1994
Our PRC is Founded
Founded through a cooperative agreement with the CDC Prevention Research Center Program to develop and implement evidence-based strategies to reduce health disparities and improve public health outcomes. At this time, our PRC is part of St. Louis University School of Public Health.
1997
Evidence-Based Public Health (EBPH) Course Launched
EBPH Course
Developed and launched the first course for public health practitioners in evidence-based public health (EBPH). More than 4,000 practitioners in the U.S. and across the globe have been EBPH trained over the past 27 years.
1997
Missouri Bootheel and Ozark Heart Health Project Begins
Built, improved and promoted the use of over 30 walking trails in southeastern Missouri as part of the Bootheel and Ozark Heart Health Project. This was a collaboration between our PRC and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services that worked with and served 8 counties in Southeastern MO.
2004
Leadership in Developing the Field of Implementation Science
Beginning in 2004 through today, our PRC has contributed to the development of the field of implementation science, including the first comprehensive text in the field.
Our center has conducted research, training and capacity building projects, some of which included:
– Dissemination and Implementation in Diabetes Research (NIDDK, 2012-2015)
– Mentored Training for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer (NCI, 2013-2017)
– D&I Webtool launched by the PRC in partnership with University of Colorado (2014)
– Institute for Implementation Science Scholars Program (NIDDK, 2020, 2022, 2024)
– DIDR-Dissemination & Implementation in Diabetes Research (NIDDK, 2021-2024)
– PRC launched the D4DS Planner (2023)
2004
Physical Activity Policy Research Network is Launched
Our PRC launched the Physical Activity Policy Research Network (PAPRN, now PAPREN, a CDC-funded network that includes evaluation).
2005
Project GUIA Begins
Project GUIA conducted high-impact physical activity research in Brazil, including the scale-up of a program (Academia da Cidade) to 4,000 cities across Brazil.
2006
Conducting Original Research on Translating Evidence to Public Health Practice
Beginning in 2006 through today, our PRC has conducted some of the original research on how to effectively translate evidence to practice in public health and policy settings.
Some of our projects have included:
– Training Practitioners to Control Obesity and Cancer (NCI, 2006-2010)
– Cancer Control Dissemination Research Among State-Level Policy Makers (NCI, 2007-2011)
– Dissemination Evidence-Based Interventions to Control Cancer/STRIDE (NCI, 2012-2017)
– A Cross-Country Comparison of Evidence-Based Prevention of Cancer (NCI, 2014-2015)
– Enhancing Evidence-Based Diabetes Control Among Local Health Departments/AIM—Local Health (NIDDK, 2016-2021)
– Mis-Implementation in Cancer Prevention and Control/Public Health in ACTION (NCI, 2017-2021)
– Multilevel Approaches for Promoting Physical Activity in Rural Communities/Heartland Moves (NCI, 2017-2021)
– Increasing Use of Evidence-Based Policies for Health Equity at the Local-Level/Core Research Project (CDC, 2019-2024)
2008
PRC Becomes Part of WashU
PRC becomes part of WashU Brown School, with our office located within WashU School of Medicine campus. Our PRC is a collaboration between WashU and SLU School of Public Health through 2013.
2011
PRC moves to WashU North Campus
PRC moves our office location to WashU North Campus, closer to the Brown School
2014
PRC moves to Hillman Hall
PRC moves our office location into the newly built Hillman Hall
2014
PRC Conducts Brown School Expansion Evaluation Project
Conducted the Brown School Expansion Evaluation Project (BEEP), a two-year project evaluating worksite elements on physical activity, collaboration, and sustainability practices of the Brown School (with the addition of Hillman Hall).
2016
PRC Houses Children’s Healthy Weight Research Hub
Housed the Children’s Healthy Weight Research Hub (funded by RWJF), a collaboration with UIC PRC through 2018.
2017
PRC Affiliated with COPPR and CDTR
Affiliated with Center for Obesity Prevention and Policy Research (COPPR) and Center for Diabetes Translation Research (CDTR).
2019
PRC is home to WU-Implementation Science Center for Cancer Control (ISC3)
Home of the newly established WU-Implementation Science Center for Cancer Control (ISC3), a collaboration with the WashU Brown School and School of Medicine through 2024
2022
2023
Health Design and Impact Lab is Established
The Health Design and Impact Lab unites the Prevention Research Center in St. Louis and the Center for Public Health Systems Science. Our lab engages communities in advanced design to develop interventions and improve systems for sustained implementation and scale.
PRC launched the D4DS Planner
2024
PRC 30th Anniversary!
Celebrating the tremendous contributions of faculty, staff, students, community partners and collaborators over the past 30 years that has positively impacted public health research, practice and policy for community health!