October 2023 - The Epidemiology Monitor

Epidemiology for Epidemiologists A monthly update covering people, events, research, and key developments Editor’s Note: This month, we are pleased to bring you two articles from guest authors. The first is a report from Dr. Emily Smith from her time on the floor of the UN General Assembly in September. The second is a piece by Dr. David Savitz on the topic of serving as an expert witness. In addition we revisit an article from 2014 about what the vision for public health in 2030 was at that time. It’s interesting to see what’s changed in the last decade.

Please note the call for abstracts for WCE 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa next September!

We continue to provide you with Notes on People, an overview of what we read from the public media, and upcoming epidemiology events. Finally, don't miss the Job Bank offerings this month. We have some fantastic opportunities advertised both here and on our website.

Did you miss last month’s issue? Read it here: https://bit.ly/3ESwndI or here: https://bit.ly/3EVM58g

In This Issue -2-

Reporting from the 2023 UN General Assembly

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What We’re Reading

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Reflections on Serving as an Expert Witness

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Notes on People

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Archives: Public Health 2030

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Near Term Epi Event Calendar

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Call for Abstracts for WCE 2024

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Marketplace – Jobs & Events

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Crossword

October 2023

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Volume Forty Four •

Number Ten

Reporting from the Floor of the 2023 UN General Assembly Author: Emily Smith, PhD, MSPH Dr. Emily Smith, an epidemiologist at Duke University, took part at the UN General Assembly in New York last month. She wrote two pieces in her newsletter on her experience and reactions.

She graciously allowed EpiMonitor to reprint. We combined and shortened them for brevity.

I’m taking part in a few events on universal health coverage at the UN and attending many of the side events happening. Tomorrow, September 21, 2023, is the biggest day that happens at the UN itself and includes an advocacy meeting on children with congenital anomalies and the big meeting on universal health coverage in the afternoon.

Entry 1.

I attended a side event on the missing populations in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals were set in 2015 to reach by 2030 and include 17 global goals like no poverty, clean water, etc. The panel highlighted several key populations that can easily be missed in these goals, like providing healthcare to LGBTQ populations or maternal and reproductive care to mothers or rural communities in poverty. These “hidden” populations are where the health need is, though. I was struck by one panelist who said, “If you want to know what health conditions need to be paid attention to in countries, look at the people on the streets.” In other words, look at what the poorest of the poor are dealing with and start there. The discussions were incredibly on-the-ground honest, and raw, which were refreshing here at UNGA with lots all of them.

Emily Smith, PhD

of big-picture ideas. The panelists also included activists from 4 countries working hard to bend the arc of justice in their communities. It reminded me that there are neighbor champions worldwide doing the hard, quiet, and persistent work of neighboring. I want to be friends with all of them.

Later in the day, I attended another side event that felt like a whiplash from the previous one. It was in a super swanky venue with lots of security to even get in and tons of food. The panelists included major philanthropists and leaders of big organizations with lots of money. The discussions focused mainly on bigger-picture - UNGA cont'd on page 3

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- UNGA cont'd from page 2 ideas but lacking on specific plans. To their credit, they only had 2 hours to cram everything in. But this meeting was so different than the first one. The venue was different, the panelists and ideas were different, and even the audience was.

anomalies, particularly the disproportionate doctors, NGOs, advocates, etc on congenital anomalies, particularly the disproportionate burden in low-income countries. (Also, can we pay attention to that wood wall in the picture?!)

Then the big meeting started. All of us in the civil society space (NGOs, organizations, academics, etc.) were in the back, and we all knew that only a select group would be able to make their statement on universal health coverage from the floor. But we were there nonetheless. I sat by a student representing a coverage from the floor. But we were there nonetheless. I sat by a student representing a global migration group, a woman from Oxfam, a woman working for global reproductive rights, an LGBTQ advocate, and many others I didn’t get to meet.

Here’s the deal. I think we need both events, for sure. I just wish they would be together or have a diverse set of voices at each. The first event with the activists talked about needing more funding and money to keep going, while the second one seemed to not include those voices but had the money. I think we need both perspectives - but together. I recognize that is happening at some places already, like USAID. USAID has done a great job at including on-theground champions with the communities they work in and letting them lead the way. So has Mercy Ships and I’m sure many others. I think neighboring takes both of people, especially when we look at global health work.

As a side note, these selections on who gets to speak always seem very random too. Here’s what I observed, though. It seemed like we were all a fun rag-tag group of like-minded individuals just trying to get a seat at the table where typically governments and parliamentarians reside. Over the next few hours, several people around me that I had already met (because I’m too friendly) made statements, and I gave them a hearty ‘well done’ and thumbs up when they returned to their seats. And, then, most of us were not selected to make statements. Here’s the deal: that’s not equity, and that’s not the table that means so much to me. Let me tell you about that one.

