This course covers advanced methods for the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of epidemiologic studies. Students will apply these methods to the interpretation of published research and the design of a new research project. The main focus is on analytical studies that aim to identify risk factors for diseases particularly case-control and cohort studies. Topics include causal inference, study design, methods of handling confounding and identifying effect modification, measurement error and information bias, selection bias, lifestyle and molecular epidemiology, and meta-analysis. Students will be expected to critique research articles and participate in facilitated group discussions. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to: 1. Understand the strengths, limitations, and principles of different study designs. 2. Identify and interpret effect modification 3. Identify potential sources of selection and information bias, reverse causation and regression to the mean, confounding and judge how this may affect results. Understand how to control bias by appropriate study design and rigorous conduct of epidemiological studies 4. Identify potential sources of confounding and understand how to address confounding in the design and analysis of epidemiological studies 5. Explain considerations for causal inference and models of causality 6. Understand the concepts ‘validity’ and ‘precision’, ‘random’ and ‘systematic measurement error’, ‘differential’ and ‘non-differential misclassification’, and the use of validation and reproducibility studies for epidemiological research 7. Understand the general principles and strengths and limitations of systematic reviews and meta-analyses and judge when these are useful 8. Understand the different steps of conducting a systematic review, causes of publication bias, and the importance of evaluating heterogeneity in study results and able to interpret the main statistical measures and graphs used in meta-analyses 9. Understand major considerations specific to the design and interpretation of lifestyle, molecular epidemiology and cancer epidemiology studies 10. Judge the quality of articles on epidemiological studies and be able to interpret these articles 11. Use causal diagrams to describe hypothetical relationships between variables 12. Understand the use of instrumental variables and mediation analysis to assist causal inference for relationships between exposures and health outcomes 13. Understand important considerations in attempts to translate epidemiological findings to public health policy 14. Develop a research grant application. Apply the methods to the design of a research study