employer maria deloria knoll
Maria Deloria Knoll , PhD , is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of epidemiology , disease surveillance , vaccine trial conduct , and bio - statistics . She currently serves as Associate Director of Science at the International Vaccine Access Center ( IVAC ) , an organization dedicated to accelerating global access to ___MASK47___ - saving vaccines , at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg ___MASK56___ of Public Health in Baltimore , Maryland . Health is the level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living organism . In humans it is the ability of individuals or communities to adapt and self - manage when facing physical , mental or social changes . The ___MASK99___ ( WHO ) defined health in its broader sense in its 1948 constitution as " a state of complete physical , mental , and social well - being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity ." This definition has been subject to controversy , in particular as lacking operational value , the ambiguity in developing cohesive health strategies , and because of the problem created by use of the word " complete ". Other definitions have been proposed , among which a recent definition that correlates health and personal satisfaction . The ___MASK79___ ( commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins , JHU , or simply Hopkins ) is an American private research university in Baltimore , Maryland . Founded in 1876 , the university was named for its first benefactor , the American entrepreneur , abolitionist , and philanthropist Johns Hopkins . His $ 7 million bequest  of which half financed the establishment of The Johns Hopkins Hospital  was the largest philanthropic gift in the history of the United States at that time . Daniel Coit Gilman , who was inaugurated as the institution ' s first president on February 22 , 1876 , led the university to revolutionize higher education in the U . S . by integrating teaching and research . Adopting the concept of a graduate school from Germany ' s ancient Heidelberg University , ___MASK79___ is considered the first research university in the United States . The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg ___MASK56___ of Public Health ( JHSPH ) is part of ___MASK79___ in Baltimore , Maryland , United States . As the first independent , degree - granting institution for research and training in public health , and the largest public health training facility in the United States , the Bloomberg ___MASK56___ is a leading international authority on the improvement of health and prevention of disease and disability . The school ' s mission is to protect populations from illness and injury by pioneering new research , deploying its knowledge and expertise in the field , and educating scientists and practitioners in the global defense of human ___MASK47___ . The school is ranked first in public health in the " U . S . News and World Report " rankings and has held that ranking since 1994 . Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the patterns , causes , and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations . It is the cornerstone of public health , and shapes policy decisions and evidence - based practice by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive healthcare . Epidemiologists help with study design , collection , and statistical analysis of data , amend interpretation and dissemination of results ( including peer review and occasional systematic review ). Epidemiology has helped develop methodology used in clinical research , public health studies , and , to a lesser extent , basic research in the biological sciences . Evidence - based practice ( EBP ) is an interdisciplinary approach to clinical practice that has been gaining ground following its formal introduction in 1992 . It started in medicine as evidence - based medicine ( EBM ) and spread to other fields such as audiology , speech - language pathology , dentistry , nursing , child ___MASK47___ specialty , psychology , social work , education , library and information science . EBP is traditionally defined in terms of a " three legged stool " integrating three basic principles : ( 1 ) the best available research evidence bearing on whether and why a treatment works , ( 2 ) clinical expertise ( clinical judgment and experience ) to rapidly identify each patient ' s unique health state and diagnosis , their individual risks and benefits of potential interventions , and ( 3 ) client preferences and values Public health refers to " the science and art of preventing disease , prolonging ___MASK47___ and promoting human health through organized efforts and informed choices of society , organizations , public and private , communities and individuals ." It is concerned with threats to health based on population health analysis . The population in question can be as small as a handful of people , or as large as all the inhabitants of several continents ( for instance , in the case of a pandemic ). The dimensions of health can encompass " a state of complete physical , mental and social well - being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity ," as defined by the United Nations ' ___MASK99___ . Public health incorporates the interdisciplinary approaches of epidemiology , biostatistics and health services . Environmental health , community health , behavioral health , health economics , public policy , insurance medicine , mental health and occupational safety and health are other important subfields .