1. There are also tons of activists and protestors here raising their voices and signs on a myriad of topics. We need them too.

2. Which one are you? Be that. Let’s just do that with others.

3. Ok, I’m off to another full day of joy and walking. =) Entry 2: Last Thursday was the big day at the UN for me.

The organizations I was representing, the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery and the Duke Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, were invited to the high-level meeting on universal health coverage at the UN.

In 2019, I went to the UN for the first time advocating for the inclusion of children’s surgical care in universal health coverage packages. (The picture on the left is me and my favorite collabo-friend in the main assembly hall

The day started with a fantastic meeting of doctors, NGOs, advocates, etc on congenital

- UNGA cont'd on page 4

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- UNGA cont'd from page 3 at the UN, Dr. Henry Rice. The book is in part dedicated to him! The picture on the right is me fangirling to meet Dr. Tedros, head of the WHO. ha!)

The final day of that trip, I rounded the corner on the 3rd floor and was met with the Norman Rockwell painting of the Golden Rule. I’ve always loved that painting and included a chapter about why in my upcoming book because it and this 2019 trip mean so much to me. So, when I saw it in the mosaic form and me. So, when I saw it in the mosaic form and over 10 feet high at the UN, it kind of took my breath away.

There at the UN is what I think equity looks like.

But, it wasn’t the massive table for the government officials. It was in the painting of simple people from all over the world of many countries and ages and cultures and backgrounds and beliefs.

backgrounds and beliefs.

I left the UN last week with a heart full and way too many pictures of that painting and my book on neighboring and equity that I’m so proud of.

But, I also left with another reminder that this world is full of great people doing loud and quiet things to create a new table too. ■ Dr. Smith’s new book, The Science of the Good Samaritan: Thinking Bigger about Loving Our Neighbors Dr. Smith’s Substack, Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist Dr. Smith’s Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist Facebook page

We Need Your Event List The EpiMonitor is beginning the process of assembling our 2024 calendar of worldwide epidemiology and biostatistics events. These events include conferences, summer programs, short courses and more.

Please take a moment to send us your event information so you are included in this year’s calendar.

Advertising opportunities for your events exist in this digital publication, on our website, all our social media platforms, and in our Epi-Gram emails.

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Epidemiology and the Law: Reflections on Serving as an Expert Witness Author: David Savitz, PhD For many, perhaps most, epidemiologists, engaging in legal disputes as an expert witness is unappealing. These impressions may be based on past legal decisions that run counter to an informed interpretation of the epidemiologic evidence, an aversion to being drawn into advocacy for fear of damaging one’s reputation as an objective scientist, or a distaste for being tormented by opposing attorneys in depositions or trial cross-examination. None of these are without merit, but there are ways to mitigate the negative aspects and enhance the positive aspects of serving as an epidemiology expert on legal matters.

For epidemiologists who are motivated to bring scientific rigor and knowledge to bear on societal decisions, court cases provide perhaps the most direct opportunity to do so. In contrast to the sometimes-meandering pipeline of scientific discoveries influencing public policy or individual decisions, legal disputes are direct and relatively rapid: a decision will be made, epidemiologic evidence is relevant, and providing accurate interpretation of the evidence should lead to a more just outcome.

While there are legitimate reasons to question whether legal disputes are the best means of reaching decisions, they are an important aspect of the way society operates.

The adversarial nature of the legal system seems counter to an objective, dispassionate assessment of the evidence by informed experts to reach a decision, as is generally the case for expert committees charged with assessing evidence. Attorneys are advocates for their clients, and when they engage

David Savitz, PhD epidemiologists, it is with the belief that the experts will contribute to winning the case.

Epidemiologists need to maintain clarity regarding their role (and integrity) as experts and accept that the attorneys who engage them will be seeking ways to use their expertise to the benefit of their client.

Maintaining objectivity is critical not just for the reputation of the epidemiology expert but ultimately for the attorney’s client and even for the justice system itself. I have been approached by attorneys who indicate need for an epidemiology expert who will provide the opinion that helps their client, and my routine response is to indicate that I need to review the evidence in order to provide an informed, defensible opinion but until I do so, I don’t know - Witness cont'd on page 6

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-Witness cont'd from page 5 what my opinion will be. Sometimes I have been engaged for an initial assessment that suggests my views will not be beneficial to their case, but at minimum it provides a preview of what they can expect to face from the opposing side. A colleague summarized the need for objectivity succinctly: don’t say anything in court that you would not say to your colleagues.

The way to engage without becoming a biased advocate is to be vigilant and consistent in striving for objectivity.

challenging to be accurate without “dumbing it down,” to a large extent, epidemiology can be made intuitive. The book’s focus is on the connection between the epidemiologic research and making inferences about causality, which is at the heart of legal matters. Topics that are particularly prone to misinterpretation such as statistical significance testing and the interpretation of negative studies warranted their own chapters, as well as several chapters that address the legal context in which epidemiology operates.

