Drug Dependence Epidemiology Funded Training (DDET) Program | Johns Hopkins

This training program is supported primarily by a research training grant award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the NIH. Brion Maher, PhD and Renee M. Johnson, PhD are the training program directors.

Information for Prospective Students:

Substance use disorders are among the leading, and fastest growing, cause of premature death and disability in the U.S. and across the world. Improved strategies to reduce their burden are needed. Policy changes impacting both the legal status of some substances as well as access to treatment, and recent scientific advances in omics (e.g., genomics, epigenomics, and enviromics), informatics (e.g., electronic medical records, mobile technologies, imaging, large-scale public data-sharing of epidemiologic data), and recent epidemics in opioid overdose and HIV infection highlight the need for continued training that is wide in breadth but grounded in sound epidemiological and statistical methodology.

The goal of this training program is to produce the next generation of substance use epidemiologists who are able to tackle these challenges by emphasizing four focal areas in this iteration: (1) social and environmental factors; (2) genetic and biological factors; (3) treatment and services; (4) emerging trends. Through the Drug Dependence Epidemiology Training (DDET) Program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH), our trainees will excel in (a) conducting research that advances our understanding of the causes and consequences of substance disorders, and (b) developing, implementing, and evaluating rationally designed interventions to prevent and/or control these disorders.

For pre-doctoral fellows, there is no separate application for the training program. You are encouraged to mention your interest in the program on your departmental admissions application.

For post-doctoral fellows, the application consists of submitting a CV, letter of application/personal statement, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation. For further details about the application process and how to apply online, please visit this page.

For more information, please contact:

Brion Maher, DDET Program Director: brion@jhu.edu
Patty Scott, Academic Coordinator: patty.scott@jhu.edu