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Environmental Health Sciences News Archive

• A Healthy Public Cannot Abide Unhealthy And Unsafe Workplaces

  Much of the unfinished business of public health passes through, or emanates from, the workplace, argues Adam Finkel, clinical professor of environmental health sciences. Workers bear risks of acute fatal injury and of premature death from chronic toxicant exposures that are hundreds or thousands of times higher than society accepts in the general environment or from consumer products. Occupational disease is now the ninth leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 95, 000 deaths estimated annually.

  Tue, 05 Jan 2021 13:58:48 -0500

• Expert Workshop on Changing Global E-waste Cycle Brings Together Leaders from Around the World

  On April 25 and 26, 2018, the University of Michigan School of Public Health brought together nearly 50 experts from around the world to discuss solutions to the public health challenges caused by electronic waste--or e-waste--which refers to electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, and household appliances that are thrown away or recycled.

  Tue, 15 May 2018 21:38:00 -0500

• Researchers Visit Guatemala to Explore Collaborative Opportunities

  Cervical cancer has a high survivability rate when diagnosed and treated early, but among women of reproductive age in Guatemala, it is the leading cause of cancer-related death. In December, a delegation from the School of Public Health went to Guatemala to learn more about cervical cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and to explore collaborative opportunities for faculty and students with local and regional institutions.

  Thu, 03 May 2018 00:01:08 -0400

• New Article Examines the Possibility of Applying Workplace Safety Rules to the NFL

  Could occupational health and safety laws be applied to better protect NFL players? A new analysis in the Arizona Law Review co-authored by Adam Finkel, clinical professor of environmental health sciences, explores this possibility.

  Wed, 18 Apr 2018 16:43:08 -0400

• Seeking a Quiet Place in a Nation of Noise

  Almost no place in the continental United States is free of man-made sound. And noise doesn't just affect hearing; it can impact your health. "We're in active denial" about the health effects of noise, says Rick Neitzel, associate professor of environmental health sciences.

  Wed, 18 Apr 2018 16:14:53 -0400

• 12 Scary Reasons Millennials Need to Worry About Autoimmune Diseases

  This group of more than 80 conditions is on the rise--and it attacks young women most often. Emily Somers, associate professor of environmental health sciences, and other experts explain how to recognize it and the latest advice on how to prevent it.

  Wed, 18 Apr 2018 16:09:17 -0400

• Crawford and Burns Receive Feingold Diversity Awards

  The School of Public Health's Eugene Feingold Excellence in Diversity Award recognizes and honors faculty, staff, and students who champion diversity efforts throughout the school and contribute positively to an environment of inclusion. This year's staff Feingold Award was awarded to Jenny Crawford, executive secretary for the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education. Katrina Burns, a doctoral student in Environmental Health Sciences, is the very first student recipient of the Feingold Award.

  Fri, 16 Mar 2018 15:30:38 -0400

• Traffic Noise Linked to Increased Cardiovascular Risk

  An updated evidence review strengthens the concept that exposure to environmental noise from road traffic and aircraft may increase the risk for heart disease and gets at the potential underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms.

  Fri, 23 Feb 2018 16:36:02 -0500

• You Might Be Inhaling Bits of Toxic Algae

  When waves out on the Great Lakes churn up water during a bloom, they could be sending pieces of algae and their toxins flying, scientists recently reported in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. These particles can float off on the wind for miles. That means people living near the lake might be breathing in algal toxins without realizing it. And this isn't just a problem for folks living on the water. Andrew Ault, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences, explains.

  Fri, 23 Feb 2018 15:37:18 -0500

• School of Public Health Establishes Accelerated Master's Degree Program

  This February, the University of Michigan School of Public Health established an accelerated master's degree program with undergraduate programs on campus and Tsinghua University School of Environment and Peking University College of Environmental Science and Engineering. The Department of Environmental Health Sciences will pilot this partnership-based program for three years.

  Wed, 21 Feb 2018 22:14:51 -0500

• Andrew Ault Named 2018 Sloan Research Fellow

  Four University of Michigan researchers have been named 2018 Sloan Research Fellows. Andrew Ault, assistant professor of environmental health sciences and chemistry, is among four University of Michigan researchers and 126 early-career scholars nationwide recognized by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The recipients receive a two-year, $65,000 fellowship to support their research.

  Thu, 15 Feb 2018 14:33:19 -0500

• Chemicals in Food Packaging, Plastics, and Makeup May Lower Vitamin D Levels

  PhD candidate Lauren Johns talks with Real Simple Magazine about the public health impact of chemicals in food packaging, plastics and makeup.

