Research in practice: translating infectious disease epidemiology RIP-TIDE

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT Public health response to infectious disease epidemics requires multidisciplinary, quantitative, and critical skills to address all aspects of control from preparedness to elimination. The proposed training program will provide critical training in modern methods of infectious disease epidemiology within the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All trainees in this program will receive rigorous training in three foundational areas: Epidemiologic Study Design and Inference, Ethics, and Translating Infectious Disease Research through an applied practicum. In addition, trainees will focus on one of three areas of methodological specialization (1) Transmission Modeling and Infectious Disease Dynamics, (2) Molecular Epidemiology and Phylogenetics, or (3) Disease Mapping and Burden Estimation. These three areas of specialization were selected because of their importance across all phases of the response to infectious disease threats, from preparedness, through emergence, endemic control and elimination. The core faculty and affiliate faculty participating in this training program bring strong expertise in each of these areas of methodological specialization, as well as deep expertise in a large number of pathogen systems, and lead projects that offer numerous training opportunities in these areas. Emphasis will be placed on integrating and translating epidemiological and scientific results to public health policy and practice. All trainees will be provided with practical experience in translational research and implementation science through practicums and research projects. Hence, trainees will be required devote a research aim to applying advanced methods to policy and practice. Two post-doctoral and 2-3 pre-doctoral trainees will be supported in each year of the program, and will be paired with both methodological area and pathogen specific mentors. By focusing on critical methodological areas, this training program will provide critical skills that will prepare trainees to conduct important and impactful research in all phases of the infectious disease ‘lifecycle’, from emergence to elimination.