Skip to main content
Nancy Krieger
Primary Faculty

Nancy Krieger

Professor of Social Epidemiology

Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Departments

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Biography

Nancy Krieger is Professor of Social Epidemiology, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Director of the HSPH Interdisciplinary Concentration on Women, Gender, and Health. She has been a member of the School’s faculty since 1995.

Dr. Krieger is an internationally recognized social epidemiologist (PhD, Epidemiology, UC Berkeley, 1989), with a background in biochemistry, philosophy of science, and history of public health, plus 35+ years of activism involving social justice, science, and health. In 2004, she became a Clarivate/ISI highly cited scientist, a group comprising “less than one-half of one percent of all publishing researchers,” with her ranking reaffirmed in 2015, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

In 2013, Dr. Krieger received the Wade Hampton Frost Award from the Epidemiology Section of the American Public Health Association, and in 2015, she was awarded the American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professorship and re-awarded its renewal in 2020. In 2020, she was awarded the American College of Epidemiology’s “Outstanding Contributions to Epidemiology” award, and she and her team received the 2020 American Journal of Epidemiology “Paper of the Year” award for their study on historical redlining and cancer stage at diagnosis (the first ever study on this issue). In 2021, she was appointed as member of the UNESCO International Scientific Committee for the Slave Route Project: Resistance, Liberty, Heritage. In 2023, she was awarded the Sedgwick Memorial Medal for Distinguished Service in Public Health by the American Public Health Association, its “oldest and most prestigious medal.”

Dr. Krieger's work addresses three topics: (1) conceptual frameworks to understand, analyze, and improve the people's health, including the ecosocial theory of disease distribution she first proposed in 1994 and its focus on embodiment and equity; (2) etiologic research on societal determinants of population health and health inequities; and (3) methodologic research on improving monitoring of health inequities. In April 2011, Dr. Krieger's pathbreaking book, Epidemiology and the People's Health: Theory and Context, was published by Oxford University Press; she published the thoroughly revised and updated second edition in 2024. This book presents the argument for why epidemiologic theory matters. Tracing the history and contours of diverse epidemiologic theories of disease distribution from ancient societies on through the development of - and debates within - contemporary epidemiology worldwide, it considers their implications for improving population health and promoting health equity.

In 2018, Dr. Krieger launched a new book series for Oxford University Press on "small books, big ideas in population health." Topics addressed include: “Political Sociology and the People's Health" (Beckfield, 2018); "Climate Change and the People's Health" (Friel, 2019); "Critical Epidemiology and The People's Health" (Breilh, 2021); "Ecosocial Theory, Embodied Truths, and The People's Health" (Krieger, 2021); and "Causal Inference and the People's Health" (Schwartz & Prins, 2025).

She is also editor of Embodying Inequality: Epidemiologic Perspectives (Baywood Press, 2004) and co-editor, with Glen Margo, of AIDS: The Politics of Survival (Baywood Publishers, 1994), and, with Elizabeth Fee, of Women's Health, Politics, and Power: Essays on Sex/Gender, Medicine, and Public Health (Baywood Publishers, 1994). In 1994 she co-founded, and still chairs, the Spirit of 1848 Caucus of the American Public Health Association, which is concerned with the links between social justice and public health.

Publications

  • Limiting the Parameter Space for Unstable eV-Scale Neutrinos Using IceCube Data.

