Description
The Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health invites applications from an accomplished research leader to serve as Director of the George W. Comstock Center for Public Health Research and Prevention and to hold the prestigious George W. Comstock Professorship.
This is a unique leadership position that combines visionary strategy with operational management. The new Director will steward the renowned, nationally recognized research field center located in a semi-rural area uniquely situated to advance non-communicable clinical and epidemiological research. Responsibilities of the new Director include:
- Sustain and elevate the Center's portfolio of grants and contracts while maintaining research excellence.
- Lead new multidisciplinary collaborations focused on non-communicable diseases, while broadening the Center's research portfolio through new grants that leverage its location, strong community partnerships, and expertise in conducting high-quality intervention trials and longitudinal studies with repeated assessments.
- Foster a collaborative and engaged research environment that connects associated and new Johns Hopkins faculty, staff, and students, while building strong partnerships with local healthcare systems, community organizations, and populations to address the unique public health needs of the population in the surrounding areas.
About the George W. Comstock and the Center for Public Health Research and Prevention
George W. Comstock's work in Washington County revolutionized the field of community-based epidemiologic research. Decades before others recognized the value of population-level biological specimens, Dr. Comstock led a private census of the county and then established the first, large population-based biological repository. This repository and its associated population-level data led to groundbreaking research findings in cancer, cardiovascular disease, and numerous other critical health conditions, fundamentally reshaping modern epidemiology.
The Johns Hopkins Training Center for Public Health Research was established in 1962 and renamed the Comstock Center in 2003 to honor the long-standing contributions of Dr. Comstock. Today, more than 60 years later, Washington County remains an exceptional environment for health discovery. Washington County is a semi-rural community with a state-of-the-art hospital, cancer center, and dedicated medical community. The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine was established in Hagerstown in 2022, with its inaugural class in July 2025, further expanding potential research partnerships and infrastructure.
Critical to the work of the Comstock Center, the community has a strong interest in health research and a willingness to participate in projects that benefit the advancement of medical knowledge to improve the health of society. The Center's largest studies focus on heart disease and aging (ARIC), cancer prevention and biology (CLUE), and cognitive health in older adults (ACHIEVE). Current studies build on nearly a century of community-based research collaborations, between Johns Hopkins University and Washington County, and collectively these studies include tens of thousands of study participants and dozens of dedicated staff.
Position is located in both Baltimore, MD and Hagerstown, MD.
Requirements
- Doctoral degree in epidemiology, medicine or related field. Clinician scientists are encouraged to apply
- Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed research and sustained funding in the area of non-communicable diseases
- Proven experience developing a strategic vision and leading interdisciplinary teams
- Experience building and maintaining partnerships with community-based organizations
- Excellent management, writing, and communication skills
- Demonstrated commitment to identifying new projects
- Experience in supervising and mentoring students and early career professionals
- Interest in and commitment to teaching and mentorship
