Tenant Profiles
Arnold School of Public Health
Public Health research improving lives
The Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina is working to reduce the impact of health
problems such as cardiovascular disease and stroke, childhood obesity and diabetes, health disparities, cancer,
unintended injuries, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Among the nation’s best
Founded 32 years ago, the school has the nation’s top-ranked doctoral program in kinesiology and exercise
science and a growing reputation in many of its other academic disciplines.
“This ranking comes as no surprise, as the Arnold School has been recognized regularly as one of the best in the nation for conducting research on physical activity and human health,” says Harris Pastides, South Carolina’s vice president for research and health sciences.
“The exercise science department is at the core of this activity and has become even stronger recently by recruiting outstanding talent and having a brand-new Public Health Research Center to work in.”
New $22 million research center
The Research Center is a 104,860-square-foot, $22-million facility that officially opened in October 2006. In
addition to health science researchers, the center will house University faculty studying environmental issues
such as ecosystems, radioactive contaminants, the biodegration of hydrocarbons, and more. The center is built
to “green” standards and will seek Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Preventing obesity, health disparities
The school’s Children’s Physical Activity Research Group is an interdisciplinary team of faculty,
staff, and graduate students dedicated to expanding the body of knowledge on physical activity and its promotion
in children and adolescents. Scientists in this group have garnered significant federal research funding to
help the 25 million children and teens in the United States who are overweight or obese.
The Arnold School has also devoted significant resources toward addressing the critical health disparities in South Carolina and across the nation. The Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities, the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, and the S.C. Cancer Disparities Community Network are developing community partnerships, studying genetic and molecular-level processes, and conducting important screening and testing trials to reduce health and eliminate disparities across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
Interior view of the main entry to the Arnold School Public Health Research Center.
Photo: University Marketing and CommunicationsRelated Links
Arnold School of Public Health
Exercise Science gets top ranking
Children’s Physical Activity Research Group
Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities
