POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCES

CENTRE FOR

POPULATION HEALTH

SCIENCES

CENTRE FOR

POPULATION HE

CCNS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2005 TO PROMOTE RESEARCH IN THE GENERAL AREA OF COGNITION, AS

IT APPLIED TO MEDICINE, INFORMATICS AND NEUROSCIENCE

• Undertake high quality research in topics of public health importance, by developing and applying statistical,

epidemiological and social science methods.

• Provide a high-profile focus for population research at the University of Edinburgh and a strong base for competing for major research grants.

• Facilitate collaborative working within the research Centre and beyond, and foster areas of research strength by attracting high-calibre researchers.

• Contribute to improvement in public health and primary care by dissemination and translation of research findings.

• Offer an excellent research training environment in population health sciences and a vibrant research milieu for

postgraduate students and new researchers.

THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE INSTITUTE OF GENETICS AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE

THE MISSION OF THE CENTRE FOR POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCES IS TO:

EALTH SCIENCES

BRIEF HISTORY

•University of Edinburgh has long tradition of world class research in public health and in general practice.

•In 2003 new Centre for Public Health & Primary Care Research launched to foster interdisciplinary collaboration in research.

•Renamed as Centre for Population Health Sciences in 2008 in recognition of increasing involvement throughout the University of biomedical scientists, social scientists and clinicians in population health research.

•Since inception, substantial increases in research funding, postgraduate students, and high impact publications.

•In 2010 move takes place to a unified Centre on one site with single streamlined management system and a large critical mass of high quality, multi-disciplinary researchers in population health.

RESEARCH PROFILE

The Centre for Population Health Sciences brings together key disciplines for population health research: epidemiology, statistics, medical sociology and health economics. The Centre acts as a hub for these disciplines while research is conducted in close

collaboration with biomedical scientists, social scientists, clinicians and policy makers in the University and beyond.

Principal areas of research:

•Genetic epidemiology of complex disease

•Society and health

•Cardiovascular epidemiology

•Statistics and clinical trials

•Palliation and cancer in primary care

•Allergic and respiratory disease

•Informatics and e-health

•International health

Each area involves several members of staff and may encompass unit, programme and project grant funding. Fellowships support doctoral students and junior researchers. The scope of research extends from aetiological studies to clinical trials/health services research and includes both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Underpinning these areas of research are key cross cutting themes of interdisciplinarity; ethnicity; knowledge transfer, exchange and dissemination; population translation; and public engagement with science.

Left: John Usher, distiller, benefactor and co-founder of one of the first chairs in the then new discipline of Public Health.

He founded ‘The John Usher Institute of Public Health’ in Edinburgh in 1902.

RESEARCH SUCCESSES

•Major programme for studies in genetic isolate populations (MRC, EC, CSO), genetics of colon cancer (MRC, CR UK) and Bayesian methods (MRC).

•Discovery of mismatched repair genes and chromosome susceptibility loci for colon cancer (NEJM 2006; Nat Genetics 2007, 2008 x 4) and urate transport for gout (Nat Genet 2008).

•Ankle brachial index shown to be important predictor of cardiovascular events (Br Med J 1996, Circulation 2004, JAMA 2008).

•Major programme funding for community aspirin trial (BHF, CSO, Wellcome), diabetes prevention and risk of cognitive impairment (MRC x 2).

•Research programme established in cancer screening and palliation in primary care (NIH, NCRI, DOH, CSO).

•Understanding aetiology, burden and management of allergic disease (J Allerg Clin Immunol 2003, 2007 x 2, Lancet 2005, Br Med J 2005, 2006 x 2, PLoS Med 2006).

•Research funding for social dimensions on important health issues: smoking, drug addiction, family diet, stem cell research, cancer genetics, diabetes care (ESRC x 4, NHS Health Scot x 5, DOH/NIHR x 2).

•Continued sustainability of the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships after its establishment in 2001.

•Establishment of Edinburgh Trials Methodology Hub (MRC) and funding for major trials in cancer, cardiovascular disease and head injury (NIH, MRC, CRUK, BHF).