    Abbasi R, Ackermann M, Adams J, Agarwalla SK, Aguilar JA, Ahlers M, Alameddine JM, Ali S, Amin NM, Andeen K, Argüelles C, Ashida Y, Athanasiadou S, Axani SN, Babu R, Bai X, Baines-Holmes J, Balagopal V A, Barwick SW, Bash S, Basu V, Bay R, Beatty JJ, Becker Tjus J, Behrens P, Beise J, Bellenghi C, Benkel B, BenZvi S, Berley D, Bernardini E, Besson DZ, Blaufuss E, Bloom L, Blot S, Bodo I, Bontempo F, Book Motzkin JY, Boscolo Meneguolo C, Böser S, Botner O, Böttcher J, Braun J, Brinson B, Brisson-Tsavoussis Z, Burley RT, Butterfield D, Campana MA, Carloni K, Carpio J, Chattopadhyay S, Chau N, Chen Z, Chirkin D, Choi S, Clark BA, Coleman A, Coleman P, Collin GH, Coloma Borja DA, Connolly A, Conrad JM, Corley R, Cowen DF, De Clercq C, DeLaunay JJ, Delgado D, Delmeulle T, Deng S, Desiati P, de Vries KD, de Wasseige G, Díaz-Vélez JC, DiKerby S, Dittmer M, Domi A, Draper L, Dueser L, Durnford D, Dutta K, DuVernois MA, Ehrhardt T, Eidenschink L, Eimer A, Eller P, Ellinger E, Elsässer D, Engel R, Erpenbeck H, Esmail W, Eulig S, Evans J, Evenson PA, Fan KL, Fang K, Farrag K, Fazely AR, Fedynitch A, Feigl N, Finley C, Fischer L, Fox D, Franckowiak A, Fukami S, Fürst P, Gallagher J, Ganster E, Garcia A, Garcia M, Garg G, Genton E, Gerhardt L, Ghadimi A, Glaser C, Glüsenkamp T, Gonzalez JG, Goswami S, Granados A, Grant D, Gray SJ, Griffin S, Griswold S, Groth KM, Guevel D, Günther C, Gutjahr P, Ha C, Haack C, Hallgren A, Halve L, Halzen F, Hamacher L, Ha Minh M, Handt M, Hanson K, Hardin J, Harnisch AA, Hatch P, Haungs A, Häußler J, Helbing K, Hellrung J, Henke B, Hennig L, Henningsen F, Heuermann L, Hewett R, Heyer N, Hickford S, Hidvegi A, Hill C, Hill GC, Hmaid R, Hoffman KD, Hooper D, Hori S, Hoshina K, Hostert M, Hou W, Huber T, Hultqvist K, Hymon K, Ishihara A, Iwakiri W, Jacquart M, Jain S, Janik O, Jansson M, Jeong M, Jin M, Kamp N, Kang D, Kang W, Kang X, Kappes A, Kardum L, Karg T, Karl M, Karle A, Katil A, Kauer M, Kelley JL, Khanal M, Khatee Zathul A, Kheirandish A, Kimku H, Kiryluk J, Klein C, Klein SR, Kobayashi Y, Kochocki A, Koirala R, Kolanoski H, Kontrimas T, Köpke L, Kopper C, Koskinen DJ, Koundal P, Kowalski M, Kozynets T, Krieger N, Krishnamoorthi J, Krishnan T, Kruiswijk K, Krupczak E, Kumar A, Kun E, Kurahashi N, Lad N, Lagunas Gualda C, Lallement Arnaud L, Lamoureux M, Larson MJ, Lauber F, Lazar JP, Leonard DeHolton K, Leszczynska A, Liao J, Lin C, Liu YT, Liubarska M, Love C, Lu L, Lucarelli F, Luszczak W, Lyu Y, Madsen J, Magnus E, Makino Y, Manao E, Mancina S, Mand A, Maris IC, Marka S, Marka Z, Marten L, Martinez-Soler I, Maruyama R, Mauro J, Mayhew F, McNally F, Mead JV, Meagher K, Mechbal S, Medina A, Meier M, Merckx Y, Merten L, Mitchell J, Molchany L, Montaruli T, Moore RW, Morii Y, Mosbrugger A, Moulai M, Mousadi D, Moyaux E, Mukherjee T, Naab R, Nakos M, Naumann U, Necker J, Neste L, Neumann M, Niederhausen H, Nisa MU, Noda K, Noell A, Novikov A, Obertacke Pollmann A, O'Dell V, Olivas A, Orsoe R, Osborn J, O'Sullivan E, Palusova V, Pandya H, Parenti A, Park N, Parrish V, Paudel EN, Paul L, Pérez de Los Heros C, Pernice T, Peterson J, Plum M, Pontén A, Poojyam V, Popovych Y, Prado Rodriguez M, Pries B, Procter-Murphy R, Przybylski GT, Pyras L, Raab C, Rack-Helleis J, Rad N, Ravn M, Rawlins K, Rechav Z, Rehman A, Reistroffer I, Resconi E, Reusch S, Rho CD, Rhode W, Ricca L, Riedel B, Rifaie A, Roberts EJ, Rongen M, Rosted A, Rott C, Ruhe T, Ruohan L, Ryckbosch D, Saffer J, Salazar-Gallegos D, Sampathkumar P, Sandrock A, Sanger-Johnson G, Santander M, Sarkar S, Savelberg J, Scarnera M, Schaile P, Schaufel M, Schieler H, Schindler S, Schlickmann L, Schlüter B, Schlüter F, Schmeisser N, Schmidt T, Schröder FG, Schumacher L, Schwirn S, Sclafani S, Seckel D, Seen L, Seikh M, Seunarine S, Sevle Myhr PA, Shah R, Shefali S, Shimizu N, Skrzypek B, Snihur R, Soedingrekso J, Søgaard A, Soldin D, Soldin P, Sommani G, Spannfellner C, Spiczak GM, Spiering C, Stachurska J, Stamatikos M, Stanev T, Stezelberger T, et al. Phys Rev Lett 2026 Sep 04
    PMID: 42759027
  • How Political Redistricting and Gerrymandering Can Shape Understanding of Public Health Need.