There can be challenges to managing the schedule by which legal cases evolve, with crises and long hiatuses, but attorneys are generally able to buffer experts from the vicissitudes of the legal calendar. And facing the opposing attorney in depositions and testimony can be stressful and tiring, responding to the challenges ranging from nitpicking to misunderstanding. But so long as the evidence and basis for interpretation of the evidence are clear, the epidemiology expert is explaining rather than arguing. The information needs to be presented in a way that is accessible to nonexperts and simplified without misrepresenting the evidence or the relevant methodologic issues.

Attorneys involved in cases that draw on epidemiology are often quite knowledgeable about how epidemiologic research is done and what study results mean. Based on my experience with attorneys who were seeking a deeper understanding of epidemiology, I collaborated with an attorney for whom I had consulted to write a book which has just been published, “Epidemiology and the Law.” The purpose of the book is to provide a brief tutorial on epidemiology that is accessible to nonexperts and relevant to those who are drawing on epidemiology in legal cases. While it was

Available in hardcover and PDF formats here: https://tinyurl.com/mfdsmed4

- Witness cont'd on page 7

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-Witness cont'd from page 6 opportunity to dig deeply into a controversial issue of societal relevance and get a firm grasp on the body of research. Being called upon to make a judgment and defend it sharpens practical skills in causal inference. And beyond applications in court, improving our ability as epidemiologists to communicate with those outside the field is generalizable to other audiences that stand to benefit from a deeper appreciation of what epidemiology has to offer.

Serving as an expert witness may not be appealing for all epidemiologists, but our profession would be better served by having more epidemiologists willing to engage in legal disputes. The alternative to having informed, objective epidemiologists serve is for attorneys to engage “hired guns,” those who will predictably support their side. Such experts predictably find that the agent of concern is harmful (for plaintiffs) or always find that it is not harmful (for defendants). In fact, the evidence often falls close to the fence for issues that make their way to court since definitive evidence generally leads to rapid settlements since there is a reputational incentive to being receptive to mix work as an expert or defendants and plaintiffs.

■ David Savitz is Professor of Epidemiology in the Brown University School of Public Health with joint appointments as a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics in the Alpert Medical School. Dr. Savitz is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. He is the co-author of the forthcoming book, “Epidemiology and the Law.”

There are several underappreciated benefits to engaging as an expert. It may provide an

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The Epi Wayback Machine - Articles From Our Archives July 2014

Private Groups Collaborate to Forecast Alternative Futures for Public Health in 2030 Strategies Recommended as Sound No Matter What the Future Holds Author: Roger Bernier, MPH, PhD

Future Trends / Drivers

A collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Institute for Alternative Futures, and the Kresge Foundation has produced four recommendations for facing the future challenges of public health that are likely to be sound regardless of which future scenario emerges, according to the report from the group.

The drivers/trends identified by the sponsors of the report are:

Entitled “Public Health 2030—A Scenario Exploration” , the report constructs scenarios based on the forecasted behavior of six key drivers of public health. The purpose of these scenarios is to help public health agencies evaluate how well their organization’s strategies are likely to perform given these different futures to consider.

1) chronic diseases and the likely to grow demand for prevention, management, and reduction of these conditions, 2) climate change and environmental threats and the extent to which public health is able to expand its capacities to deal with environmental disasters and disease outbreaks, 3) the extent to which the nation adopts a community prevention approach that is focused on addressing the structural drivers of illness and injury,

Key Recommendation

4) economics and public health financing,

The key recommendation is to transform public health agencies into “health development agencies” with dedicated, sustainable, and sufficient funding. What does the concept of health development agency entail?

5) injury and violence and the extent to which they come to be seen as preventable, and

According to the report, the current “programmatic approach” of public health does not address the major drivers of health. This is a serious shortcoming and amounts to saying that public health is not effectively enough addressing the major causes of health. If so, what are these drivers that need rethinking and suggest new approaches from public health?

6) technology and information system advances.

Health Development Agencies The first recommendation to transform health agencies into “health development agencies” will entail continuing some of the current roles of health agencies but also taking on new ones.

Perhaps the most striking is the call for health agencies to become the “chief health - 2030 cont'd on page 10

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-2030 cont'd from page 9 strategists” in the community and lead in creating a culture of health through the promotion of prevention strategies. To achieve the status of a true “health development agency” the report calls for health agencies to develop sustainable and sufficient funding, be evidence and best practice oriented, and provide trusted leadership in promoting prevention strategies.

