effect on heart, brain health

Anne B. Newman, MD, MPH, former professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology, is coprincipal investigator on a $1.2 million, four-year study being funded by the American Heart Association.
Photo credit: DJAFFAR AL KATANTY/REUTERS

Africa intensifies battle against mpox as ‘alarming’ outbreaks continue

The global outbreak helped bring new attention to mpox and led to a boom in research, Jean Nachega associate professor of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology and Epidemiology says, but almost all of it came in Europe and North America.
Iva Miljkovic

Biomarkers may explain Caribbean women’s greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease

A study by led Iva Miljkovic, MD, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology, was published in the April 12 issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, a journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
 Tiffany Gary-Webb

Live Well Allegheny REACH project brings health resources to priority Black neighborhoods

“This was a concerted effort with unapologetic funding from the federal government for communities that suffer most from health disparities,” says Tiffany Gary-Webb professor of epidemiology. 

CDC/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Why the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is worrying disease docs

"It's just a matter of time, if nothing is done, that the transmission crosses the border in the African region and, again, globally," says Jean Nachega associate professor of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology and Epidemiology.

Credit: Conor O'Donovan/Concern Worldwide

Massive public-health experiment sends vaccination rates soaring

“The investigators made a great effort to bring vaccines to remote communities,” says Jean Nachega associate professor of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology and Epidemiology.