Center for Law in Science and Global Health
Collaboration
Institute for Public Health Genetics
The University of Washington Institute for Public Health Genetics (IPHG) was established in 1997 with funding from the University Initiatives Fund. The mission of the Institute is to provide broad, multidisciplinary training for future public health professionals, to facilitate research in public health genetics, and to serve as a resource for continuing professional education. A multidisciplinary program of study leading to a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and a graduate certificate (for students enrolled in other UW graduate programs) are offered by the IPHG, and have been in place since 1998. Programs leading to a master of science (M.S.) degree in Genetic Epidemiology, and a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Public Health Genetics were implemented in the Autumn Quarter, 2003.
The aim of the University of Washington program in Public Health Genetics is to bring together the public health sciences of epidemiology, environmental health, biostatistics, pathobiology, and health services with health economics, outcomes research, cost-effectiveness research, genomics, ethics, law, and social sciences to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to apply genetic advances to public health. The IPHG curriculum focuses on phenotypic disease prevention in communities and populations, not only individual patients and their families. Increasingly, our IPHG is focusing on the global applications and impact of genetic knowledge and technologies.
Other Ongoing Multidisciplinary Collaborations:
Funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute and a Center for Excellence in ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Social Implications) Research, CGHE is a collaboration between the Department of Medical Ethics, the School of Law, Oregon Health Sciences University, and numerous affiliated researchers from UW and other Universities.
The Center is dedicated to addressing two overarching themes accompanying the clinical integration of genomics:
- The need to define criteria that lead to clinically and socially appropriate applications of genomic health care; and
- The need for a translational pathway that incorporates the goal of reducing health and health care disparities among the medically underserved.
- At present, our population focus is Native American populations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and CGHE is deeply engaged in community-based participatory research.
- Among the substantive topics currently under study is the global response to DNA databanking and the privacy rights of contributing subjects.
- The Center provides education and consultative services to the WWAMI ( Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) region, including numerous workshops, short courses, and distance learning. Professor Kuszler develops and teaches programs to the 5 states on public health law and policy.
- This is an active research program funded by NIH to develop methods for biopreparedness in the age of global terrorism and to disseminate educational modules to the public health workforce.
Forensic Nursing Program
- This program is a collaboration with the Nursing School in its Masters of Nursing degree program that seeks to train nurses in forensic documentation and evidence preservation so that victims of violence, abuse and accidents can optimize their chances for legal redress.
- This Health Resources Services Agency (HRSA) funded program is currently awaiting renewal funding.
Other Collaborations with Medical School and Childrens’ Hospital
- Numerous grant-funded projects focusing on law and medical ethics.
- A grant-funded research project to study access issues confronting children with congenital craniofacial disorders.