•Prevention trials initiated in South Asians (MRC, NPRI, NHS R+D) and cultural influences on disease reported (Br Med J 2003, 2004, 2006 x 2, Lancet 2005, PLoS Med 2006).

•Major programme grant funding awarded for IT and e-health evaluation in NHS (NHS Connecting for Health x 3, NHS Patient Safety x 2, CSO x 4) following on from earlier reports (Br Med J 2003 x 3, 2004 x 2).

•New international health group established with major funding (Gates Foundation, WHO, UNICEF, Scot Exec).

High impact publications on child health (Lancet 2005 x 2, 2008 x 3, PLoS Med 2007).

VALUE ADDED

Opportunity to foster substantive multidisciplinary research between epidemiologists, statisticians and social scientists in public health and primary care with biomedical scientists and clinicians throughout the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Links especially to the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, the Queen's Medical Research Institute, and the College of Humanities and Social Science.

MAJOR SOURCES OF FUNDING

Research grants have been obtained from major national and international sources, including NIH (USA), European

Community, MRC, Wellcome Trust, Wolfson Foundation, Royal Society, Gates Foundation, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation, CSO (Scotland) and other government and charitable bodies.

RESEARCH GROUPS

GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COMPLEX DISEASE

This programme of work in genetic epidemiology, led by Prof Harry Campbell and Prof Paul McKeigue, is producing groundbreaking research on the influence of genes on health – and the complex interactions which exist between genes and environment. The work includes a focus on genetic isolate populations (Orkney Study led by Dr Jim Wilson, Croatian Study led by Dr Igor Rudan, EUROSPAN), the genetic basis of colorectal cancer and major cohort studies such as Generation Scotland. Dr Niall Anderson provides additional expertise on statistical genetics.

CARDIOVASCULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY

The Cardiovascular Epidemiology Group (Prof Raj Bhopal, Prof Gerry Fowkes, Dr Jackie Price, Dr Sarah Wild) focuses on peripheral vascular diseases, vascular cognitive impairment, ethnicity and cardiovascular disease, and diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

The group conducts population based aetiological studies and prevention trials, benefiting from interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly with the Centre for Cardiovascular Science. Major studies include the Edinburgh Artery Study, Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study, the Edinburgh Vein Study, Aspirin for Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis trial, PODOSA trial, and Scottish Diabetes Register.

PALLIATION AND CANCER IN PRIMARY CARE

Palliative care led by Prof Scott Murray, examines the experiences of patients with progressive life-threatening illnesses and their carers, with the aim of developing and testing best models of care. A major focus is palliative care for non-malignant conditions, especially in the community. Prof David Weller, with Dr Christine Campbell, leads a programme which examines the role of primary care in the early diagnosis and screening of cancer, follow-up and survivorship. This work is being taken forward under the auspices of the National Cancer Institute and Scottish School of Primary Care. Dr Chris Burton is investigating patients with medically unexplained symptoms.

ALLERGIC AND RESPIRATORY DISEASE

This group under the leadership of Prof Aziz Sheikh, with Dr Allison Worth, is engaged in a wide range of educational, research, clinical, and policy related initiatives concerning respiratory and allergic problems. Key areas of interest include improved understanding of early life risk factors for the development of allergic problems, novel approaches to identification of allergic sensitisation and those with a poor prognosis, and studying the effectiveness of immuno- modulatory treatments for the primary prevention and management of allergic problems.

SOCIETY AND HEALTH

Social science activity in the Centre is led by Prof Sarah Cunningham-Burley, Prof Amanda Amos, Prof Kathryn

Backett-Milburn and Prof Steve Platt. Key strengths of the group include: development and use of a range of social science methodologies, theories and concepts; expertise in quantitative,

qualitative and mixed social research methods; expertise in the evaluation of complex interventions for health improvement. Key projects include: evaluation of smoke free policies; social and cultural context in which diabetes is experienced and managed (led by Dr Julia Lawton); social aspects of suicidal behaviour; public engagement with medicine, especially genetics (led by Dr Nina Hallowell); eating habits among adolescents in the family; and drug addiction (led by Dr Roy Robertson). Joint appointments and close links are maintained with the Centre for Research in Families and Relationships.