Dialogue Expertise

Chief Health Strategists

The fourth and final recommendation is another to create the capacity for dialogue, this time with other non-health sectors which are needed to support innovation. Basically, this recommendation calls for recognizing the legitimate priorities and needs of other players in the health system and learning lessons from other players to create innovations in public health. ■

Third, the report recommends building the capacity for dialogue about inclusion, opportunity, and equity. This is prompted by the recognition that racism and other beliefs or prejudices are part of the root causes of health inequity. Addressing them is needed to advance community vitality, according to the report.

The second recommendation calls for health development agencies to facilitate the transformation of the US health care system into one more oriented to prevention. This appears to be a recommendation to help reinforce a trend already evident in American society moving favorably to think in terms of population health.

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Epi Crossword Puzzle – October 2023 Dedicated to the Hawaii Epi-in-Action Participants Our crossword puzzle was created by by Dr. Richard Dicker—A former CDC employee and notquite-retired epidemiologist. For an online version go to: https://tinyurl.com/hhjd6ndr

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- Crossword Questions cont'd on page 13

-Crossword Questions cont'd from page 15 Across

4. It's active in Sicily

1. Trinidad drum material

5. Common household chore

6. Pack down

6. San-serif font used instead of Arial so "Ill" does not look like the Roman numeral 3

10. Viasat, Spectrum, Google Fiber, et al.

14. Plantain lily

7. Grad

15. Banned apple spray

8. Travelers to Bethlehem

16. Shorthand for authenticate or list of approved applicants

9. Big boss, informally 10. In the South, what "Sweet or unsweet?" refers to

17. Four-letter sports network channel

11. Kind of number

18. Bigger than big

12. Type of probability, to Bayesians

19. Cleveland's lake

13. Antique guns

20. Method used for some clinical trials

21. Math op.

23. Bemoan

22. Vogue's Wintour

25. "____ Lights, Thick Smoke (and Loud, Loud Music)"

23. UN's Food and Agricultural Organization is headquartered here

26. Approaches 27. Most epidemiologic studies are this

24. How an epidemiologist might get to the airport

32. Characteristic of real-world data

28. Road curve

33. Taj Mahal city

29. ______ dorsalis (manifestation of tertiary syphilis)

34. God of love

30. Grocery chain known by its initials

35. Meat on a stick

31. Sphere

37. One-dish meal

35. White wine plus crème de cassis

41. Assistant

36. Tokyo, formerly

42. Name that can be spelled with or without an H

37. Took a load off

43. Common type of field epidemiology study

38. Stable geometric shape

47. "______ for Murder"

39. Gutter location

49. Laugh syllable

40. One of a 42-Down's five W's

50. MAD magazine coverboy's initials

41. They're often pressed for cash

51. For a field epidemiologist, word after case or outbreak

42. Journalists 43. Lay waste to

56. Czech or Serb

44. _____ Blue Men (Berton Rouché epi cluster description)

57. Glitch 58. "Taps" instrument

45. Viruses that infect bacteria

61. Nicolas Coppola's screen name

46. "Mangia!"

62. High school breakout

47. "Saturday Night Fever" music

63. Flair

48. Acquired relative

64. Actor Luke's actor brother

52. Ruler during the time of "War and Peace"

65. "From _____ to riches"

53. Early Peruvian

66. Queen of _______

54. Jets or Sharks, e.g.

55. "That hurt!"

59. Part of FELTP

Down

60. 7th Greek letter

1. Pronoun paired with her 2. Lean-___ (sheds) 3. What a tired epidemiologist might order at Starbucks

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What We're Reading This Month Editor's Note: All of us are confronted with more material than we can possibly hope to digest each month.

However, that doesn't mean that we should miss some of the articles that appear in the public media on topics of interest to the epi community. The EpiMonitor curates a monthly list of some of the best articles we've encountered in the past month. See something you think others would like to read? Please send us a link at info@epimonitor.net and we'll include it in the next month.

Public Health Topics ♦ Towards a Ready Workforce: Field Epidemiologists in Pandemic Planning (WHO) https://tinyurl.com/3edm66bp ♦ A seasonal viral stew is brewing (Georgia Public Broadcasting) https://tinyurl.com/22jyjrkk ♦ Wastewater reveals which viruses are actually circulating and causing colds (NPR of Northern Colorado) https://tinyurl.com/24z4pw5f ♦ San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District responds to locally acquired case of Dengue (Pasadena Now) https://tinyurl.com/yfbu332d ♦ Researchers Use Whole Genome Sequencing to Make Surprising Discovery about Hospital-Acquired C. Diff Infections (Dark Daily) https://tinyurl.com/4p6wvcbv ♦ The epicenter of the worst bird flu crisis in history, with 250 million birds culled, shifts to Europe (El Pais) https://tinyurl.com/mpkd5xjk ♦ Congresswoman Announces $1 Million in Federal Funds for Wastewater Epidemiology Training Program at Queens College https://tinyurl.com/3695b48c ♦ U.S. Scientists Deliberately Infected People With Zika—Here's Why (Forbes via AppleNews) https://tinyurl.com/23zpwhnn

