SERious EPI
Episodes
S5E3: From Cashew Nuts to Counterfactuals
15 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of SERious Epidemiology, Matt and Hailey welcome guest Dr. Peter Tennant to discuss chapters 2 and 3 of Causal Inference: What If. Aft...
S5E2: Setting the table for Season 5
15 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to SERious Epidemiology! This is the first official episode of the fifth season of SERious Epidemiology. This season we’ll be discussin...
S5E1: A Casual Conversation with Miguel Hernán
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to SERious Epidemiology! This episode sets the stage for the fifth season of our podcast. We are excited to announce that Season 5 will ...
S4E13: Agent Based Models
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In an episode recorded before the US presidential elections (somehow) Matt and Hailey end season 4 with a discussion of agent based models, following ...
S4E12: Agent Based Models with Dr. Brandon Marshall
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss Agent Based Models with Dr. Brandon Marshall of the Brown School of Public Health. We talk about what these models are and...
S4E11: Quantitative Bias Analysis
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we follow up on our conversation with Tim Lash on Quantitative Bias Analysis (QBA), something both Hailey and I have experience with. ...
S4E10: Quantitative Bias Analysis with Dr. Tim Lash
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk to Dr. Timothy Lash of Emory University about Quantitative Bias Analysis (QBA). We talk about how QBA is any method that quant...
S4E9: Regression Discontinuity and Difference in Difference(s?)
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Hailey and Matt talk about Matt’s technology troubles (including having his computer just decide not to let him log on) before we di...
S4E8: Regression Discontinuity and Difference-in-Differences with Dr. Usama Bilal
15 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk to Dr. Usama Bilal of Drexel University about Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) and Difference-in-Differences (DiD), two q...
S4E7: Instrumental Variables
15 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Hailey and Matt discuss whether IVs are rebellious or magical or the midlife crisis of methods. We talk about how they deal with conf...
S4E6: Instrumental Variables with Dr. Rita Hamad
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss instrumental variables with Dr. Rita Hamad of Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health. This episode is focused on the ...
S4E5: Mediation Continuation
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we follow up on our conversation about mediation. We talk about what mediation is and when it is useful. We talk about the history of ...
S4E4: Mediation with Kara Rudolph and Ivan Diaz
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Matt and Hailey talk with Dr. Kara Rudolph and Dr. Ivan Diaz about mediation analysis. We talk through what it is, what it means and ...
S4E3: How do we define efficiency?
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Hailey and Matt continue on their discussion on study efficiency and realize that we think about efficiency in very different ways. W...
S4E2: Study Efficiency with Robert Platt
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we are joined by Professor Robert Platt of McGill University to talk about study efficiency and the ways we can think about this in te...
S4E1: We’re Baaaaack… A Season 4 Preview
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We kick off season 4 by reminiscing about the origins of the podcast and preview what’s upcoming for season 4 where we will continue on our last sea...
S3E12: Start with the questions that are easy to answer and then move on to the more challenging questions
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s hard to believe this is the final episode of season 3! In this season finale episode, we continue our discussion of topics related to Chapter 2...
S3E11: You say tomato, I say tom-ah-to: a (somewhat) head-spinning discussion about interaction analyses
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Matt and Hailey take a deep dive into Chapter 26 in Modern Epidemiology, 4th Edition, Analysis of Interaction. This episode needs a content warning- ...
S3E10: Time-varying everything everywhere all at once
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Sonia Hernandez Diaz for a discussion on Chapter 25 in Modern Epidemiology, 4th edition. This chapter is focused...
S3E9: Feedback loops? Feedback spirals? Disentangling what we know about time-varying exposures.
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is focused on Chapter 25 of Modern Epidemiology 4th edition, Causal Inference with Time Varying Exposures. In this episode, Matt and Hail...
S3E8: Maybe censoring is the least of your worries?
30 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Recording from across the globe, in Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Margarita Moreno-Betancur joins us for an episode on Chapter 22 in Modern Epidemiology (...
S3E7: Are time to event analyses the Space Mountain of epidemiology?