    Rushovich T, Nethery RC, White A, Krieger N. Am J Public Health 2026
    PMID: 42659579
  • Characterization of the Three-Flavor Composition of Cosmic Neutrinos with IceCube.

    Abbasi R, Ackermann M, Adams J, Agarwalla SK, Aguilar JA, Ahlers M, Alameddine JM, Ali S, Amin NM, Andeen K, Argüelles C, Ashida Y, Athanasiadou S, Axani SN, Babu R, Bai X, Baines-Holmes J, Balagopal V A, Barwick SW, Bash S, Basu V, Bay R, Beatty JJ, Becker Tjus J, Behrens P, Beise J, Bellenghi C, Benkel B, BenZvi S, Berley D, Bernardini E, Besson DZ, Blaufuss E, Bloom L, Blot S, Bodo I, Bontempo F, Book Motzkin JY, Boscolo Meneguolo C, Böser S, Botner O, Böttcher J, Braun J, Brinson B, Brisson-Tsavoussis Z, Burley RT, Butterfield D, Campana MA, Carloni K, Carpio J, Chattopadhyay S, Chau N, Chen Z, Chirkin D, Choi S, Clark BA, Coleman A, Coleman P, Collin GH, Coloma Borja DA, Connolly A, Conrad JM, Cowen DF, De Clercq C, DeLaunay JJ, Delgado D, Delmeulle T, Deng S, Desiati P, de Vries KD, de Wasseige G, DeYoung T, Díaz-Vélez JC, DiKerby S, Ding T, Dittmer M, Domi A, Draper L, Dueser L, Durnford D, Dutta K, DuVernois MA, Ehrhardt T, Eidenschink L, Eimer A, Eller P, Ellinger E, Elsässer D, Engel R, Erpenbeck H, Esmail W, Eulig S, Evans J, Evenson PA, Fan KL, Fang K, Farrag K, Fazely AR, Fedynitch A, Feigl N, Finley C, Fischer L, Fox D, Franckowiak A, Fukami S, Fürst P, Gallagher J, Ganster E, Garcia A, Garcia M, Garg G, Genton E, Gerhardt L, Ghadimi A, Glüsenkamp T, Gonzalez JG, Goswami S, Granados A, Grant D, Gray SJ, Griffin S, Griswold S, Groth KM, Guevel D, Günther C, Gutjahr P, Ha C, Haack C, Hallgren A, Halve L, Halzen F, Hamacher L, Ha Minh M, Handt M, Hanson K, Hardin J, Harnisch AA, Hatch P, Haungs A, Häußler J, Helbing K, Hellrung J, Henke B, Hennig L, Henningsen F, Heuermann L, Hewett R, Heyer N, Hickford S, Hidvegi A, Hill C, Hill GC, Hmaid R, Hoffman KD, Hooper D, Hori S, Hoshina K, Hostert M, Hou W, Hrywniak M, Huber T, Hultqvist K, Hymon K, Ishihara A, Iwakiri W, Jacquart M, Jain S, Janik O, Jansson M, Jeong M, Jin M, Kamp N, Kang D, Kang W, Kappes A, Kardum L, Karg T, Karl M, Karle A, Katil A, Kauer M, Kelley JL, Khanal M, Khatee Zathul A, Kheirandish A, Kimku H, Kiryluk J, Klein C, Klein SR, Kobayashi Y, Kochocki A, Koirala R, Kolanoski H, Kontrimas T, Köpke L, Kopper C, Koskinen DJ, Koundal P, Kowalski M, Kozynets