SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND TROPICAL MEDICINE

Jiang He, MD, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Epidemiology

September 15, 2019

Search Advisory Committee School of Public Health Texas A&M University

Dear Search Committee Members:

It is my pleasure to submit this letter of application for the position of Dean of Texas A&M School of Public Health.

I am a Professor and the Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. I am also a Professor of Clinical Medicine and Human Genetics at Tulane University School of Medicine. In addition, I am the Director of the Tulane University Translational Science Institute.

I was selected as the Epidemiology Chair at the Tulane University through a national search in 2003. Under my leadership, the department has grown from 10 faculty members in 2003 to 24 now, despite the interruption caused by Hurricane Katrina. The external research funding increased from approximately $2.5 million per year in 2003 to $17.1 million ($15.1 million from NIH) in 2018. Likewise, the peer-reviewed scientific publications increased from approximately 20 articles per year in 2003 to 181 articles in 2018. Our student enrollments have also increased from 148 to 268 during this time.

We have expanded our department mainly through recruiting exceptional junior faculty and providing them strong mentorship and supports. As department chair and PI of the NIH-sponsored Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE), I have devoted substantial efforts to develop and nurture junior faculty into successful and independent investigators. For example, I have mentored eight NIH-supported K-awardees and seven COBRE junior faculty members. Most of them have received NIH R01 awards and some have become leaders in their areas. I received the 2017 Oliver Fund Award for Excellence in Faculty Mentoring from Tulane University due to my lifelong commitment to faculty development.

During my tenure as chair, our department has strengthened the education programs. We have expanded our graduate programs to include the MS in Epidemiology and MS in Clinical Investigation. We restructured our PhD program to promote more rigorous research training and scientific productivity. Due to my commitment to in-classroom and out-of-classroom teaching, I received the 2008 Teaching Excellence Award from the Student Government Association of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. I have trained 16 doctoral students and 28 post-doctoral fellows at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. All of them have developed a successful academic career in universities or research institutes. Peer-reviewed research is a priority in our department because it advances science, contributes to novel approaches for disease prevention and treatment, and influences the development of clinical practice guidelines and public health policies. In addition, peer-reviewed research increases university reputation and ranking, and provides opportunities for junior faculty career development and student research training. I have participated in >40 peer-reviewed research projects with a total funding of >170 million US dollars. I published more than 500 peer-reviewed research articles with a h-index of 118 and an i10-index of 383. These publications include 9 articles in N Engl J Med, 13 in the Lancet, and 17 in JAMA. Our research findings have important impacts on national health policy. For example, we first reported that high sodium intake increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in individuals with overweight and chronic kidney disease (JAMA. 1999; 282:2027-34. JAMA. 2016; 315:2200-10). These findings helped to develop national dietary guidelines. I have served in multiple expert committees of the National Academy of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, and other organizations for developing national health policies and guidelines.

Our research projects have also had great impacts on global health. We first reported that cardiovascular disease and cancer have become the leading causes of death in China, and hypertension and cigarette smoking are the leading preventable risk factors for premature death in a landmark cohort study (NEJM. 2005; 353:1124-34; NEJM. 2009; 360:150-9; Lancet 2009; 374:1765-72). We also documented the rapid increase of obesity, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease burden in China (Lancet. 2005; 365:1398-405; NEJM. 2010; 362:1090-101; JAMA. 2013; 310:948-59 Lancet. 2018; 391:1706-1717) and the large global disparities of hypertension in low- and middle-income countries (Lancet. 2005; 365:217- 23; Circulation. 2016; 134:441-50). These works have contributed greatly in setting global public health priorities and policies. Likewise, our recent clinical trials on early blood pressure lowering in acute ischemic stroke in China (JAMA. 2014; 311:479-89) and implementation strategies for hypertension control in Argentina (JAMA. 2017; 318:1016-25) contributed to international clinical practice guidelines.

We have also had substantial impact locally. For example, we recently launched the Tulane University Translational Sciences Institute, a NIH-funded Center of Excellence in clinical, translational, and implementation research. The institute will substantially enhance clinical and translational research in New Orleans and Louisiana.

Since its founding in 1998, the Texas A&M School of Public Health has rapidly achieved national and international recognition. It is well positioned to become a top public health school in the US and the world through its innovative and collaborative education, research, and public health service. With my outstanding track record for leadership, mentoring, research, teaching, and multidisciplinary collaboration, and international reputation, I believe that I can lead the school to reach new levels of excellence in an environment where faculty are motivated, empowered and rewarded.

Sincerely,

Jiang He, MD, PhD, FAHA, FACE Professor and Joseph S. Copes, M.D. Chair Department of Epidemiology Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Director, Tulane University Translational Science Institute