Health Sciences

Health Sciences

Academic research is sometimes characterized as the stuff of ivory towers, but Arnold School of Public Health scientists are addressing topics that directly affect people’s lives everywhere: health disparities, obesity, and children’s physical activity.

Saving Lives
So, too, are a diverse group of biomedical researchers from across academic disciplines who are studying cancer, neurosciences, bioengineering and regenerative medicine, health disparities, and issues that affect families such as nutrition and exercise, child mental health, and infant development.

Two grants are jump-starting research for a new biomedical engineering program: $13.7 million from the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence at the National Institutes of Health to fund undergraduate research, and $3 million from the National Science Foundation through the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

Research as the great equalizer
The Arnold School’s statewide Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities focuses on promoting and facilitating academic and community partnerships to address health disparities through multidisciplinary research, education, training, and service. Incidence and mortality rates of several types of cancer in South Carolina are much higher for rural and African-American populations.

Healthier children
Russ Pate, an exercise science professor and the University’s associate vice president for health sciences, has directed several important studies on obesity and the need for more childhood exercise.

The state recently implemented the Students Health and Fitness Act. “This important legislation is increasing the number of physical education teachers in elementary schools and is making important changes in the school nutrition environment in schools across South Carolina,” Pate says.

Acclaim for Exercise Science
The Arnold School’s Department of Exercise Science’s Ph.D. program has earned the top ranking in “Kinesiology and Exercise Science” by Academic Analytics.

“This comes as no surprise, as the Arnold School has been recognized regularly as one of the best in the nation for conducting research on physical activity and human health,” says Harris Pastides, South Carolina’s vice president for research and health sciences.

Health Sciences Links

Arnold School of Public Health
Leader in research on health disparities, childhood obesity

Public Health research
Core research areas, funding alerts, grant training, resources

Exercise Science gets top ranking
“Kinesiology and Exercise Science” rates Ph.D. program No. 1

Exercise Science research
Clinical research and community outreach programs

Biomedical research
Including cancer, bioengineering, regenerative medicine, cardiovascular disease, neurosciences

Communication Sciences and Disorders research
Nine laboratories, many of which are affiliated with the McCausland Center for Brain Imaging

Epidemiology and Biostatistics research
Including cancer, diabetes, infectious disease epidemiology, spatial biostatistics

Environmental Health Sciences research
Including industrial hygiene, hazardous materials, environmental quality, coastal studies

Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior research
Including health disparities, nutrition, cancer and HIV/AIDS prevention, health communication

Health Sciences Research Core
Provides methodological, biostatistical, and epidemiologic consultation, collaboration, and support for health sciences research by University faculty, partner institutions, and research clients