- Reading cont'd on page 17

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[Type a quote from the document or the summary of an interesting point. You can position the text box anywhere in What Use We're Reading Month - con't from 15 box.] the document. the Text Box Tools tabThis to change the formatting of the pull page quote text

Public Health Topics, cont. ♦ Tainted water and viruses put Gaza residents, especially kids, at further risk (NBC News) https://tinyurl.com/56pw7sff ♦ Another Possible Benefit of Vaccinations: They Just Might Save Your Brain (AARP Bulletin) https://tinyurl.com/3sajjcpv ♦ Mystery paralysing 'illness' hospitalises 95 schoolgirls in Kenya: Panicked health chiefs launch probe with 'sickened' pupils left shaking uncontrollably and convulsing (Daily Mail) https://tinyurl.com/msuersa4

COVID-19 ♦ After Shunning Scientist, University of Pennsylvania Celebrates Her Nobel Prize (WSJ via Apple News) https://tinyurl.com/34ydf45s ♦ Interdisciplinary team receives $5 million grant to explore COVID-19 virus ecology at the human-animal interface (Science Magazine via Apple News) https://tinyurl.com/mrysvn27 ♦ Maternal Covid-19 vaccination offers infants immunity for up to 6 months (STAT via AppleNews) https://tinyurl.com/2vzufuhd ♦ COVID Is Ramping Up for a Year of Deadly Surges (Daily Beast via AppleNews) https://tinyurl.com/2zsjn5j9 ♦ Is COVID pandemic or endemic? (World Socialist News) https://tinyurl.com/yeyu47m6 ♦ Study highlights gut fungi's lasting impact on severe COVID-19 immune response (Medical Xpress via AppleNews) https://tinyurl.com/3exmk368

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Notes on People Do you have news about yourself, a colleague, or a student?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending relevant news to us at this address for inclusion in our next issue. people@epimonitor.net

Named: Global expert services and consulting firm Berkeley Research Group (BRG) has announced that epidemiology expert Wendy Cheng has joined the firm's Boston office as a managing director in its health care practice. The leading epidemiologist will extend health analytics and outcomes research, strengthening scope of firm's practice. Prior to her career in healthcare consulting, Dr. Cheng served as a research scientist at Columbia University and worked as a biostatistician in the Clinical Trials Network of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Named: Tara M. Friebel, a cancer epidemiologist with expertise in global oncology and implementation science, is joining Rutgers Global Health Institute as a principal faculty member.Friebel will become an assistant research professor of global health at the institute on October 16. Her research focuses on the prevention, early detection, and treatment of breast and cervical cancer in low-resource settings. She also will be affiliated with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in the Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes section of the Division of Medical Oncology.

Honored: The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) announced this morning that M. Daniele Fallin, PhD, James W. Curran Dean of Public Health, has been elected as one of its newest members. Fallin is one of three individuals selected from Emory University for NAM membership this year. Igho Ofotokun, MD, professor of medicine, was also elected and holds a joint appointment at Rollins. Fallin’s globally-recognized research focuses on applying genetic epidemiology methods to studies of neuropsychiatric and to developing applications and methods for genetic and epigenetic epidemiology, as applied to mental health and development.

Named: Andrea Baccarelli, an eminent environmental health sciences scholar, will become the next dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard President Claudine Gay announced on Wednesday. Baccarelli is currently the Leon Hess Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, where he also serves as chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences. He previously served as an associate professor at the Chan School of Public Health. He will become dean on Jan. 1, succeeding Michelle Williams, who served as dean through the 2022-2023 academic year.

Notes on People con't from page 16 Do you have news about yourself, a colleague, or a student?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending relevant news to us at this address for inclusion in our next issue. people@epimonitor.net

Named: The University of Virginia School of Medicine has named Matthew J. Gurka, PhD, a national leader in child health research, to chair its Department of Public Health Sciences. Gurka comes to UVA from the University of Florida, where he serves as vice chair of health outcomes and translational research and director of the Pediatric Research Hub in the Department of Pediatrics.

Before that, he served as the founding chair of the Department of Biostatistics at West Virginia University’s School of Public Health. Gurka began his academic career in UVA’s Department of Public Health Sciences, where he rose to become an associate professor in the Div of Biostatistics and Epidemiology.

Honored: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill awarded the 2023 Edward Kidder Graham Faculty Service Award to David J. Weber, MD, the Charles Addison and Elizabeth Ann Sanders Distinguished Professor of medicine and pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine, professor of epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, associate chief medical officer at UNC Health Care, and medical director in the Department of Infection Prevention at UNC Medical Center. It is fitting to recognize Weber’s service as an infectious disease physician and epidemiologist following the worst pandemic since the 1918 influenza pandemic, which caused the death of 42-year-old UNC-Chapel Hill President Edward Kidder Graham.

