Brian L. Strom, MD, MPH, executive vice dean for Institutional Affairs at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been selected to Chair the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Committee on the Consequences of Sodium Reduction in Populations.

Strom’s Committee on the Consequences of Sodium Reduction in Populations will work to evaluate the results, study design and methodologies that have been used to assess the relationship between sodium and health outcomes in literature published since the IOM Dietary Reference Intakes report. Of primary interest are the effects (positive and negative) in the population generally, and for population subgroups (particularly those with hypertension, pre-hypertension, chronic heart failure, diabetes, persons 51 years and older, and African Americans).

Dr. Strom's research interests span many areas of clinical epidemiology, but mainly focus on pharmacoepidemiology, the application of epidemiologic methods to the study of drug use and effects. He is best known as a founder of the field of pharmacoepidemiology, and a pioneer in using large automated databases for research.

In addition to his responsibilities as executive vice dean, Strom is also the George S. Pepper Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, professor of Medicine, and professor of Pharmacology. Strom previously served as president of the Association of Clinical Research Training and currently is principal investigator (PI) or co-PI for eight National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded clinical research training programs. Dr. Strom has been a member of the Institute of Medicine since 2001.

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