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.

On this page:

We have three main themes of research:

  1. Occupational and environmental health
  2. Molecular epidemiology
  3. Substance misuse

We have particular expertise in:

  • Epidemiological methods
  • Analysis of large and complex data
  • Policy-related health research
  • Molecular epidemiology
  • Occupational and environmental health determinants
  • Exposure assessment
  • Substance misuse epidemiology
  • Analysis of administrative and survey datasets
Our people

Research units

Our research is delivered by three 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

 

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)

< Back to top

Courses

We have an active doctoral programme. We provide postgraduate teaching at an international level in occupational health and public health, and undergraduate teaching in public health.

PhDs

For specific projects see the ‘Opportunities’ tab on individual researcher profiles, or search our project finder.

Undergraduate

Taught master’s

 

< Back to top

Contact us

Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about our research.

Maureen Glendinning
Administrative assistant
Email: maureen.glendinning@manchester.ac.uk

Dr Andrew Jones
Head of Group
Email: andrew.jones@manchester.ac.uk

< Back to top

The University of Manchester