research@BSPH
The School’s research endeavors aim to improve the public’s health in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Conducting Research That Addresses Public Health Issues Worldwide
Systematic and rigorous inquiry allows us to discover the fundamental mechanisms and causes of disease and disparities. We then translate that knowledge to develop, evaluate, and disseminate treatment and prevention strategies and inform public health practice. Research along this entire spectrum represents a fundamental mission of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
From laboratories in the Wolfe Street building in Baltimore to maternity wards in densely packed neighborhoods in urban Bangladesh to field studies in rural Botswana, Bloomberg School faculty lead research that directly addresses the most critical public health issues worldwide. Research spans from molecules to societies and relies on methodologies as diverse as bench science and epidemiology. That research is translated into impact, from discovering ways to eliminate malaria, increase healthy behavior, reduce the toll of chronic disease, improve the health of mothers and infants, or change the biology of aging.
Faculty conduct research within their departments and across 80+ centers and institutes, and in over 120 countries. Our research efforts represent around 15% of all federal grants and contracts awarded to schools of public health. Additionally, our portfolio also includes tens of millions of dollars in philanthropic support from foundations, nongovernmental organizations and individuals and groups.
Introducing the research@BSPH Ecosystem
The research@BSPH ecosystem aims to foster an interdependent sense of community among faculty researchers, their research teams, administration, and staff that leverages knowledge and develops shared responses to challenges. The ultimate goal is to work collectively to reduce administrative and bureaucratic barriers related to conducting experiments, recruiting participants, analyzing data, hiring staff, and more, so that faculty can focus on their core academic pursuits.
Our goal is simple: "Give people more time to do the things they love to do!" - Greg Kirk, Vice Dean for Research
From securing funding to making an impact, research at the Bloomberg School is a team sport.
The School provides extensive guidance, infrastructure, and support in pursuit of its research mission. Our Office of Research (research@BSPH) is organized into three core areas: strategy and development, implementation and impact, and integrity and oversight. Our exceptional research teams comprised of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and committed staff are united in our collaborative, collegial, and entrepreneurial approach to problem solving. The School actively supports faculty to enhance their ability to secure funding in a competitive environment. Further, we provide support and guidance for successful implementation of research projects and to maximize their impact.
The Bloomberg School ensures that our research is accomplished according to the highest ethical standards and complies with all regulatory requirements. In addition to our institutional review board (IRB) which provides oversight for human subjects research, basic science studies employee techniques to ensure the reproducibility of research. All persons engaged in research at the School undergo continuing education and training in the responsible conduct of research. The School provides access to the tools and resources they need to comply with evolving guidelines and standards.
COVID-19
Our faculty are at the forefront of research on COVID-19. Projects range from leading trials on the efficacy of convalescent plasma treatment, to large community-based epidemiological studies designed to better understand how COVID spreads, to virologic studies characterizing the nature of novel SARS CoV-2 variants. Our faculty are championing vaccine science in the pandemic, leading trials in varied and often underrepresented populations, and providing evidence for implementing equitable access to those vaccines.
SCIBAR
Support for Creative Integrated Basic and Applied Research—is a Bloomberg School initiative that harnesses the breadth of the School’s capabilities to solve complex and pressing public health challenges. At its core is the tenet that nontraditional partnerships within our faculty members—who are among the leading scientists and practitioners in the world—can produce bold initiatives that generate testable hypotheses with practical applications that can benefit the public’s health in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Efforts in Baltimore
As part of our special commitment to Baltimore, our faculty often pursue and publish research addressing health and health conditions in Baltimore in collaboration with the Practice arm of the School.