Leadership

Public Health Surveillance Program Office

Ralph J. Coates, Phd (Deputy Associate Director for Science)

Dr. Coates is the Deputy Associate Director for Science in the Public Health Surveillance Program Office (PHSPO). In his role Dr. Coates serves as the senior scientific advisor to the Associate Director for Science, the Director of PHSPO and other senior staff in the formulation of program goals, objectives, and broad operating policies related to the full scope of public health programs.

Dr. Coates comes to PHSPO from Office of Public Health Genomics (OPHG) where he was the Associate Director for Science serving as a lead scientist for OPHG promoting the evidence-based translation of genomics into public health and as the lead of the Knowledge Synthesis program. Major activities of the Knowledge Synthesis program included support of the Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention (EGAPP) initiative, which conducted systematic evidence reviews to evaluate the validity and utility of genetic/genomic services in transition from research to practice, and two Web resources for evidence on the validity and utility of genomic services: the Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Knowledge Base and the publication Evidence on Genomic Tests.

Dr. Coates received his AB from Harvard in 1971 and completed his PhD in epidemiology in 1986 at the University of Washington while working at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. From 1987 through 1995, he was a faculty member at Emory University, where he conducted epidemiologic research in cancer and in nutrition, taught in the School of Public Health and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, became a tenured Associate Professor in Epidemiology, and was Co-Director of the Nutrition and Health Sciences Program. He is now an Adjunct Professor in Epidemiology.

Dr. Coates is an author or co-author more than 130 peer-reviewed journal articles and 40 other publications. He is currently participating in the U.S. Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Translating Genomics Research for Health and was previously a member of the IOM’s National Cancer Policy Forum. He has served on committees and work groups for Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the U.S. President's Cancer Panel, and the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative.

Dr. Coates has earned numerous awards including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service for his contribution to the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996. He has had two nominations for Charles C. Shepard Science Awards, one for co-authorship on a manuscript demonstrating excellence in science, 1997, and a second for Outstanding Contribution to Public Health Award (group award) for work on the Guide to Community Preventive Services. In addition, he earned the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health and Science Outstanding Team Performance Award for his work on the Healthy People 2010 Midcourse Review.