  Thu, 01 Feb 2018 16:55:07 -0500

• Four Michigan Public Health Faculty Named Professors of Global Public Health

  In January, the University of Michigan School of Public Health welcomed its second cohort of University of Michigan Professors of Global Health. The professorships, approved by the Board of Regents and effective January 1, and are held for three years.

  Mon, 29 Jan 2018 16:00:00 -0500

• Flying Slime: Harmful Algal Blooms Can Become Airborne

  Waves lapping against the shoreline is always a pretty scene, but it may also be a way for toxins from harmful algal blooms to become airborne. University of Michigan researchers Andrew Ault and Kerri Pratt are exploring this issue.

  Tue, 23 Jan 2018 16:41:36 -0500

• Noise Pollution: An Invisible Threat

  At work, crews use jackhammers to repair the concrete sidewalk outside your office. On your way home, drivers honk their horns as they pass by an accident along the highway. And as you get ready for bed, a Boeing 737 takes flight within miles of your home. You chalk it up as background noise, but these environmental exposures could have a profound impact on your health. And it goes well beyond just hearing loss.

  Wed, 17 Jan 2018 17:13:40 -0500

• Public Health Faculty Among New Cohort of Michigan Interprofessional Leadership Fellows

  A record 21 educators in the third cohort of the Interprofessional Leadership (IPL) Fellows program highlights the growing interest in and commitment to interprofessional education (IPE) at University of Michigan.

  Mon, 08 Jan 2018 16:59:47 -0500

• Dana Dolinoy Named NSF International Chair of Environmental Health Sciences at Michigan Public Health

  Dana Dolinoy, associate professor of environmental health sciences, has been named NSF International Chair of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

  Thu, 07 Dec 2017 18:00:36 -0500

• Prof. Xi Discusses Water Quality on 910 AM

  Chuanwu Xi, professor of environmental health sciences at Michigan Public Health, talks to Angela Moore on 910 AM Detroit about water contamination and what residents can do to keep themselves and their families healthy.

  Fri, 03 Nov 2017 10:36:00 -0500

• Understanding Epigenomics: How Environmental and Social Factors Affect Our Genes' 'Instruction Book'

  Faculty members at Michigan Public Health are leading the way in analyzing environmental and social factors along with epigenetic data to identify people and communities at risk for preventable diseases. Eventually, this research will lay the groundwork for targeted, precision health interventions and policies, social support, and communications that create better health outcomes both for individuals and on a population level.

  Wed, 01 Nov 2017 13:19:35 -0400

• Noise affects your health: How to reclaim peace and quiet

  We're alive during the noisiest period of human history, and it's having powerful effects on our bodies, minds, and mood. Rick Neitzel, associate professor of environmental health sciences, discusses noise exposure and its health implications for Real Simple magazine.

  Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:27:27 -0400

• Dana Dolinoy on You Make Me Sick podcast: The mysteries of the epigenome

  Dana Dolinoy, associate professor of environmental health sciences, discusses her work on the epigenome, including how twin mom mice can birth very different looking newborns--either yellow and obese or brown and normal weight--depending on what they ate during pregnancy.

  Thu, 27 Jul 2017 16:50:29 -0400

• Chemicals used to combat Zika, agricultural pests impact motor skills in infants

  A chemical currently being used to ward off mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus and a commonly used insecticide that was threatened with a ban in the United States have been associated with reduced motor function in Chinese infants, a University of Michigan study found.

  Fri, 09 Jun 2017 09:41:24 -0400

• Environmental Health Sciences students receive scholarships at American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference

  Five MPH candidates studying Industrial Hygiene at the University of Michigan School of Public Health received scholarships at the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Conference on June 7, 2017.

  Fri, 09 Jun 2017 08:40:51 -0400

• New MPH Offering Combines Environmental Health with Health Policy and Health Promotion

  University of Michigan School of Public Health launches new master's degree program that combines environmental health with health policy and health promotion

  Tue, 16 May 2017 10:18:47 -0400

• Why Millennials need to worry about autoimmune diseases

  This group of more than 80 conditions is on the rise--and it attacks young women most often. Emily Somers, an epidemiologist at the School of Public Health, and other experts explain what young people need to know.

  Mon, 01 May 2017 16:36:00 -0500

• School of Public Health launches Global Cancer Initiative

  The School of Public Health has launched a Global Cancer Initiative in partnership with the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The initiative will build on the university's existing global partnerships in research and training to address cancer prevention and control measures across the globe.

