About Us

The AHEAD team comprises faculty, researchers, staff and doctoral students who are experts in statistics, medicine, public health, economics, program evaluation and research methodology.

Our blend of academic rigor and personalized service yields actionable results. The research conducted at the AHEAD Institute spans various disciplines including epidemiology, addiction medicine, geospatial intelligence, health services management and health outcomes.

 

Mission

The AHEAD Institute underscores Saint Louis University's commitment to addressing public health issues and improving patient health outcomes–especially those that disproportionately affect poor and underserved communities–in alignment with the Jesuit mission. To achieve this commitment, the AHEAD Institute relies on health care data for its remarkable potential to enhance physician efficiency and improve patient outcomes. Our team specializes in creative and responsive solutions for scientific problems faced by academic, industry, government and nonprofit organizations.

From Big Ideas to Biostatistics Core

The AHEAD Institute originates from the Saint Louis University Big Ideas competition, designed to uplift university-wide strategic research priorities. SLU's ability to invest in research was greatly enhanced in 2018 when Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield made a historic $50 million gift to accelerate research growth at the university and establish the SLU Research Institute. The AHEAD Institute is among the projects initially supported by the SLU Research Institute.

Since then, the AHEAD Institute has expanded to provide a diverse range of data and research support services to internal and external partners across the St. Louis region. In 2023, the Saint Louis University School of Medicine designated the institute as the biostatistics core. Today, the institute continues to serve as the University's knowledge leader in data-driven research, uncovering new scientific fronteirs and generating impactful research outcomes.