Staff Bio
Jean Ko, PhD
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
CDC role
Jean Ko, PhD, (CDR Public Health Service) is the deputy director for scientific programs within the Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) at CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. In this role, she serves as DOP's leading scientific authority on drug use, misuse, substance use disorders, and overdose. Dr. Ko provides oversight to and supports the execution of DOP’s portfolio of scientific work, including activities across Epidemiology & Surveillance Branch (ESB), Health Systems & Research Branch (HSRB), and the Office of the Associate Director for Science (ADS) – including the Cannabis Strategy and Coordination Unit.
Previous experience
Prior to joining DOP, Dr. Ko led the Maternal Health and Chronic Disease Team, within CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, which focused on cardiovascular health, mental health and substance use, severe maternal morbidity, and risk appropriate care. She previously served as a staff epidemiologist, leading work on perinatal mental health and substance use, including perinatal cannabis use, opioid use, opioid use disorder, and resulting neonatal abstinence syndrome or neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Dr. Ko is a Commander in the United States Public Health Service and has served on multiple public health and humanitarian emergencies, including the Unaccompanied Children mission, Zika Virus response, Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreak in West Africa, e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury, and COVID-19.
Areas of expertise
- Substance use
- Mental health
- Neonatal opioid withdrawal
- Maternal and child health
- Chronic disease
- Epidemiology
- Research and surveillance
Education
She joined CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in the 2010-2012 class after receiving her PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has authored over 115 publications in peer-reviewed journals, MMWRs, book chapters, and government reports and has given numerous presentations.