  Fri, 21 Apr 2017 12:01:10 -0400

• Poor air quality is killing Detroiters, but now there's a plan to fix it

  Poor air quality in Detroit is putting people into the hospital, keeping them from going to work and even killing some. A number of community and environmental justice groups joined together with the University of Michigan School of Public Health to create a Public Health Action Plan, which was unveiled April 18.

  Wed, 19 Apr 2017 14:58:12 -0400

• Partnership develops plan for improving Detroit air quality

  Academics from the School of Public Health and community activists have put together a plan for improving air quality in Detroit, which they will present on April 18.

  Mon, 17 Apr 2017 12:30:08 -0400

• Richardson to Fox News: Chernobyl-scale chemical disaster looms in Eastern Ukraine war

  "In a situation like this, where a war zone is near a concentration of industrial facilities where toxic and explosive chemicals are manufactured and stored, it is possible that massive releases of toxic chemicals could be released," Rudy Richardson, professor of toxicology at the University of Michigan, told Fox News. "And that would result in high levels of civilian casualties."

  Tue, 21 Mar 2017 14:00:00 -0500

• Finkel: It takes 'alternative math' to claim that redistribution is futile

  The unequal distribution of costs and benefits across society is one of the hottest topics in the regulatory arena--and one that, regretfully, has sparked fundamentally flawed arguments, threatening to distort and obscure much-needed discussion about redistributive policies.

  Tue, 21 Mar 2017 10:15:26 -0400

• Neitzel: Safe Listening Tips on World Hearing Day

  ANN ARBOR--About 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults around the world are at risk of developing hearing loss due to the unsafe use of smartphones and other personal audio devices, and exposure to damaging levels of sound in noisy venues.

  Fri, 03 Mar 2017 12:47:24 -0500

• In the News: Batterman on Preventing Lead Poisoning

  Lead paint poisons many more children than any other source. Are housing demolitions putting their health in danger?

  Wed, 22 Feb 2017 16:54:19 -0500

• In the News: Batterman on Vapor Intrusion

  Lansing -- A "significant public health threat" is brewing in Michigan because of chemical vapors that percolate up from the ground of former industrial or commercial sites and can leak into nearby homes, Department of Environmental Quality Director Heidi Grether said.

  Fri, 17 Feb 2017 13:43:01 -0500

• U-M Research: Lower premenopausal hormone levels associated with diabetes risk

  Premenopausal women with higher endogenous estradiol levels have a lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes in midlife as they transition through menopause vs. women with lower endogenous estradiol levels, according to an analysis of data from the SWAN study.

  Fri, 20 Jan 2017 15:49:19 -0500

• SPH Partners on New Poverty Solutions Initiative

  One project involves alerting low-income homeowners about an exemption to reduce their high property taxes. Another effort employs health care workers in neighborhoods to help residents take better care of themselves. These are among nine projects funded through new grant programs by Poverty Solutions, a new initiative launched by the University of Michigan to prevent and alleviate poverty.

  Wed, 18 Jan 2017 14:23:47 -0500

• Frenk delivers U-M commencement address, encourages grads to 'raise your sights' in times of change.

  University of Miami president and global health leader Dr. Julio Frenk implored University of Michigan graduates to "raise their sights" as they embark into a world that is undergoing a pivotal moment of change.

  Mon, 19 Dec 2016 11:47:51 -0500

• SPH researchers examine impact of desalinated water at Queeri workshop in Doha.

  Researchers from Qatar, Europe, Asia, and North America gathered in Doha to discuss the impact of desalinated water on public health at a workshop organised by Hamad Bin Khalifa University's (HBKU) Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (Qeeri).

  Mon, 19 Dec 2016 11:40:13 -0500

• PBS NewsHour: Dolinoy featured in story about impact of epigenetics on autism, obesity, cancer and psychiatric disorders. (VIDEO)

  It's natural to wonder if your environment is changing you. It's no secret that smoking and pesticides are bad for your lungs and that exercise is good for your heart. But these things may actually change the function of our genes in ways that can be passed on to our children and grandchildren.

  Mon, 19 Dec 2016 11:19:35 -0500

• Smithsonian: Decades-old chemicals may be threatening polar bear fertility; Meeker and others look to PCB's.