STATISTICS AND CLINICAL TRIALS

Statistics is a core discipline in the Centre for Population Health Sciences which is a natural hub for statistical expertise within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The Edinburgh Trials Methodology Hub (MRC) led by Prof Gordon Murray with Dr Steff Lewis is developing novel clinical trial methodologies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of translational research. The group links closely to the Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit and provides statistical expertise on many major clinical trials, especially concerned with head injury and cardiovascular disease. Dr John Forbes is an expert on economic analysis of trials and Dr Pam Warner leads

epidemiological and statistical research on reproductive health including menstrual disorders.

INFORMATICS AND E-HEALTH

Informatics and eHealth research represents a major strand of activity within the Centre, and complements research in other areas, such as respiratory health. The Centre also leads the eHealth Interdisciplinary Research Group (chaired by Dr Claudia Pagliari) and the MSc in Health Informatics (in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh). Other staff with an interest in this area include Dr Brian McKinstry, Dr Hilary Pinnock, Prof Aziz Sheikh and Dr Karen Fairhurst. Projects involve collaborations with other disciplines and specialties and include topics such as telemetric self monitoring of chronic conditions; telephone consulting; evaluation of summary care records; patient and public attitudes to data sharing.

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH

International Health led by Dr Igor Rudan, with Dr Liz Grant and Prof Harry Campbell, is an emergent research activity within the Centre.

Major topics within this overall activity include international child health, chronic disease epidemiology, ethnicity and health, palliative care and health systems research. Projects include work on the WHO Global Burden of Diseases project; modelling the impact of emerging interventions against pneumonia; and novel methods of research priority setting in international health.

CENTRE FOR

POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCES

THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE INSTITUTE OF GENETICS AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE

MAJOR FACILITIES/EQUIPMENT

The Centre has substantial office, teaching and computing facilities in the University central area. Research surveys are conducted mostly in the community. Clinical data is collected in the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility at the Western General Hospital and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

KEY EXTERNAL LINKS/COLLABORATIONS

The Centre for Population Health Sciences has close working relationships with other research centres and groupings within the University.

In addition, the Centre has numerous links with national and international bodies outwith the University, including academic groups within Scotland, the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy, the Scottish School of Primary Care, UK public health Centres of Excellence, the European Community and the World Health Organisation.

FUTURE PLANS AND DIRECTIONS

In 2009, the Centre produced a strategic vision for the period up to 2015: ‘From Centre to Institute’. Key elements of this vision included:

•Further consolidation in a new fit for purpose building in Edinburgh

•Growth in capacity in academic staff, PhD and research fellow staff, and grant income.

•Stronger alignment with key research groupings in the University, especially the Queen’s Medical Research Institute and Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine.

•Initiate and develop new areas of research in population health sciences with potential for growth and impact.

•Formation of an Institute drawing together partners in population health sciences from within the University, the NHS and beyond.

OTHER INFORMATION

•PhD programme (50 students)

•MSc Public Health Research course (30 students)

•Monthly and weekly seminar series

•Annual Centre research symposium

•Journal clubs

•Travel scholarships for international conferences.

POSTGRADUATE CONTACT DETAILS

Maggie Luttrell (Maggie.Luttrell@ed.ac.uk) Telephone: +44 (0) 131 650 3227

POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS

http://www.chs.med.ed.ac.uk/cphs

CONTACT DETAILS

Medical School Teviot Place Edinburgh EH8 9AG

Contact tel. +44 (0)131 650 3220 Email Julie.Macmillan@ed.ac.uk

Website http://www.chs.med.ed.ac.uk/cphs

Centre for Population Health Sciences Queen’s Medical

Research Institute

Centre for Cardiovascular Science

Centre for Reproductive Biology

Centre for Inflammation Research

Institute of Genetics and Molecular

Medicine

MRC Human Genetics Unit Cancer Research Centre

College of Humanities and

Social Science

Centre for Research in Families and Relationships School of Health & Wellbeing

Public Health Policy