LIFE@OSU

Associate Professor of Public Health Viktor Bovbjerg

Epidemiologist Viktor Bovbjerg says what excited him most about coming to OSU was the potential for bringing communities and researchers together to create health solutions that work. “Some of our biggest public health challenges are sickness and death due to personal environments that can be changed,” he explains.  “Tobacco use, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity are all complicit in so many diseases.  And it’s not just that people need to change…we need to find creative ways to support people who desire to change…that’s where we’ll have lasting effects.” After recent appointments at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health and the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Viktor is looking forward to working with OSU’s public health faculty to build an epidemiology training program in the College of Health and Human Sciences.

“This is a great opportunity to grow Oregon’s public health infrastructure and improve the well-being of our citizens,” he says.  “We’ll be working to understand trends in chronic diseases, identify those that often occur simultaneously such as diabetes and depression, and translate scientific knowledge into practice – into prevention and disease management programs that are effective in real life settings.”  Viktor is currently engaged in research projects that address diabetes and cardiovascular disease, women’s health, sickle cell disease, medical and surgical outcomes, injury prevention, and social and behavioral influences on health and healthcare outcomes.