T, Kravka A, Krieger N, Krishnamoorthi J, Krishnan T, Kruiswijk K, Krupczak E, Kumar A, Kun E, Kurahashi N, Lad N, Lagunas Gualda C, Lallement Arnaud L, Lamoureux M, Larson MJ, Lauber F, Lazar JP, Leonard DeHolton K, Leszczynska A, Liao J, Lin C, Liu QR, Liu YT, Liubarska M, Love C, Lu L, Lucarelli F, Luszczak W, Lyu Y, Macdonald M, Madsen J, Magnus E, Makino Y, Manao E, Mancina S, Mand A, Maris IC, Marka S, Marka Z, Marten L, Martinez-Soler I, Maruyama R, Mauro J, Mayhew F, McNally F, Mead JV, Meagher K, Mechbal S, Medina A, Meier M, Merckx Y, Merten L, Mitchell J, Molchany L, Mondal S, Montaruli T, Moore RW, Morii Y, Mosbrugger A, Moulai M, Mousadi D, Moyaux E, Mukherjee T, Naab R, Nakos M, Naumann U, Necker J, Neste L, Neumann M, Niederhausen H, Nisa MU, Noda K, Noell A, Novikov A, Obertacke A, O'Dell V, Olivas A, Orsoe R, Osborn J, O'Sullivan E, Palusova V, Pandya H, Parenti A, Park N, Parrish V, Paudel EN, Paul L, Pérez de Los Heros C, Pernice T, Petersen TC, Peterson J, Plum M, Pontén A, Poojyam V, Popovych Y, Prado Rodriguez M, Pries B, Procter-Murphy R, Przybylski GT, Pyras L, Raab C, Rack-Helleis J, Rad N, Ravn M, Rawlins K, Rechav Z, Rehman A, Reistroffer I, Resconi E, Reusch S, Rho CD, Rhode W, Ricca L, Riedel B, Rifaie A, Roberts EJ, Rongen M, Rosted A, Rott C, Ruhe T, Ruohan L, Ryckbosch D, Saffer J, Salazar-Gallegos D, Sampathkumar P, Sandrock A, Sanger-Johnson G, Santander M, Sarkar S, Scarnera M, Schaile P, Schaufel M, Schieler H, Schindler S, Schlickmann L, Schlüter B, Schlüter F, Schmeisser N, Schmidt T, Schröder FG, Schumacher L, Schwirn S, Sclafani S, Seckel D, Seen L, Seikh M, Seunarine S, Sevle Myhr PA, Shah R, Shah S, Shefali S, Shimizu N, Skrzypek B, Snihur R, Soedingrekso J, Søgaard A, Soldin D, Soldin P, Sommani G, Spannfellner C, Spiczak GM, Spiering C, et al. Phys Rev Lett 2026 Aug 21
    PMID: 42705307
  • Association of cultural racism with breast cancer survival among US adults, 2018-2020.

    Gupta A, Osazuwa-Peters OL, Thoumi A, Quezada-Pinedo HG, Krieger N, Brown T, Akinyemiju T. Am J Epidemiol 2026 08 05
    PMID: 42237574
  • The Extent Of Gender/Sex Variables Included In Clinical Algorithms Across Medical Specialties.

    Davis SH, Danielsen AC, Hsiao IY, Albert KK, Delano MK, Shachar C, Richardson SS, Jones DS, Krieger N. Health Aff (Millwood) 2026
    PMID: 42413054