In 2010, the Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, established a Division of Public Health Sciences and appointed Dr. Graham A. Colditz, MD, DrPH, the Niess-Gain professor of surgery and associate director of prevention and control at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, as chief of the division.

Building on relationships with the Siteman Cancer Center and the Institute for Public Health, the division is a component of the population health initiative outlined by Washington University School of Medicine leadership. The division gives a home to a diverse group of researchers and clinicians, including epidemiologists, population scientists and biostatisticians.

Under Colditz’s leadership, the Division of Public Health Sciences broadens the scope of population-based research by providing a platform for investigators from multiple disciplines to collaborate on projects that affect strategies in clinical care and outcomes. Currently, the division is made up of 25 investigators. Researchers are examining the impact of behaviors, communication, health screenings, treatments and the environment. They study subjects ranging from cancer recurrence and weight control to cancer screening access to doctor-patient communication and much more.

To learn more about the Division of Public Health Sciences, please visit www.publichealthsciences.wustl.edu.