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Matt and Hailey discuss Chapter 22 of the 4th edition of Modern Epidemiology. This is a chapter focused on time to event analyses inc...
S3E6: Stratification with Rich MacLehose: Should you have Bert or Ernie pick you up from surgery?
30 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we discuss Chapter 18 in the Modern Epidemiology (4th Ed) textbook focused on stratification and standardization with Dr. Rich MacLeh...
S3E5: Should I memorize the Mantel Haenszel formula?
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is an episode focused on ME4 Chapter 18 (Stratification and Standardization). This is a pretty formula-heavy chapter and I’m sure all of our li...
S3E4. Selecting people or selecting data: exploring different aspects of selection bias
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we feature a super expert on all things related to selection bias, Dr. Chanelle Howe. There are a lot of confusing issues related to s...
S3E3. How do we deal with the people who never made it into our study?
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Matt and Hailey discuss all things selection bias. This chapter on selection bias and generalizability is the shortest of the bias ch...
S3E2: Should we try to ensure misclassification is non-differential? Discussing measurement error with Dr. Patrick Bradshaw
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we have a conversation with Patrick Bradshaw about issues related to measurement error, misclassification, and information bias. We as...
S3E1: Are we measuring what we think we’re measuring?
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the season three premiere Matt and Hailey discuss Chapter 13 in Modern Epidemiology, 4th edition. For the third season of the SERious Epi podcast,...
S2E16: There’s a 95% probability you’ll enjoy learning about sample size and precision with Dr. Jon Huang
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Jon Huang for a discussion on precision and study size. We wade...
S2E15: As random as it gets
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt finally start talking about random error. We explore the deep philosophical (as d...
S2E14: Confounding will never go away – with Maya Mathur
27 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Maya Mathur for a discussion on confounding. We talk about diff...
S2E13: Confounding: Ten thousand arrows going into a bunch of squiggly things
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt discuss confounding and whether confounding is hogging the spotlight in epi metho...
S2E12: How great are case-control studies with Ellie Matthay
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, (recorded back when we were getting COVID booster shots) Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Ellie M...
S2E11: Case Control Studies
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt get into the humble case control study. We discuss the ins and outs of this much...
S2E10: The Return of the Cohort Studies
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt get some real world experience with cohort studies in a conversation with Dr. Vas...
S2E9: The Cohort Studies Brouhaha
27 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt get into cohort studies. We spend a lot of time confessing our limitations, both ...
S2E8: Measures of Effect with Katie Lesko
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Katie Lesko for a discussion on Chapter 5 on measures of associa...
S2E7: The donut episode: Measures of association
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt record, then re-record due to a technical error (ooops!) a discussion on Chapter ...
S2E6: Chapter 4 – The building blocks of epi with Dr. Liz Stuart
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt go back to chapter 4 of Modern Epidemiology but this time with Dr. Liz Stuart (wh...
S2E5: Chapter 4 – The great open vs closed population debate
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt dig into chapter 4 of Modern Epidemiology. We focused on the some of the basic bu...
S2E4: More on causal inference with Dr. Jay Kaufman
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt go back to Chapters 2 and 3 of Modern Epidemiology but this time with guest Dr. J...
S2E3. More on causal inference and scientific reasoning
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt try to finish off Chapter 3 of Modern Epidemiology given they couldn’t get it a...
S2E2: A discussion on causal inference and scientific reasoning
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt take on Chapters 2 and 3 of Modern Epidemiology… at least that was the plan, we...
S2E1: Modern Epidemiology: An interview with Dr. Kenneth Rothman
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We are going in a new direction for Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology. This season Hailey and Matt are focusing exclusively on the new fourth edition o...
1.20 Season 1 Finale: Will we ever have to stop wearing sweatpants to work? Lessons from a year of pandemic podcasting.
01 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Join Matt Fox and Hailey Banack for our final episode of the first season of SERious Epidemiology, a season which happened to take place entirely duri...
1.19 SERious Epi Journal Club – BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Mass Vaccination Setting
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this journal club episode, Dr. Matt Fox and Dr. Hailey Banack discuss a paper recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Dagan et...
