The Department’s overall research objectives are:

1. to generate scientific evidence that will help prevent premature death and disability, particularly in relation to common chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, common cancers, osteoporosis, dementia, diseases of ageing and metabolic diseases, and
2. to help translate this evidence into the development and evaluation of preventative interventions.

Key strategies involve investigations of the separate and combined influences of genetic and environmental factors in chronic disease by studies of several in-house epidemiological collections and of large-scale collections established through national and international collaborations. There is also research into methods of study design, development of interventions (particularly those related to behaviour) and bio-statistical analyses.