Epidemiology

The world is a better place thanks to epidemiology. We now know that the contamination of drinking water by sewage systems will lead to the transmission of cholera, many children live healthier lives thanks to vaccines, and mosquito nets spare hundreds of thousands of lives from the scourge of malaria. Epidemiology, the study of population health – who will get ill, when, where, and why – provides the evidence base for public health decisions.

The epidemiology group at KIT Royal Tropical Institute supports evidence-informed decision-making. We collaborate with our partners at the national and local levels in low and middle-income countries to transform data into useful information. Our team packages information according to audience needs so that it can be easily understood for decision making.

At KIT, we value the importance of relying on existing data and maximising its potential by triangulating data sources. We value mixed methods research (combining qualitative and quantitative methods) and novel visualisation technologies (e.g. dashboards, mapping, infographics). Since data quality is paramount for good decision-making, we also use approaches and tools for quality assurance in epidemiology.

Capacity-building and knowledge transfer are key to our work with a view to ensuring the sustainability of our support. With decades of experience running accredited MSc programmes and short courses, we offer novel and state-of-the-art teaching methods. We also rely on and promote the use of free open-access and open-source tools wherever possible.

Our experts

Photo of Mirjam I. Bakker

Mirjam I. Bakker

Team Leader Epidemiology

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Photo of Christina Mergenthaler

Christina Mergenthaler

Epidemiologist

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Photo of Ente J.J. Rood

Ente J.J. Rood

Senior Epidemiologist

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Photo of Nima Yaghmaei

Nima Yaghmaei

Epidemiologist

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Photo of Margo van Gurp

Margo van Gurp

Epidemiologist

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