Honored: Sarita Shah, MD, epidemiology professor at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, has been awarded the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24).

Her research and public health work have focused on drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) and TB/HIV co-infection throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Shah’s K24 award, “Mentoring Multidisciplinary Patient-Oriented Research in TB, HIV, and Global Health,” will leverage an ongoing NIH R01-funded study investigating drug-resistant TB transmission in South Africa, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social contact patterns that are a key factor in disease spread.

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Notes on People con't from page 17 Do you have news about yourself, a colleague, or a student?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending relevant news to us at this address for inclusion in our next issue. people@epimonitor.net

Passed: Dr. David Shaffer, a psychiatrist who spent decades studying children and teenagers who died by suicide, constructing a framework for screening and laying the groundwork for modern prevention efforts, died in Mastic Beach, N.Y., on Long Island. He was 87.

In the 1970s, when Dr. Shaffer was a young doctor, most people saw the suicide of a child or adolescent as a random and unpredictable act. Trained as an epidemiologist, he undertook an investigation known as a “psychological autopsy,” gathering detailed information from adult caregivers of 31 children who had died by suicide. The research yielded surprises. In more than a third of the cases, the suicide had occurred in the midst of what he called a “disciplinary crisis,” as the child awaited consequences. Many of the children were described, not as depressed, but as aggressive or impulsive.

“He liked the detective work,” Dr. Charlie Shaffer said. “That’s why he loved being an epidemiologist. He loved detective stories.” https://tinyurl.com/ymesp2wb

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Near Term Epidemiology Event Calendar Every December The Epidemiology Monitor dedicates that issue to a calendar of events for the upcoming year. However that often means we don't have full information for events later in the upcoming year. Thus an online copy exists on our website that is updated regularly.

To view the full year please go to: http://www.epimonitor.net/Events The events that we are aware of for the next month follow below.

November 2023 Nov 1-5 https://bit.ly/3WoAPb0 Conference: American Society for Human Genetics 2023 Annual Meeting / ASHG / Washington, DC Nov 5-7 https://bit.ly/3WmWrEH Conference: IGES 2023 / International Genetic Epidemiological Society / Nashville, TN Nov 8-9 https://bit.ly/3jcIISL Conference: International Conference on Nutritional Epidemiology and Health / WASET / Dubai, UAE Nov 8-11 https://bit.ly/3jcNVcY Conference: 16th World Congress on Public Health / European Public Health Association / Dublin, Ireland Nov 14-17 http://bit.ly/2KfVzlJ Conference: 16th International Conference on Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics of Infectious Diseases / Elsevier / Dresden, Germany Nov 15-20 http://bit.ly/2PA0exQ Conference: APHA Annual Conference 2022 - 150th Anniversary / American Public Health Association / Atlanta, GA Nov 28 – Dec 1 http://bit.ly/2K5CCm0 Conference: 9th Intl Conference on Infectious Disease Dynamics / Elsevier / Bologna, Italy Nov TBA https://bit.ly/3jq6vhV Conference: ESCAID Annual Conference / ESCAID / TBA

December 2023 – No Events Scheduled

We Need Your Event List The EpiMonitor is beginning the process of assembling our 2024 calendar of worldwide epidemiology and biostatistics events. These events include conferences, summer programs, short courses and more. Please take a moment to send us your event information so you are included in this year’s calendar.

Advertising opportunities for your events exist in this digital publication, on our website, all our social media platforms, and in our Epi-Gram emails.

Michele Gibson / michele@epimonitor.net

Associate / Full Professor – Cancer Epidemiology The Department of Epidemiology and Prevention in the Wake Forest University School of Medicine is experiencing a period of tremendous growth and opportunity, with several ongoing faculty searches underway. With this posting, we are actively recruiting faculty at the Associate or Full Professor rank whose research focuses on cancer epidemiology.

Cancer epidemiologists with methodologic expertise in real world data sources (e.g. electronic health record data, claims data, another registry-based data sources) are especially of interest, as are those with research interests in cancer screening, cancer symptoms, comorbidities, cancer care delivery, and survivorship. Leadership opportunities within the Atrium Health Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center may be available, dependent on candidate interests and experience. This position recruitment may reside in either Winston-Salem or Charlotte, North Carolina.

The new strategic partnership between Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium Health, and Advocate (below) has created an unparalleled opportunity for epidemiologic research in cancer screening, care delivery, and consequences of cancer-related treatments.

Department of Epidemiology and Prevention Wake Forest’s Department of Epidemiology and Prevention is one of four departments comprising the Division of Public Health Sciences (others are Biostatistics and Data Science, Implementation Science, and Social Sciences and Health Policy). Established in 1989, Public Health Sciences consistently ranks in the top 10 for National Institutes of Health funding among national academic medical center peer groups. In the past decade alone, the Division generated nearly $500 million of Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s research funding.

