Our Focus

Our faculty and students conduct research on population-level disease prevention, health promotion, health policy, and more. We have a tradition of excellence in research and the application of that knowledge through public health practice and service. Our experienced faculty share their research with community leaders, policymakers, and fellow researchers to better inform the public, respond to emergencies, and provide counsel on emerging health issues facing communities.

Our research- and practice-focused centers specialize in a wide range of important public health topics—including diabetes epidemiology, cancer prevention, and statistical consulting—and are nationally, if not internationally, recognized for their work. Our Center for Global Health is the only World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Promoting Family and Child Health in the Americas. We’re also home to nationally-funded research centers including the Colorado Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence, one of six centers of its kind funded by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center, one of 10 centers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration Agency; and the Center for Health, Work & Environment (one of 10 centers of its kind funded by the CDC).  

Contact Information 

If you need specific guidance on your research, contact your department chair or Associate Dean for Research, Dana Dabelea:

• Department of Biostatistics & Informatics: David Conti
• Department of Community & Behavioral Health: Jenn Leiferman
• Department of Environmental & Occupational Health: Beth Carlton
• Department of Epidemiology: Jill Norris
• Department of Health Systems, Management & Policy: Glen Mays

Our Team 

Collaborative Research Spotlight

Delineating a Spectrum of Physician Participation in Medical Aid in Dying: A Qualitative Exploration

Karen Albright, Denae Gerasta, Todd D Becker, Vinay Kini, Daniel D Matlock, Stacy M Fischer, Eric G Campbell _____________

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State Cannabis Policy and Public Health Research in the United States: Policy Disconnects and Research Gaps

Public Health Impact Statement: Cannabis policies have evolved rapidly across the United States, yet the scientific evidence needed to inform these policies has not kept pace. Our review highlights the importance of moving beyond simply distinguishing between states with and without legal cannabis markets and instead examining the specific policies and regulations states are adopting and their implications for public health. By identifying gaps between state cannabis policymaking and the research being conducted, our work highlights opportunities to better align research priorities with policymakers' needs and ultimately develop more effective policies that protect and promote public health.

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Anthropogenic and Geogenic Factors Affecting Groundwater Arsenic and Potential Drinking Water Exposure in the San Luis Valley, Colorado

Public Health Impact Statement: This publication is an important manuscript that demonstrates how transdisciplinary teams are essential for addressing the complexity of climate stressors and environmental health and developing solutions to support communities to adapt. Using machine learning and community-derived groundwater data, this study integrates well depth, geological characteristics, and other environmental factors to predict areas where arsenic concentrations may exceed 5 µg/L, a level of concern for potential health impacts. Because nearly 20% of sampled private wells in the San Luis Valley had arsenic concentrations at or above this level, the findings provide a valuable tool for prioritizing water testing, targeting public health interventions, and directing limited resources toward households most likely to be exposed. The model’s ability to estimate arsenic concentrations at different depths also offers a novel approach to understanding how changes in groundwater use and well construction may influence exposure over time. Ultimately, this research supports more proactive, geographically targeted strategies to prevent arsenic exposure and reduce the risk of associated chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, particularly in rural and underserved communities that rely on private wells and may lack routine drinking water monitoring

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Out-of-Pocket Costs for Chronic Illness Management in High-Deductible Health Plans

Public Health Impact Statement: High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) are a common form of health insurance, enrolling more than 40% of privately-insured Americans. Approximately 50% of adults ages 40–64 have a chronic illness, meaning they require regular access to medical care to prevent disease complications. In our national study of more than 500,000 adults, we examined how much patients enrolled in HDHPs paid out-of-pocket to receive a minimum level of guideline-recommended care for diabetes and/or hypertension.

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Immune Regulation by CD55 in Chronic Beryllium Disease

Public Health Impact Statement: Beryllium exposure, primarily in the workplace, results in an abnormal beryllium immune response, detected on a blood test used to screen workers for beryllium sensitization, a precursor to the scarring lung disease, chronic beryllium disease; unfortunately, the blood test does not distinguish sensitization from disease, and additional testing, including a lung biopsy, is needed to determine if someone has chronic beryllium disease. Our study identified that different levels of proteins that impact the immune system were found in chronic beryllium disease cells compared to those with beryllium sensitization (CD55 and CD97), and in serum (sCD55). Furthermore, when CD55 was altered in cell models, there were changes in the immune response to beryllium, supporting that CD55 is a regulator of beryllium-induced immune activation. Thus, these proteins may be tested as biomarkers to discriminate chronic beryllium disease from sensitization, and alteration of this pathway may serve as potential therapeutic targets, which would ultimately reduce the burden of occupational lung disease.

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Faculty Highlight of the Month