  Between climate change, human conflict and habitat loss, polar bears have more than enough to worry about. But it turns out these vulnerable conservation icons also face a more unlikely threat: industrial chemicals that were banned almost 40 years ago. A new paper in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B finds that these and other contaminants still find their ways into the bodies of polar bears, where they can wreak havoc on their reproductive systems and fertility today.

  Tue, 06 Dec 2016 14:05:00 -0500

• U-M School of Public Health and NSF International team up to help international students.

  The University of Michigan School of Public Health (SPH) has received a $2.5 million gift from NSF International to provide scholarship support for international students. Ten scholarships will be given each year beginning January of 2017. An underlying principle of the gift is to help fund students who, after receiving their world-class education, will return to their native countries to implement the knowledge, skills and expertise acquired through their studies at SPH.

  Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:57:05 -0500

• CDC Deputy Director Schuchat and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oshinsky headline 75th anniversary symposium, Nov. 18.

  The University of Michigan School of Public Health celebrates its 75th Anniversary in the 2016-2017 academic year. As part of the celebration, each department in the school has been assigned a month during the academic year to stage special events that mark the anniversary. November 2016 is the month for the Epidemiology Department. We invite you to join us for this special event connecting the "Past, Present, and Future of Epidemiology" on Friday, November 18, 2016.

  Wed, 16 Nov 2016 17:28:52 -0500

• SPHers present at APHA annual meeting in Denver, Oct. 29-Nov. 2.

  APHA presenters listed below include faculty, staff, and students of UM SPH. Presentations may include non-UM SPH presenters.

  Mon, 31 Oct 2016 08:06:50 -0400

• NIH Director's blog takes us inside Dolinoy's epigenetics lab.

  Step inside the lab of Dana Dolinoy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and you're sure to hear conversations that include the rather strange word "agouti" (uh-goo-tee). In this context, it's a name given to a strain of laboratory mice that arose decades ago from a random mutation in the Agouti gene, which is normally expressed only transiently in hair follicles. The mutation causes the gene to be turned on, or expressed, continuously in all cell types, producing mice that are yellow, obese, and unusually prone to developing diabetes and cancer. As it turns out, these mutant mice and the gene they have pointed to are more valuable than ever today because they offer Dolinoy and other researchers an excellent model for studying the rapidly emerging field of epigenomics.

  Wed, 26 Oct 2016 02:09:52 -0400

• U-M celebrates World Polio Day: SPH and Rotary partner to light up iconic Rackham Building, October 24, 7-10 pm.

  U-M Celebrates World Polio Day SPH and Rotary partner to light U-M iconic Rackham Building October 24, 2016 6:45 PM - 10:00 PM Lawn area adjacent to Burton Tower and across from Rackham Graduate School Building Sponsored by SPH and Rotary Club of Ann Arbor Contact Information: Terri Mellow, twm@umich.edu Cost: No charge

  Fri, 21 Oct 2016 16:43:48 -0400

• Michigan Daily: SPH symposium recognizes former dean Ken Warner.

  The University of Michigan School of Public Health held a day-long symposium Monday honoring former dean Ken Warner's work on tobacco control and population health.

  Tue, 11 Oct 2016 11:05:59 -0400

• Poverty: U-M launches initiative aimed at finding solutions.

  The University of Michigan has launched a new initiative to address one of humanity's most critical and seemingly intractable problems: poverty. Called Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, the initiative will explore and test models to ease the effects of poverty and broadly share that knowledge. The initiative will work with community groups and support active-learning options for students.

  Thu, 06 Oct 2016 08:19:29 -0400

• $4.8M NIH grant addresses environmental influences on child health.

  The University of Michigan is part of a new research initiative to investigate how exposure to a range of environmental factors in early development--from conception through early childhood--influences the health of children and adolescents.

  Wed, 28 Sep 2016 16:56:50 -0400

• CNN: Most of the world breathes polluted air, says WHO; Batterman explains how health effects can result.

  Almost everyone on Earth now breathes polluted air, according to an air quality map released Tuesday by the World Health Organization.

  Wed, 28 Sep 2016 15:51:13 -0400

• U-M study: Chemical exposure linked to lower vitamin D levels.

  Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may reduce levels of vitamin D in the bloodstream, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

  Thu, 22 Sep 2016 07:40:02 -0400

• What's the SPH Practice Plunge? (VIDEO)

  The Practice Plunge is an opportunity for incoming SPH students to step outside the classroom and into public health practice. Held during New Student Orientation, students participating in the Practice Plunge visited a local public health department and participate in a public health project with a community-based organization.

  Mon, 19 Sep 2016 16:50:39 -0400