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Jean M. Lawrence, Sc.D., M.P.H., M.S.S.A.

Photo of Dr. Jean Lawrence.
Program Director: Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases
Gestational diabetes; Type 2 diabetes in Adults; Epidemiology; Natural experiments
301-594-8804 Add to Contacts

Responsibilities & Activities

As the Senior Advisor for Diabetes Epidemiology, my portfolio includes epidemiological studies of type 2 diabetes in adults that address risk factors for the  occurrence, prognosis, natural history and complications of diabetes. These studies include secondary analyses of data such as clinical and administrative information including patient reported outcomes and observational studies conducted for the purpose of gathering information for research.  Evaluation of natural experiments in healthcare systems and large scale policy changes are also included in this portfolio. I am the NIDDK Project Scientist on Natural EXperiments for Translation in Diabetes 3.0 (NEXT-D3) network. My portfolio also includes studies examining the relationship between gestational diabetes (GDM) and the subsequent development and prevention of type 2 diabetes. 

I lead the diabetes epidemiology activities for NIDDK that include developing diabetes-related questions for national surveys and other epidemiologic data sources, design and interpretation of secondary data analysis using data in the NIDDK data repositories, health resource utilization databases, national datasets, and biological repositories that support clinical, translational, and epidemiological research in diabetes, and mentor early- and mid-stage diabetes epidemiologists. I oversee the revision of the Diabetes in America compendium which has transitioned to a digital format. Chapters will be updated as new information and research becomes available. My publications can be found here: Bibliography  

Research Programs

Clinical Research in Type 2 Diabetes
Progression and treatment of type 2 diabetes in children and adults.

Diabetes: Treatment, Prevention, & Complications

Obesity, Pregnancy, & the Intrauterine Environment
Impact of metabolic dysfunction on the intrauterine environment and subsequent metabolic health of mother and offspring.

Committees & Working Groups

  • Trans-NIH Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Task Force, Member
  • All of Us Liaison Coordinating Team, Member
  • NIDDK Epidemiology Committee, Member
  • NIDDK Women’s Health Working Group, Member
  • Clinical Advancement based on Research Evidence (CARE) Working Group, Member
  • American Diabetes Association Diabetes in Youth Interest Group Leadership Team, Immediate Past Chair
  • European Diabetes Epidemiology Group Steering Committee, Member

Select Experience

Senior Research Scientist, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, 1997-2020

Epidemic Intelligence Service Fellow, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1995-1997

Sc.D., Maternal & Child Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 1995

M.P.H., Public and Community Health, University of Pittsburgh, 1991

Clinical Social Worker, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Magee Women’s Hospital, William Beaumont Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Michigan and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, 1984-1994

M.S.S.A., Social Work, Case Western Reserve University, 1984

B.A., Psychology, University of Michigan, 1982