Skip to main content

Lifecourse Epidemiology & Genomics Division

The mission of the Lifecourse Epidemiology & Genomics Division is to provide statewide leadership and expertise essential for integrating both genomics and epidemiologic science into maternal, child health, chronic disease, and other related public health programs.

The Division's Goals

  • Follow-up of individuals with heritable disorders; through the statewide Newborn Screening (NBS) program.
     
  • Prevention and education strategies targeted to cancer (breast and ovarian) and birth defects.
     
  • Monitoring of risk factors and population health through the following:
     
    • Case review systems (i.e., sudden cardiac death review, maternal death review).
       
    • Routine epidemiologic surveillance to document trends and to assess disparities in morbidity, mortality, and costs in disease topic areas including but not limited to cardiovascular, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, and for different populations from infants, children, pregnant women, childbearing age women and men to the elderly.
  • Evaluation of the impact of health programs, interventions, and services related to chronic disease maternal and child health, and genomics.
     
  • Promotion of translation of research and evidence-based prevention strategies into public health policy and practice as it pertains to chronic disease, maternal and child health, and genomics.
     
  • Promotion and implementation of innovative projects related to the life span approach to public health.
     

The Division's Work

  • Two major surveys funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS) and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), are housed and administered in this Division.
     
  • The Division also assists in the department's response to inquiries regarding local adverse health events (disease clusters), and collaborates on the development and enhancement of surveillance indicators and systems.
     
  • Recently, the Division has been intensively involved in the development of BioTrust for Health that through a better storage of the residual dried blood spots (DBS) from newborn screening (NBS) make them more useful for medical and public health research.
     

The Division's Structure

Genomics Section
The Public Health Genomics Section (PHG) promotes and supports the application of genomics to improve the health of Michigan residents throughout the lifespan. The programs work on the prevention and management of health conditions such as birth defects, sickle cell disease, inborn errors of metabolism, hereditary cancer, and sudden cardiac death of the young. In addition, PHG oversees the state's biobank and its appropriate use in health research.
 

Newborn Screening Follow-up Section
The newborn screening program, conducted jointly with the state public health laboratory, provides follow up, medical management and quality assurance for all Michigan newborn infants identified with one of more than fifty disorders, such as phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, galactosemia, biotinidase deficiency, maple syrup urine disease, sickle cell anemia, medium chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency, citrullinemia, argininosuccinic aciduria, homocystinuria, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
 

Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Section
Responsibilities include epidemiological studies and surveillance of adverse maternal-child health outcomes. Epidemiological analyses are conducted using established data sources, including vital records, registry data, hospitalization data, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), Children's Special Health Care Services program, Hospital discharge data, Medicaid and Women, Infants and Children program, etc. Specific diseases surveillance activities include the Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance system designed to identify all deaths that occur in pregnant women or in women who gave birth within the 12 months prior to death.
 

Chronic Disease Epidemiology Section
Responsibilities include epidemiological studies and surveillance of chronic diseases and health disparities. Epidemiological analyses are conducted using established data sources, including vital records, registry data, hospitalization data, Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS), and other Specific disease surveillance activities include the conduct of the Michigan BRFS, an annual statewide telephone survey of over 3,500 households.
 

Contact us:

Lifecourse Epidemiology & Genomics Division
P.O. Box 30195
333 S. Grand Ave.
Lansing, MI 48909-30195

 

   ► Contact Information for Lifecourse Epidemiology & Genomics Division Staff