The six-site consortium, funded by the National Institutes of Health, will study individuals from ancestrally diverse populations that are traditionally underrepresented in medical research. The Keck School of Medicine of USC has received funding from the National Institutes of Health as part of a five-year, $50.3 million “multi-omics” study of human health and disease involving six sites. Researchers in the Multi-Omics for Health and Disease consortium will study fatty liver disease, hepatocellular…
Emory-led research first to detect ‘forever chemicals’ in newborns
An Emory University-led study into the exposures of pregnant women to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” is believed to be the first to detect PFAS in newborns and show that exposure to these chemicals during pregnancy increases the likelihood of preterm or early term births. The study, which was recently published in Nature Communications, studied blood samples from 267 newborns between 2016 and 2020 and discovered…
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JPB Fellows Workshop at IAPHS!
Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science (IAPHS) Conference. When & where: Baltimore, Maryland Monday, October 2, 2023, at 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM EDT Fellows Katie Dickerson, Hector Olvera, and Allison Appleton, who are founding members of SERG (Socio-Environmental Research Group), will lead the workshop titled “Strengthening Research for Action at the Intersection of Environmental & Social Determinants of Health” during the IAPHS Conference. This capacity-building workshop aims to provide social…
How researchers hope to combat urban heat island effect in Boston
When extreme heat sets in, it can feel even hotter in the city. This is known as the urban heat island effect. “There are areas of Chelsea on the same day and time. It’s six or seven degrees hotter when you’re surrounded by pavement than if you’re in an area that has more greenspace and trees,” said Dr. Madeleine Scammell, an associate professor of environmental health at Boston University’s School…
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Can Virtual Reality Mimic Nature’s Power to Make Us Healthier?
For decades, scientists have been exploring how exposing humans to nature—by planting trees along urban streets, visiting forests or even just growing houseplants—may improve physical and psychological health. Now researchers are also testing whether we can reap at least some of the same benefits from experiencing nature in virtual reality. This strange twist speaks to some recent, powerful findings on the health impacts of nature exposure. “We are seeing new research,…
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Gaps and future directions in research on health effects of air pollution
Despite progress in many countries, air pollution, and especially fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) remains a global health threat: over 6 million premature cardiovascular and respiratory deaths/yr. have been attributed to household and outdoor air pollution. In this viewpoint, we identify present gaps in air pollution monitoring and regulation, and how they could be strengthened in future mitigation policies to more optimally reduce health impacts. We conclude that there is…
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Introduction to the Handbook on Energy Justice
Edited by Stefan Bouzarovski, School of Environment, Education and Development, The University of Manchester, UK, Sara Fuller, School of Social Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia and JPB Fellow Tony G. Reames, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, US Offering a unique and critical perspective on energy justice, this Handbook delves into an emerging field of inquiry encapsulating multiple strands of scholarship on energy systems. Covering key topics including…
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Readout of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Invest in Nature Summit
Today, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) hosted the Invest in Nature Summit. This event brought together federal government leaders, academia, industry, non-profits, philanthropies, and others to celebrate the progress being made through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, and underscore the importance of continued efforts to drive even more progress. This event featured OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy…
JPB Fellow Marccus Hendricks Joins White House Council on Environmental Quality
The White House Council on Environmental Quality has tapped Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning, Marccus Hendricks, to serve as a Senior Advisor for Climate and Community Resilience on the inaugural Environmental Justice team. A one-year appointment through the Executive Office of the President of the United States, Hendricks will support the development of federal policies, initiatives and efforts that advance place-based strategies and solutions related to water, hazard…
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A Path to Sleep Equity
Sleep is fundamentally necessary for life, yet racial and ethnic groups are disproportionately affected by poor sleep health and sleep disorders. A growing body of research helps establish that sleep health disparities affecting racial and ethnic groups are a substantial public health problem. We must continue to work to identify and understand the causes, extent, and implications of unequally distributed sleep problems in America in order to intervene. Shorter sleep…