| Education

M.D., Seoul National Univ., 1986, Medicine

M.P.H., Seoul National Univ., 1990, Epidemiology

Sc.D., Harvard School of Public Health, 1999, Epidemiology

| Former positions

Post-doctoral research fellow, Harvard School of Public Health, 2000

Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Seoul National University, 2001-2011

Associate Dean of Office of International Affairs, Seoul National University, 2008-2010

President, The Korean Society of Occupational Stress, 2010-2012

President, The Korean Society for Equity in Health, 2014-2015

President, The Korean Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 2016-2017

President, Seoul Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017-2018

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 2015-2023

| Current positions

Professor, Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, 2012-present

| Lectures

* Principles of Epidemiology

In this required course, students will learn the core concepts and basic skills of epidemiologic methods used in various areas of public health. During classes and tutorial sessions, lectures and exercises will present theories and practical methods for the study of the distribution and determinants of disease occurrence. Tutorial sessions will introduce several actual epidemic investigations conducted in Korea and abroad. Students will perform the problem-solving exercises to experience the process of epidemiologic studies.

* Epidemiology of Chronic Non-communicable Disease

This course aims at helping the students understand the characteristics of chronic diseases as the most important causes of death and disability in modern life. The students are expected to develop skills to conduct studies on selected chronic diseases to contribute to prevention at the individual and societal level. Topics: (1) Epidemiological and pathological characteristics of chronic diseases, (2) Research methods in chronic disease epidemiology, (3) Current status of major chronic diseases, (4) Public health strategies for major chronic disease.

* Epidemiology of Aging

Population aging changes the patterns of diseases and various aspects of health. Epidemiology of aging is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states and events arising from the aging process. Specifically, epidemiology of aging investigates the biological and social mechanisms and their interactions that determine the health of aged population, and provides scientific basis of intervention strategies for disease prevention and health promotion in the aged society. Topics of this class includes biological and social perspectives of aging, methods to assess health, function, and their determinants in the elderly, cohort methodology for aging research, and strategies to optimize the socioeconomic determinants of health for aging population.

* Occupational Epidemiology 

In this course, students will learn the characteristics of the working population, their exposure to hazardous materials in the workplace, and the methods to assess the effects of occupational exposures on their health. The students will critically review recent studies of major topics in occupational epidemiology, and submit a research proposal for a selected topic.

* Epidemiology of Infectious Disease

Infectious diseases have evolved with human history. In this course, students will learn the ecological and epidemiological characteristics of infectious diseases and scientific research design. Students will be able to assess the current status of infectious diseases and develop the strategies for prevention and control. Main contents: 1) Characteristics of infectious diseases, 2) Epidemiological research methods for infectious diseases, 3) Current status of infectious diseases in Korea, 4) Control of major infectious diseases.

* Global Health Epidemiology

Global Health Epidemiology is the study of the global occurrence and distribution of health-related events, states, and processes, including the study of the global determinants influencing such processes, and the application of this knowledge to control relevant health problems in specified populations.

Examples of global health problems include regional and global infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and their risk factors, population aging, and health issues related to climate change. Class contents will cover: 1) Roles of epidemiology in global health, 2) Descriptive epidemiological methods, 3)Research methods to study health determinants. Students will work in teams to practice global health research, possibly including systematic review, data analysis, and writing for international journals.