Centers
Center for Aging and Population Health
The Center for Aging and Population Health (CAPH), was established in the Department of Epidemiology in 2006 with a central focus for promoting healthy aging, longevity and prevention of age-related disabilities. The Center incorporates the activities of the Prevention Research Center, the Health Studies Research Center and the Epidemiology of Aging Training program. The CAPH has positioned the University of Pittsburgh as a candidate for continued research support from the CDC and NIH, and other federal, philanthropic and corporate sources for its long term research priorities. The CAPH provides resources for the analysis, presentation and publication of findings from current research and maintains several large data sets from multicenter studies. The program in aging includes many large studies with a high level of long term federal funding.
Diabetes Prevention Support Center
The Diabetes Prevention Support Center (DPSC) of the University of Pittsburgh was established in 2006 with the goal of preventing diabetes and improving cardiovascular health. The DPSC is one of the first in the country specifically developed to address the diabetes/obesity epidemic through evidence–based prevention intervention programs focusing on weight loss and increasing physical activity levels. At the core of the Center is a group-based, behavioral lifestyle intervention called the Group Lifestyle Balance™ (GLB) program, which is modeled closely on the original Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention shown to significantly reduce risk for the development of type 2 diabetes.
Epidemiology Data Center
The Epidemiology Data Center (EDC), which was established in 1980 as a section of the Department of Epidemiology in the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), provides a research environment in which complex health questions are explored and answered using the combined tools of biology and statistics. The EDC has collaborated in over 100 research studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and others. Presently, the EDC coordinates data management and analysis activities for over 20 research projects sponsored by federal agencies or industry. Staffing at the EDC includes 10 faculty, over 60 staff and more than ten graduate students.
Physical Activity Resource Center for Public Health
In 1997, the Physical Activity Epidemiology group at the University of Pittsburgh developed a Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (MSSE) supplement containing a collection of the physical activity questionnaires used in population research at that time (Introduction to the collection of physical activity questionnaires in A collection of Physical Activity Questionnaires for Health-Related Research1). This effort was one of the most sought after journal volumes that MSSE had ever published.
Labs
The Heinz Chemistry and Nutrition Laboratory
The Heinz Chemistry and Nutrition Laboratory was established in the late 1970’s. Initially, the laboratory focused on lipid analysis that supported studies of cardiovascular disease. Subsequently, the analytical capability of the laboratory expanded to include analyses of adipokines, antioxidants, cytokines, hormones, isoflavones, long-chain fatty acids and vitamins. Collaborations involve not only several groups at the University of Pittsburgh but also at other institutions in the United States and abroad (Bolivia, Canada, Japan, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago).
The Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory
The Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory provides unique opportunities for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to conduct molecular epidemiologic research. Trainees have gained laboratory and analytical experience in molecular epidemiology using a variety of techniques and statistical analysis of genetic data.
Read more about the Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory in the Epidemiology Facilities and Resources document.
The Laboratory of Environmental Health, Reproduction, and Development
The Laboratory was launched in May 2014 and is located in the newly built annex in the Graduate School of Public Health. The Lab is staffed by a full-time laboratory technician. The laboratory space consists of one large bay with two 6-foot benches, a desk, a sink, two procedures rooms, and a cold room. It is an open lay-out which we share with two other epidemiology groups and the Department of Human Genetics.
Read more about the Laboratory of Environmental Health, Reproduction, and Development in the Epidemiology Facilities and Resources document.
Ultrasound Research Laboratory (URL)
The primary goal of the Department of Epidemiology Ultrasound Research Laboratory (URL) is to provide a high volume of quality non-invasive subclinical vascular testing to advance cardiovascular research. Directed by Emma Barinas-Mitchell the URL team brings experience in vascular research and testing in excess of over 50 person-years.