As a research center embedded within Kaiser Permanente’s large and dynamic health care system, our investigators have a unique opportunity to apply scientific expertise to real-world clinical problems, translate findings into practice, and share what we learn with the broader community.
Dr. Vivienne Hau is a medical and surgical vitreoretinal specialist at the Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center and is the vice area research chair for Riverside on the Southern California Permanente Medical Group’s Regional Research Committee. She is a clinical assistant professor with the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. She founded and directs Kaiser Permanente’s largest ophthalmology prospective clinical trial program. She is the principal investigator of ...
Being active can lower your risk of getting seriously ill with COVID, regardless of your race or the chronic conditions you may have, according to research published last year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The Kaiser Permanente Southern California findings were important, impactful, and influential. As a result, the journal editors chose the research article, “Associations of Physical Inactivity and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Subgroups,” as the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023 Article of the Year.
On a rainy New Year’s morning in Pasadena, Dr. Hui Zhou, a research scientist with the Department of Research & Evaluation, walked alongside Kaiser Permanente’s float, “A Better Idea for Health Care,” in the Rose Parade. It was a moment of pride and joy. Dr. Zhou wasn’t just proud to represent Kaiser Permanente. … ...
For many people, public parks are just a beautiful green space they drive by on their way to work. However, research has shown that parks play a crucial role in people’s physical activity, and the community’s health. By studying parks, researchers aim to understand how these public spaces enhance community health, encourage active lifestyles, and ...
Mingsum Lee, MD, PhD, has been named as the 2025 Southern California Permanente Medical Group Physician Researcher of the Year. Commenting about her selection for the award, one nominator said Dr. Lee “is a true quadruple threat as an exceptional clinician, educator, administrator, and prolific researcher, but also has a humility and generosity which defines ...
In January 2025, when wildfires swept from the foothills above Los Angeles into the densely populated urban areas below, evacuations ensued and a thick layer of smoke spread across the region. Air quality plummeted. The number of virtual visits soared and in-person visits also increased. Research led by Kaiser Permanente Southern California and the University ...
Researchers have developed a new risk calculation model to help predict the risks of heart problems for breast cancer survivors. Their research was published in JAMA Oncology in October 2025. “There is limited information about how breast cancer treatments can affect the development of cardiovascular disease,” said study co-senior author Reina Haque, PhD, MPH, a ...
Check out our latest issue for a roundup of our most recent research and profiles on a few of our newest postdocs. This issue features new findings on opioid tapering programs that show that patients on long-term high-dose opioids who gradually reduced their dose within 3 months faced a lower risk of overdose within a year. It also shares important recent findings that the COVID-19 vaccine does not increase the risk of tinnitus, as well as findings about patterns of breast cancer imaging and Type 2 diabetes remission.
Investigators with the Division of Epidemiologic Research apply rigorous research methods to address important health questions that have the potential to change clinical practice and health care delivery. The division’s research portfolio spans the care continuum, from etiology and prevention to survivorship and quality of life.
Division investigators have expertise in traditional epidemiologic studies, post-marketing safety and effectiveness studies, and outcomes research. Current research areas include cancer, cardiovascular disease, COVID-19, diabetes, infectious disease, molecular epidemiology, orthopedics and bone health, perinatal health, pharmacoepidemiology, and vaccines.