1.18 Lifecourse epidemiology: a melting pot of bias?
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The topic of this episode is lifecourse epidemiology, defined by Dr. Paola Gilsanz as the biological, behavioural and social processes that influence ...
1.17 Do external validity and transportability confuse the daylights out of you?
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ask yourself these true or false questions: Generalizability and transportability and external validity are all the same thing Generalizability is a ...
1.16 Finding the Perfect Match Requires Common Support: Matching with Dr. Anusha Vable
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matching is something we learn about in our intro to epidemiology classes and yet we probably spend little time thinking about it after that, we just ...
1.15 The pool is big enough for all of us: Representativeness with Dr. Jonathan Jackson
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Perhaps the biggest challenge we all face in epidemiologic research is recruitment of study participants. And recruiting a diverse population for our ...
1.14. It’s always a competition: Competing Risks with Dr. Bryan Lau
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you, like us, understand that competing risks are important to account for and yet are not 100% sure exactly what they are and when they matter? Do...
1.13. It’s all about the instruments: with Sonja Swanson
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What are instrumental variables? Should I be using them in my research? And if so, how do I do that? In this episode of SERious Epidemiology, we talk ...
1.12. Epidemiology podcast crossover
01 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of the Society for Epidemiologic Research 2020 Meeting, the hosts of four epidemiology podcasts came together to record the first ever “cro...
1.11. The need for theory in epidemiology – with Dr. Nancy Krieger
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Title: The need for theory in epidemiology with Dr. Nancy Krieger This episode features an interview with Dr. Nancy Krieger, Professor of Soci...
1.10. Quasi-experimental Studies – A Love Story: With Tarik Benmarhnia
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What puts the quasi in quasi-experimental designs? What makes a quasi-experimental study different than a “real” experiment? Ever wondered about t...
1.9. When Epidemiologists and Variables Collide: with Elizabeth Rose Mayeda
15 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In most introductory epidemiology courses, students are taught about three categories of bias: confounding, information bias, and selection bias. On t...
1.8. The Discipline Olympics: Epidemiology vs. Public Health with Dr. Laura Rosella
01 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Given the COVID-19 pandemic there is an urgent need for us to better understand how scientific evidence generated in epidemiologic research gets trans...
1.7. The Bread and Butter of Bayes with Ghassan Hamra
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we interview Dr. Ghassan Hamra and talk about all things Bayesian. If you’re like us, you have likely been trained in traditional, f...
1.6. Questioning the Questions with Maria Glymour
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why is it so important to ask good study questions? Why is it so hard to develop good study questions? Do all study questions need to be directly rele...
1.5. Putting the Social Back in Social Epidemiology with Dr. Whitney Robinson
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Is all epidemiology social epidemiology? If I am someone who studies cancer, or obesity, or infectious disease, or any other branch of epidemiology, s...
1.4. Statisticalize your intervention soup: A journal club episode discussing Hernan and Taubman’s “Does obesity shorten life?”
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this journal club episode, we discuss one of our top 10 favourite epidemiology papers: “Does obesity shorten life? The importance of well-defined...
1.3. The Countercultural Counterfactual Episode with Dr. Daniel Westreich
17 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Causal inference and the potential outcomes model are now both commonly taught in graduate programs in epidemiology. However, I think we can all agree...
Bonus Episode 1.2.5: “Making Causal Inference More Social and (Social) Epidemiology More Causal” with Dr. Onyebuchi Arah and Dr. John W. Jackson
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At SER 2019, the Cassel lecture was delivered by Miguel Hernán and Sandro Galea on the topic of reconciling social epidemiology and causal inferenc...
1.2. The Time is Not on Your Side Episode with Dr. Ellie Murray
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why it is so important to consider the concept of time in epidemiologic analyses? And, more importantly, what strategies exist ...
1.1. SERious EPI – Introduction
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to know more about novel methods in epidemiology but don’t have the time read a bunch of papers on the topic? Do you want to keep curren...