Research and innovation

Creating a new approach to public health

The School of Technology for Public Health is reimagining public health infrastructure and workforce preparation in the 21st century to create more integrated, responsive and resilient public health systems. Advancing the emerging field of technology for public health, the school unites public service with engineering, data science, human-centered design and systems thinking.

This new field of public health technology will be a catalyst to build and deploy scalable, community-embedded products, programs and systems needed to modernize and strengthen public health infrastructure for lasting population-level impact.

#1 in the U.S. and top 10 in the world for global impact in research, outreach and stewardship

Novel diagnostics to rapidly
deliver accurate results and
reduce preventable deaths

Wastewater-based
epidemiology to detect
threats early

Biosensors and wearables to
promote health behavior and
literacy

Smartphone apps to
deliver just-in-time
interventions

Remote monitoring
equipment to prevent
hospital readmissions

Geospatial technologies to
visualize and better
understand health metrics

Venn diagram between mind-brain health, metabolic health and environmental health

Use-inspired research to maximize impact

To address critical issues, like the impact of climate on health, women’s health, and the opioid crisis, the School of Technology for Public Health focuses on accelerating, disseminating and implementing discoveries and innovations across and at the intersection of the following three key impact areas: mind-brain health, metabolic health and environmental health.

Recognizing the interconnected nature of these impact areas, research within the school will include a focus on comprehensive public health solutions that incorporate an understanding of how these areas influence and intersect with one another.

This integrated research approach is crucial to not only addressing pressing health issues, but also to the broader context in which health domains interact to promote resilient and sustainable communities.

At the center of innovation, locally and globally

Known as “one university in many places,” ASU has a strong presence across the state of Arizona and the nation, with four campuses: Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe and West Valley — all situated in the Phoenix metropolitan area. ASU also boasts national and international partnerships that extend its global reach.

The School of Technology for Public Health is situated in the Phoenix Bioscience Core, a 30-acre innovation district in downtown Phoenix that brings together nationally ranked medical education, interdisciplinary research and globally recognized leaders in life sciences, including the Translational Genomics Research Institute, the International Genomics Consortium, Exact Sciences, Dignity Health and the Phoenix branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

In addition to the Phoenix Bioscience Core, ASU’s Innovation Zones span more than four million square feet across the metropolitan area, creating opportunities for startups, health-focused companies and established industry leaders to co-locate and collaborate with ASU students and researchers. These environments support translational research, technology transfer and real-world implementation of public health innovations.

A history of innovative success

Through Innovation Zones and MedTech and health tech acceleration, ASU rapidly moves discoveries off campus and into community and clinical settings through cross-sector partnerships, and by generating patents, licensing deals and startups. ASU historically places along schools like MIT within the top 10 — and in some instances the top 5 universities without medical schools.

Since 2012, Skysong Innovations, ASU’s exclusive intellectual property management company obtained nearly 1,400 life-science invention disclosures, secured more than 500 U.S. life-science patents, completed more than 300 option or license agreements for life-science technologies, and facilitated the launch of nearly 90 new life-science startup companies — the vast majority of which were in the biomedical field.

Research and innovation

Creating a new approach to public health

Novel diagnostics to rapidly deliver accurate results and reduce preventable deaths

Wastewater-basedepidemiology to detectthreats early

Biosensors and wearables to promote health behavior and literacy

Smartphone apps todeliver just-in-timeinterventions

Remote monitoringequipment to preventhospital readmissions