Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at USC

10/09/2026

AI is reshaping public health research, and yesterday we saw it up close. 🔬

The 2026 PPHS Research Symposium brought faculty, researchers, students, and staff to the Soto Street building for a day themed “Translational AI in Public Health Research.” Highlights included faculty presentations, AI-powered research, rapid-fire postdoc talks, and an open poster session.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped spark new collaborations. 💡

10/07/2026

Learn what our courses are all about 👀 Ming Li, PhD, teaches Principles of Biostatistics.

09/22/2026

Learn what our courses are all about 👀 In Introduction to Data Science with Kelly Street, PhD, students learn how to work with data in R and create data visualization.

09/18/2026

USC's MPH program is coming to Boston! Are you interested in learning more about public health graduate degrees? Join us at This Is Public Health® (TIPH)'s In-Person Grad School Fair on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 in Boston, MA.

TIPH was created by the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health, which represents 155+ CEPH accredited schools/programs of public health.

This in-person fair gives you the chance to chat directly with admission staff, students, and faculty from graduate schools and programs of public health.

The Keck School of Medicine of USC's Department of Population and Public Health Sciences will be attending and encourages students to stop by to learn about our phenomenal graduate degrees!

Take one step further toward shaping the future of public health. Register today to secure your spot:

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09/18/2026

The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences ranks #1 in NIH funding in its field (2025 Blue Ridge) and is the leading force of the Keck School’s standing as #1 in NIH funding per investigator.

Our research operates in more than a dozen countries, with partners including the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention.

Founded in 1977, the department is home to more than 125 faculty. We offer 12 degree programs at the undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and certificate levels, including the Master of Public Health.

08/26/2026

This summer, Michelle Navarette Vega, a student in USC’s MS in Biostatistics program, completed the Cancer Prevention Research Training Program at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, working with Dr. Kim-Anh Do’s lab.

Her research explored new ways to predict breast cancer risk using blood biomarkers measured over time. By applying a Bayesian screening framework to longitudinal data, she helped improve both the accuracy and timing of risk prediction compared with the standard approach.

“The foundation I built in USC’s Biostatistics MS program made this possible. My coursework in data analysis and epidemiology, along with my thesis experience working with complex biological data, prepared me to dive into real clinical data and problem-solve from day one.”

The experience also helped clarify what comes next: pursuing a PhD focused on identifying chronic disease risk earlier and more accurately.

Congratulations, Michelle--and thank you to Dr. Kim-Anh Do and Dr. Ehsan Irajizad for their mentorship!

08/19/2026

Recently, faculty and staff from the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences Keck School of Medicine of USC came together for our summer meeting and BBQ!

Beyond great food and time spent connecting as a department, we celebrated a very special milestone: the retirement of Daniel Stram, PhD, Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences. Thank you, Dr. Stram, for your years of dedication and impact on our department, our students, and our field. We wish you all the best in this next chapter!

08/14/2026

Congratulations to our students named 2025–2026 scholarship recipients!

🎓 2026 Incoming KSOM Dean's Master's Scholar
Damonte Watson – Addiction Science
🎓 2025 continuing KSOM Dean’s Master’s Scholars
Luis E. Trujillo – Addiction Science
🎓 Dr. Rodolfo Montes Scholarship (recognizing academic excellence and commitment to advancing health in diverse communities)
Cydney Davis – Public Health
Benjamin Alonzo – Applied Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Proud to celebrate their achievements!

Related News Exploring global health governance: PM 589 in Geneva August 27, 2024 Staff Spotlight: Meet Nicole Avila, a versatile project administrator of the biostatistics and data science summer program […]

08/08/2026

Is the soil in your yard safe after the Palisades and Eaton fires? USC researchers have answers.

Erika Garcia, associate professor of Population and Public Health Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and epidemiological advisor to USC's CLEAN project, worked with USC Dornsife colleagues to analyze more than 6,000 soil samples across Los Angeles County. The fires did release lead into the environment, but older homes and preexisting sources make it hard to separate fire impacts from decades of prior contamination.

Read the full findings here:

Study examined Palisades, Eaton fires, environmental contamination.

08/03/2026

Want to learn how healthcare systems work to improve quality, outcomes, and patient care?

Dr. Sue Kim, PhD, MPH, teaches public health and health policy courses for Master of Public Health students, including a course on Quality in Health Care. The class explores value-based care, quality outcomes, and how healthcare providers, hospitals, health plans, and other organizations work together to deliver high-quality care.

Get an inside look at what our MPH courses are all about and how they’re preparing the next generation of public health leaders.