THE DIVISION OF EPIDEMIOLOGY RESEARCH CENTERS AND PROJECTS
"Aligning strengths to discover solutions"
Our centers and research projects provide the ideal conditions for our multidisciplinary researchers to pursue their unique avenues of investigations, joining their strengths with those of their colleagues and leveraging the resources of some of the world's best equipped institutions. Directory of Research Investigators and Research Associates.
Research Projects:
Dr. Matthew Samore, M.D.
Title: Research Centers of Excellence in Public Health Informatics - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
We propose to create the Public Health Informatics, Decision-support, Evaluation, Analysis and Surveillance (IDEAS) Center. Its theme will be system alignment and data integration to support the public health functions of preparedness, evaluation, surveillance, analysis, decision-making, and response. More Information
Dr. Matthew Samore, M.D.
Title: Rural Trial of Clinic Order Entry with Decison Support - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The purpose of this grant is to measure the value of a health information technology (HIT) intervention called the Computerized Clinic Order Entry (CCOE) tool. The proposed study builds on a recently completed rural community randomized trial using handheld computers (PDAs) equipped with standalone clinical decision support systems (CDSS) to promoted appropriate use of antimicrobials. More Information
Dr. Matthew Samore, M.D.
Title: Intermountain Center of Excellence for Infection Prevention Strategies - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
We propose to establish a CDC-funded Epi-Center for Prevention of Healthcare-associated Infection called the Intermountain Center of Excellence for Infection Prevention Strategies (INTERCEPT). The overarching objective of the Center is to conduct research and lead programs that reduce the burden of healthcare-related infections and other types of adverse events. More Information
Dr. Maureen Murtaugh, Ph.D.
Title: VALIDATION OF EARTH STUDY DIET HISTORY - NIH National Cancer Institute
The major scientific goal of the AIAN Cohort Study is to determine how diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle and cultural factors relate to the development and progression of chronic diseases as well as relate to injuries, development of cataracts and other eye diseases, and age at time of death. More Information
Dr. Maureen Murtaugh, Ph.D.
Title: NAVAJO BONE HEALTH STUDY - NIH National Cancer Institute
The Navajo Bone Health Study aims to begin surveillance of bone health on the Navajo Nation. These efforts will in time enable the Navajo Nation to plan screening and culturally appropriate education and intervention programs targeted toward the segments of the population who are at greatest risk for fracture or osteoporosis. More Information
Dr. Michael Rubin, M.D., Ph.D.
Title: ANTIBIOTIC USE & BACTERIURIA IN THE RURAL NURSING HOME - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The goal of this proposal is to improve the care and safety of residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in rural areas of Utah by addressing the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and inappropriate antibiotic use in this setting. Antibiotics are heavily used in nursing homes, and the selection pressure exerted by this level of antibiotic use, particularly in a contained environment, is enormous. More Information
Dr. Martha L. Slattery, Ph.D.
Title: DIET AND SOMATIC MUTATIONS IN COLON CANCER - NIH National Cancer Institute
It is most probable that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to colon cancer etiology. At present, we have the capabilities to look at the interaction between dietary intake and genes which have been linked to colon cancer. In this study, we will obtain tumor tissue from cases enrolled in a large population-based case-control study of colon cancer (CA 48998). More Information
Dr. Martha L. Slattery, Ph.D.
Title: FOUR-CORNERS BREAST AND ENDOMETRIAL CANCER STUDY - NIH National Cancer Institute
The incidence of breast cancer varies almost three-fold between non-Hispanic white populations and Native American and Hispanic populations living in the 4-Corners area of the United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah). Interestingly, although American Indian and Hispanic women have higher prevalences of many risk factors for breast cancer identified in non-Hispanic white women (i.e. obesity, low levels of vigorous physical activity, low intakes of fruits and vegetables, high rates of insulin resistance) they have lower cancer incidence rates. More Information
Dr. Martha L. Slattery, Ph.D.
Title: GROWTH FACTORS AND COLON CANCER - NIH National Cancer Institute
A case-control study to assess the independent and combined effects of dietary intake, physical activity, body size, reproductive factors, and family history on the risk of colon cancer in whites is proposed. All first primary colon cancer cases (n=2400) and controls (n=2400) from Utah, Minnesota, and participants of the Northern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program will be eligible for the study. More Information
Dr. Martha Slattery, Ph.D.
Title: DIET, ACTIVITY, AND REPRODUCTION AS RISKS FOR CANCER - NIH National Cancer Institute
We propose to expand our study of large bowel cancer by obtaining environmental and genetic data from individuals with rectal and rectosigmoid junction tumors. The original proposal was to evaluate interactions between environmental exposures; we expand this to look at environmental exposures with genetic susceptibility. More Information
Dr. Martha L. Slattery, Ph.D.
Title: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF ALASKA NATIVES & AMERICAN INDIANS - NIH National Cancer Institute
Obesity or lack or energy balance appears to be critical to the development of several chronic diseases, including cancers of the colon, uterus, prostate and breast, diabetes, and heart disease. Obesity and its consequences represent the largest single health disparity among American Indians. In this continuation of the Navajo portion of the Alaska Native American Indian cohort, we propose to study the broad spectrum of energetics encompassing both causes and consequences of obesity. More Information | 
