About Our Program

As a research center embedded within Kaiser Permanente’s large and dynamic health care system, our investigators have a unique opportunity to apply scientific expertise to real-world clinical problems, translate findings into practice, and share what we learn with the broader community.

Featured Scientist

Dr. Anny Xiang headshot
Anny H. Xiang, PhD, MS
Senior Director
Division of Biostatistics Research
626-564-3966
Anny.H.Xiang@kp.org

Dr. Anny Xiang is a senior research scientist and biostatistician and the senior director of Biostatistics Research for the Department of Research & Evaluation. Previously, she was an associate professor at the University of Southern California. She conducts collaborative and independent research. Dr. Xiang has a long track record of research on diabetes and gestational diabetes and has published many high-impact papers.

She is also a professor in the Department of Health Systems Science ...

Featured Video

Research showing value of exercise before COVID-19 diagnosis earns special recognition

Being active can lower your risk of getting seriously ill with COVID, regardless of your race or the chronic conditions you may have, according to research published last year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The Kaiser Permanente Southern California findings were important, impactful, and influential. As a result, the journal editors chose the research article, “Associations of Physical Inactivity and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Subgroups,” as the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023 Article of the Year.

News

Featured Image of News Story Titled: Physical activity may matter more than diet for longevity

Physical activity may matter more than diet for longevity

Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness may be more strongly associated with living longer than diet quality, according to a new review co-authored by a Kaiser Permanente physician. The review, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, compared decades of research on diet quality, physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness to determine how strongly each was associated with the ...

Blended prenatal care shows similar outcomes with fewer in-person visits

A blended prenatal care model that combined virtual and in-person visits was associated with similar birth outcomes compared with traditional in-person care, according to new Kaiser Permanente research. The study was published November 11, 2026, in Pregnancy. The study, conducted within Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Kaiser Permanente Northwest, compared pregnant patients who received care ...

Good news for people newly diagnosed with MOGAD: Study finds low relapse risk

People newly diagnosed with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease, or MOGAD, generally had a low risk of relapse and lasting disability, according to a Kaiser Permanente study. Researchers from Kaiser Permanente in Southern California followed 69 children and adults diagnosed at their first MOGAD attack and found that more than 80% fully recovered, while just ...

Ultraprocessed foods linked to body fat gain in children

Children who ate more ultraprocessed foods showed stronger activity in a part of the brain involved in reward, and that brain response was linked to greater gains in body fat over the following year, a new study found. The study — published October 2026 in JAMA Network Open — followed 46 children ages 7 to ...

No increased stroke risk found after COVID-19 and flu vaccinations

A large multisite study found that bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, flu vaccination, and same-day administration of both vaccines were not associated with an increased risk of first-ever ischemic stroke. “This study found no evidence of an increased risk of ischemic stroke following bivalent COVID-19 vaccination, influenza vaccination, or receiving both vaccines on the same day,” ...

Featured Division

Health Services Research & Implementation Science

Investigators with the Division of Health Services Research & Implementation Science study how care is delivered, identify opportunities for care improvement, and implement new approaches for organizing and delivering health services. The division brings together scientists with diverse expertise and training, including emergency medicine, epidemiology, health services research, implementation science, internal medicine, nursing, pharmaceutical economics, and pulmonology.

The division co-leads the Care Improvement Research Team, a research team embedded within Kaiser Permanente Southern California’s quality improvement ecosystem. The team works closely with clinical and operational partners at Kaiser Permanente Southern California to identify, prioritize, and solve problems related to quality and affordability. Its goal is to reduce unnecessary practice variation, improve affordability, and transform care.