Epidemiology and Public Health Group

Improving the health of human populations.

We carry out research into the determinants of health and disease to improve the health of human populations through occupational and public health, molecular epidemiology and connected disciplines

Our multidisciplinary team is engaged in a wide range of collaborative research and development activities. Our Head of Group is Dr Andrew Jones.

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Research units
Courses
Contact us

We have four main themes of research:

Public health
Occupational and environmental health
Molecular epidemiology
Trauma

We have particular expertise in:

Epidemiological methods
Analysis of large and complex data
Policy-related health research
Molecular epidemiology
Understanding health trauma
Occupational and environmental health determinants
Exposure assessment
Urban health and wellbeing
Substance misuse epidemiology
Analysis of administrative and survey datasets

Our people

Research units

Our research is delivered by five groups, with distinct expertise and funding sources.

They are linked by a number of shared or connected themes and a focus on renewing and developing the evidence base for the practice of public health medicine.

Find out more about each unit under the headings below.

Molecular epidemiology

Our Molecular Epidemiology Group focuses on factors that influence susceptibility to disease based on the genome, together with measures of actual risk assessed through epigenetic, immunological and other biological pathways. The social and cultural environments in which people live are also important.

The mission of the group is to:

Develop disease risk prediction models for early detection and prevention.
Assess differences in disease susceptibility and risk in individuals and populations and the multiple environmental, genetic and other host physiological factors that jointly contribute to disease.
Develop research resources, infrastructure, and consortia with a focus on personal susceptibility factors to facilitate and maximize the scientific potential of disease epidemiology research.

Our work also aims to disseminate to the public, health care professionals, scientists engaged in disease control, and the public health community.

Learn more about the Molecular Epidemiology Group (CIGMR)

Heads of unit

Dr Janine Lamb and Professor Ken Muir

Occupational and environmental health

The Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) aims to increase our understanding of environmental and occupational risk factors for human health in order to inform policy and other interventions.

We engage in highly interdisciplinary research employing a variety of methodologies, and collaborate closely with the Thomas Ashton Institute (TAI) and the Manchester Environmental Research Institute (MERI).

We have a wide-ranging doctoral programme as well as being the foremost academic centre for postgraduate education in occupational medicine and occupational hygiene in the country.

The Centre’s research is funded by a variety of sources including the UK research councils, Health and Safety Executive, Department of Health and various charities.

Learn more about COEH

Head of unit

Professor Martie van Tongeren

Urban health

The Manchester Urban Collaboration on Health (MUCH) performs world-class research, teaching and training applicable to populations locally, nationally and globally. We have a number of international and local projects, and contribute to the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum.

We collaborate closely with a number of global and European urban and public health networks including WHO Euro, WHO Centre for Health Development, UN Habitat, the International Society of Urban Health, and the European Public Health Association.

The unit also proudly organises the annual International Festival of Public Health and is a member of the Northern Universities’ Public Health Alliance.

Learn more about MUCH

Head of unit

Professor Arpana Verma

Drug evidence

The National Drug Evidence Centre (NDEC) is a cross-Divisional group. It carries out epidemiological, evaluative and policy related research in the field of substance misuse, with a focus on surveillance and evaluation of substance misuse treatment.

We collaborate closely with Public Health England to monitor and evaluate substance misuse treatment (National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, NDTMS) and with a European Centre (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, EMCDDA) to provide treatment surveillance data for the UK.

We have an ongoing collaboration with Change, Grow, Live (CGL), the main national provider of clinical treatment for substance misuse, contributing our research expertise to maximise use of real-world data for service users’ benefit.

Learn more about NDEC

Heads of unit

Dr Andrew Jones (Population Health) and Professor Tim Millar (Psychology)

Trauma epidemiology

The Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) is the mandated national clinical audit for traumatic injury and collects data from all trauma-receiving hospitals across England, Wales and Ireland.

Established in 1990, TARN has become the key national provider for delivering evidence of quality trauma care for both clinical and commissioning purposes. Information is delivered in the form of national clinical reports and major trauma dashboards to support all trusts in their governance of trauma care.

In addition, TARN:

is central to the allocation of the Best Practice Tariff for Major Trauma, which provides in excess of £60 million per annum across NHS England;
holds the second-largest global trauma registry and manages a significant research portfolio;
delivers national projects, including supporting initiatives set out by the Department of Health, NHS England, and healthcare regulatory bodies such as the Care Quality Commission;
is a non-profit making organisation and is a subscription-based audit funded by at least 220 NHS hospitals each year.

Learn more about TARN