Annette L Fitzpatrick Research Professor Emeritus Research fitzpal@uw.edu
Biography
Annette Fitzpatrick, PhD, has been working in aging research for over 25 years in the field of epidemiology with a focus on cardiovascular disease and cognition. She has been leading the coordination of large multi-site studies of CVD and dementia as the first Program Director for the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) in 1990, and key investigator for the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) and the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study (GEMS). She is one of the founding members of the Collaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center in the Department of Biostatistics. Her expertise spans a wide range of methodologies including the development, conduct, and analysis of multi-site observational cohorts and clinical trials. Her own research has included ancillary studies to these large cohorts and independent studies funded by NIH, CDC and private foundations primarily focusing on coronary heart disease, stroke, dementia, cognitive decline, and functional aging. Dr. Fitzpatrick has been the PI or co-PI of multiple studies including: Cardiovascular Health Intervention Research and Translation Network (1 U48 DP000312-01), Telomeres and Biologic Aging (R01 HL80698-01), Domains of Inflammation and Risk of Dementia (R01 AT006668-01), Survival and Comorbidities after Dementia ( R03 AG21073), Epigenetics and Nutrition: DNA Methylation, Dietary Intake and CVD (R21HL104317), Use of Herbs and Dietary Supplements in Four Ethnicities (R21 AT002152), Neurological Manifestations of Cerebrovascular Disease in Vietnam (R21 TW008431), The Nepal Heart Health Pilot Study (UW Royalty Research Fund), The Dhulikehl Heart Study (Kathmandu University), Health Impact of the Dhanusha Community Drinking Water and Sanitation Project (Puget Sound Partners for Global Health). While the majority of her work has been carried out in the US, she has recently become involved in studies of chronic disease in low-resource settings including Vietnam, Nepal, Cambodia, Chile and Peru. Most recently Dr. Fitzpatrick helped lead the launch of the Dhulikhel Heart Study, designed to collect data on CVD risk factors but also incorporate the community into the local health care system in Nepal. Much of the work she has led or participated over the years is collaborative and her contributions to science have involved not only her own research but promotion of the work of others, especially new investigators and those residing in other countries. As an epidemiologist, providing expertise in study design, methods, and analysis has been a large part of these collaborations. Dr. Fitzpatrick's teaching role at UW has included development and instructing a course in Research Operations (EPI 587) and in mentoring students in writing grants (EPI 588). She has chaired the advisory committees for over 26 PhD and MS/MPH graduate students and been a member of committees for an additional 21 students over the past 15 years. She has presented seminars in the US and globally on her work. In Family Medicine, Dr. Fitzpatrick is the Co-Director of the NRSA Fellowship and welcomes opportunities to mentor new investigators or students in developing grant applications or manuscript publications.