Wake Forest University School of Medicine Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM) serves as the academic core of Advocate Health and is among the top 50 research institutions in the United States. Advocate Health (AH) is a large, integrated healthcare delivery system that serves nearly 6 million patients annually and is the fifth largest nonprofit health system in the nation. The health organization is comprised of more than 1,000 care sites and 67 hospitals across 6 states spanning the Southeastern and Midwestern portions of the United States. The expertise, size, and scope of our highly integrated enterprise positions us to be uniquely poised to identify mechanisms of disease, and address barriers and challenges associated with the translation of research into effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of disease.

Qualifications ♦ Associate or Full Professor Rank ♦ Desire and ability to work collaboratively across disciplines ♦ Active research portfolio demonstrating methodologic research interests and experience in conducting and leading cancer-related research ♦ An established record of obtaining extramural funding ♦ Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion ♦ Commitment to teaching and mentoring graduate, post-graduate, junior faculty, and/or clinicians ♦ Advanced degree (e.g., PhD, MD, PharmD), with PhD in epidemiology strongly preferred Interested candidates may submit their curriculum vitae and cover letter to Bridgette Harris Blackwell (bblackwe@wakehealth.edu) and Mara Vitolins, DrPH (mvitolin@wakehealth.edu )Applicants whose research experience and interests are determined to align with the strategic goals for growth of the Department will be offered the opportunity to provide a Research Statement, Statement of Teaching Philosophy (optional) and sample publication(s). These positions will remain open until all anticipated positions are filled. Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to achieving diversity among its faculty and staff.

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For more information please contact: Michele Gibson / michele@epimonitor.net

(2) PostDoc Research Fellows Biostatistics / Epidemiology / Geography This two-year postdoctoral position in Professor Tanser and Professor Mwambi’s research group is embedded in a recently awarded National Institute Health R01 grant. The project seeks to develop the next-generation HIV-prevention strategies for poor rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The project will: 1) Quantify the shifts in the spatial, temporal and demographic burden of HIV incidence and underlying viral load patterns in a full population cohort in rural South Africa; 2) Harness the changes in the dynamics of the HIV epidemic to design future intervention programs which will maximize HIV incidence reduction based on the dynamic needs of the most vulnerable sub-populations.

The successful candidates will have access to one of the largest ongoing population-based HIV cohorts in the world - the Africa Health Research Institute’s population cohort in rural KwaZulu-Natal, which includes over 90,000 individuals, with individuallevel sociodemographic, biological, and clinical record data as well as comprehensive genomics data. Successful candidates will receive a generous tax-free stipend. Once appointed, the successful candidates will be supported to apply for externally funded personal fellowships and grants and develop collaborations/skills for their career development. They will receive mentorship from leading scientists and faculty members in AHRI, who commonly publish in some of the top journals in the field (Science, Nature and Lancet).

Candidates will be based at our state-of-the-art campuses in KwaZulu-Natal which are located in Durban and Somkhele respectively.

The minimum qualifications and experience required for these research posts are: ♦ PhD in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Econometrics, Mathematical Modelling, Spatial Analytics or a closely related quantitative field ♦ Several high-quality publications as a first author ♦ Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team ♦ Excellent written and oral communication skills ♦ Good interpersonal skills and team orientated To apply, email a detailed CV, cover letter indicating the position you are applying for and a research statement describing your research interests to education@ahri.org. For more information you can contact Prof. Tanser at frank.tanser@ahri.org or Prof Mwambi at mwambi@ukzn.ac.za. AHRI reserves the right not to make an appointment. Please consider your application unsuccessful if you have not been contacted within four weeks of the closing date.

Faculty Position Epidemiology We welcome applicants with research expertise in cancer, molecular, environmental, or infectious diseases epidemiology, although individuals with interests in other areas of epidemiologic research will also be considered. Skills and training in epidemiologic methods, genetic, social, clinical epidemiology, health disparities, informatics, or implementation science are especially desired.

Requirements include but are not limited to: ► A Doctoral degree in epidemiology or a related field (PhD, ScD, DrPH, MD, or equivalent) from an accredited school of public health or educational institution. ► Evidence of or strong potential for establishing an independent, extramurally funded research program. ► An ongoing record of peer-reviewed publications and a national or international scholarship recognition commensurate with career level. ► Demonstrated interest in teaching and a commitment to epidemiology and public health. ► The ability to advise and mentor graduate students and promote a diverse academic environment.

Salary/Benefits ► The university offers faculty members a competitive salary and benefits package. ► The college/department offers dedicated research space and protected time for scholarship. ► The positions also include start-up packages with research support funds, providing opportunities for diverse research experiences. ► The department offers a highly collegial environment with growth potential.

To apply for this position, please visit https://unmc.peopleadmin.com/postings/75310. The start date for the position is July 1, 2024, but it is negotiable with the successful candidate(s).

