Science at the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Donna F. Stroup, PhD, MSc

Acting Associate Director for Science

West Nile Anthrax Smallpox Listeriosis E. coli

CDC's MissionTo promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability

Scientists are people of very dissimilar temperaments doing different things in

different ways. Among scientists are collectors, classifiers, and compulsive

tidiers-up; many are detectives by temperament and many are explorers; some are artists and others artisans.

There are poet scientists and philosopher scientists and even a few mystics.

-- Peter Medewar

CDC Employees and LocationsApproximately 6,700 Employees in 170 OccupationsApproximately 6,700 Employees in 170 Occupations

Ft Collins, COFt Collins, CO

Anchorage, AKAnchorage, AK

San Juan, PRSan Juan, PR

Atlanta, GAAtlanta, GA

Research Triangle Park, NCResearch Triangle Park, NC

Washington,DCWashington,DCMorgantown, WVaMorgantown, WVa

Cincinnati, OHCincinnati, OH

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

OFFICE OF GLOBAL HEALTH

CDC WASHINGTON OFFICE

OFFICE OF PROGRAM PLANNING AND EVALUATION

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

NATIONAL VACCINE PROGRAM OFFICE

OFFICE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH

OFFICE OF HEALTH AND SAFETY

OFFICE OF EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

OFFICE OF PROGRAM SERVICES

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OFFICE

NATIONAL CENTER ON BIRTH DEFECTS & DEVELOPMENTAL

DISABILITIES

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHRONIC

DISEASE PREVENTION & HEALTH PROMOTION

NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

HEALTH

NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS

NATIONAL CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS

DISEASES

NATIONAL CENTER FOR INJURY

PREVENTION AND CONTROL

NATIONAL CENTER FOR HIV, STD, AND TB

PREVENTION

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE PROGRAM

OFFICE

NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM

EPIDEMIOLOGY PROGRAM OFFICE

OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT

OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH OFFICE OF SCIENCE POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

Characteristics of CDC Science

• Drive to serve the public

• Devotion to truth• Spirit of collaboration• Professional modesty• Commitment to fairness• Sense of responsibility

Task Force onCommunity

Preventive Services

Task Force onCommunity

Preventive Services

Guide to Community Preventive ServicesGuide to Community Preventive Services

Alice Hamilton

Founder of occupational medicine

First woman professor at Harvard Medical School

First woman to receive Lasker Award in public health

NHANES II Blood Lead Measurements, 1975-1981

1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 198130

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

8

10

12

14

16

18

Year

Predicted blood lead

Gasoline lead

Observed blood lead

Source: Pirkle et al JAMA 272:284-91, 1994

Lead used in gasoline

(thousandsof tons)

Mean bloodlead levels

g/dl

STOP PolioGlobal AIDS Prevention

Professional Modesty

“ If you really know and understand science, you realize that nay contribution you make is very small compared to the total amount of information that needs to be added.”

--Dr. Charles Shepard

Number of Years Difference in Life Expectancy Between Blacks and Whites, by Cause of Death and

Sex — United States, 1998

0

0.5

1

1.5

HeartDisease

Cancer Homicide Stroke HIV MotorVehicle

PerinatalDisease

Male

Female

Life

Exp

ecta

ncy

Diff

eren

ce (

Yrs

)

Adapted from: MMWR 2001;50:780–783

Anthrax Investigation

Boca Raton, FL

(West Palm Beach MSA - Pop. 934,331)

9% affected

Washington, DC

(Washington, DC PMSA - Pop. 4,739,999)

21% affected

Trenton/Princeton, NJ

(Trenton, NJ PMSA - Pop. 328,368)

19% affected

US Bureau of the Census, 1999; Harvard School of Public Health/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Survey Project on Americans’ Response to Biological Terrorism, November 29-December 3, 2001.

West Nile Virus

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

EIS Officers Class of 2003

Rachel Nonkin Avchen

Sandra I. Berrios-Torres

Marta Guerra

Jennita Reefhuis

*National Vital Statistics Report; 47 (9) November 10, 1998†McGinnis JM, Foege WH. Actual causes of death in the United States. JAMA 1993; 270:2207-12Note: Dark shading denotes chronic conditions and risk behaviors

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Most Common Causes of Death,United States, 1996*

Percentage (of all deaths)

Total cardiovascular disease(includes ischemic heart and stroke)

Cancer

Chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease and allied conditions

Injuries

Pneumonia/influenza

Diabetes

HIV infection

Suicide

Chronic liver disease/cirrhosis

Actual Causes of Death, United States, 1990†

0 5 10 15 20

Percentage (of all deaths)

Tobacco

Poor diet/lack of exercise

Alcohol

Infectious agents

Pollutants/toxins

Firearms

Sexual behavior

Motor vehicles

Illicit drug use

Chronic Diseases and Related Risk Factors

Lifestyle Changes that Promote Sedentary Behavior

Comments? Questions?