Since launching in 2022, the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health (OSPH) has established itself as a vital force in shaping the future of public health in Texas. Whether developing community-based outreach programs and research or training the next generation of public health professionals, this dynamic new school is on a journey of impact and transformation.

Now, OSPH is expanding its footprint to better support organizational and community needs across the city of Dallas, the state, and globally. In January, founding Dean Saad B. Omer, M.P.H., Ph.D., M.B.B.S., announced the creation of four new departments to promote greater collaboration and communication, all in service of the OSPH cornerstone of excellence for impact.

The Department of Epidemiology, led by Jiang He, M.D., M.S., Ph.D., Chair and Professor and a National Academy of Medicine member, aims to identify the causes of disease and find strategies to prevent and control disease in populations. His current team of 14 faculty members provides expertise on molecular and genomic epidemiology, clinical trials and interventional epidemiology, translational and implementation research, geospatial epidemiology, and life-course epidemiology. Research areas include cardiometabolic disease, cancer, infectious diseases, maternal and child health, social determinants of health, and health disparities.

Health Data Science & Biostatistics (HDSB), led by Yang Xie, Ph.D., drives biomedical and public health research innovation through advanced data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and statistical methodologies. With 26 faculty members, HDSB expertise spans AI and machine learning, biostatistics and study design, computational biology, and clinical informatics. Research involves developing cutting-edge AI and biostatistical methods to advance precision health and biomedical discovery. HDSB has established robust data infrastructures, including disease-specific data commons that integrate clinical, imaging, and molecular data across cancers, liver diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS), led by medical anthropologist Carolyn Smith-Morris, Ph.D., examines sociological factors associated with health outcomes. Fifteen current faculty members in this Department are now working to advance social and behavioral interventions to improve health outcomes, explain drivers of health disparity, translate discoveries to meet community needs, and train the next generation of public health practitioners. The program gives primary emphasis to underserved and vulnerable populations.

Health Economics, Systems, and Policy (HESP), led by George Jackson, Ph.D., M.H.A., strives to improve health care delivery and policy through research in health economics, organization of health care and public health systems, implementation and improvement science, and health policy. With 11 faculty members, HESP designs and evaluates public health programs and team-based care models, examines the impact of health policies, develops and tests strategies to implement evidence-based practices, and designs and evaluates policies to enhance health care system performance. This work is based on the faculty members’ interdisciplinary backgrounds and ensures that health systems effectively meet the needs of diverse populations and achieve greater equity in health care access and outcomes.

Collaboration is a crucial element in the OSPH commitment to advancing research, training public health leaders, and providing solutions for population health challenges at local, national, and global levels. Because it is still a relatively new school, Dr. Omer and his leadership team have developed departments that foster partnerships responsive to the structure and nature of modern public health issues.

“Not all UTSW public health happens within the OSPH, therefore we work closely with the clinical departments and create joint appointments. We developed a hybrid structure that works both vertically and horizontally across departments so that teams can share information and knowledge and avoid silos and isolation within departments,” Dr. Omer said.

OSPH has built a robust support network with health care providers, public health agencies, and other community groups to improve public health. Faculty also participate in research collaborations with leading public health agencies and national and international organizations.

The school has cultivated an outstanding educational program, offering Ph.D.s in health economics and policy, applied epidemiology, and health data science, with a fourth concentration available in clinical investigations beginning this year. Two master’s programs offer concentrations in public health and clinical investigation. OSPH students train under national and international leaders in their fields as they work to become public health leaders in federal and state government agencies, academia, and in private and nonprofit sectors.

The success of OSPH has exceeded Dr. Omer’s expectations.

“The campus community emphasizes excellence,” he said. “Our own public health faculty are eager to make an impact, and we are finding receptivity and a high level of collaboration from all corners of the institution – ranging from pediatrics and medicine to the basic science departments. Together we are sharing a passion for uplifting populations, fostering lasting change, and affecting real-world impact in people’s health.”