More information: http://www.epimonitor.net/2023-3748-Epidemiology-Job-Opening.htm

Faculty - Gerontology Under new leadership, the University of Maryland School of Medicine is expanding its program in aging and population health and invites promising candidates to apply for Assistant, Associate, and Professor Faculty positions within the Division of Gerontology of the School’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH). Several open positions exist to recruit faculty with strong commitment to research at a variety of career stages, who are interested in transdisciplinary research in aging, epidemiology, population health, and related areas. Those applying and interested in new leadership positions may also be considered for Director, Division of Gerontology in EPH; Director the campus-wide Center for Research on Aging; and a leadership role in the Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Generous and competitive salary and start-up packages commensurate with career stage and experience will be provided.

The Division of Gerontology hosts multidisciplinary research projects that span topics such as hip fracture recovery, cognitive functioning, Parkinson’s Disease, HIV and aging, women’s health, chronic care and disease management, trauma and emergency care, and methods for studying older persons. Collaboration with other faculty in the department, across the School of Medicine and UM Campuses, and the VA is encouraged. Within the division there is ample opportunity to teach, train, and mentor the next generation of scientists (pre- and post-doctoral) across the fields of epidemiology, gerontology, and health care policy, medical students, and students in other professional schools. The division also is home to a National Institute on Aging Training Grant in the Epidemiology of Aging.

Qualifications: Ph.D. and/or M.D. (or equivalent doctoral degree) with experience collaborating in an interdisciplinary research setting, background in epidemiology, population health, and/or gerontology or related area. A record of extramural research funding is required of those entering above the assistant professor rank. Due to the diverse nature of the work of the department, we welcome those with nontraditional career pathways to apply.

If interested in applying, please submit the following items to search committee chair, Dr. Jay Magaziner, c/o Special Projects Coordinator Erin Walton at erin.walton@som.umaryland.edu, and include the subject line: Research on Aging Recruitment 2023.

More information can be found at: http://www.epimonitor.net/2023-3749-Epidemiology-Job-Opening.htm

Multiple Open Positions: Researcher / Asst-Assoc Professor / PostDoc Fellows PostDoc Researcher - Cancer & Genetic Epidemiology A postdoctoral research position in cancer and genetic epidemiology is available at the USC Center for Genetic Epidemiology within the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at USC. The applicant must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent qualification) with training in epidemiology, biostatistics and/or statistical genetics. The postdoctoral fellow will work directly with Drs. Chris Haiman and David Conti on analyzing risk factors, genetic and other omics data from diverse cohorts including the Multiethnic Cohort study, the RESPOND African American prostate cancer study and other large-scale genetics consortia (e.g. NHGRI PAGE and PRIMED). In addition to cancer, non-cancer outcomes will also be examined including anthropometric traits, diabetes and biomarkers, such as lipids, glucose, insulin or inflammatory markers. Studies focused on polygenic risk score development, rare variant analysis and health disparities research will be available. Desired is an applicant familiar with many of the most common analytic tools for genetic association studies. In addition, they will participate in the presentation of their research and in the writing of publications. The position requires a highly motivated individual with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

More Information: http://www.epimonitor.net/2023-3738a-Epidemiology-Job-Opening.htm

Assistant or Associate Professor / Genetic or Molecular Epidemiology The Center for Genetic Epidemiology within the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC) invites applications for a tenured or tenure track faculty position as Assistant or Associate Professor. The successful candidate is expected to bring or develop an externally funded research program in genetic or molecular epidemiology. Current areas of research activity include studies of genetic susceptibility, biomarkers, metabolomics and the microbiome as they relate to health disparities for common chronic diseases and phenotypes including cancer and metabolic diseases including diabetes. Expertise in genomic analysis and in the initiation of population-based resources for studies of the molecular and genetic basis of disease is desired.

More Information: http://www.epimonitor.net/2023-3738b-Epidemiology-Job-Opening.htm

T32 Postdoctoral Fellowships Multidisciplinary Training in Ethnic Diversity & Cancer Disparities The University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UHCC) and University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCCC), both National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers, are seeking applications for postdoctoral fellowships in Cancer Epidemiology in a Multiethnic Population. The training program is supported by the NIH/NCI under the T32 mechanism. Trainees will experience the interdisciplinary nature of behavioral, environmental, genetic and epigenetics causes of cancer disparities through individually tailored educational and research experiences. Given that this postdoctoral fellowship is a bi-institutional training program (UHCC: lifestyle, diet/nutrition and biomarkers; USC: genetics/molecular epidemiology, biostatistics/bioinformatics), all postdoctoral fellows will be exposed to a wide range of innovative molecular and traditional epidemiological approaches

More Information: http://www.epimonitor.net/2023-3738c-Epidemiology-Job-Opening.htm

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