What if the power behind the programs that keep us leashed to our devices actually delivered good health, disease prevention—even digital vaccinations? Rahul Ladhania, assistant professor of Health Informatics, Biostatistics and Health Management & Policy at Michigan Public Health, is part of a team of global researchers doing the painstaking work of subverting the formidable powers of computer algorithms into a force for good.
Fungal pathogens are often somewhat of an apparition, an unexpected and seemingly invisible opponent of good health, until they are exposed under a laboratory lens or on a chest X-ray. Jennifer Head is helping to compose the book on understanding these potent vectors of disease, which sometimes can be misdiagnosed as pneumonia, tuberculosis or cancer.
AI is not only enhancing the way knowledge is generated and shared, but it’s also redefining the potential for healthcare and public health advancements. Behind its research might, the University of Michigan School of Public Health leads the charge in this transformative paradigm shift.
Jackie Goodrich, a research associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, studies PFAS chemicals in firefighting gear and their health risks like cancer. PFAS alter gene expression and persist in the environment. New EPA rules aim to mitigate exposure and protect public health.
The Michigan Health Equity Challenge, launched by Michigan Public Health, MolinaCares Accord, and Molina Healthcare of Michigan, engages graduate students in developing solutions to health inequities. Inaugural winners Melissa Zochowski and Mehak Bhansali addressed neurodivergent reproductive care and intimate partner violence.
The Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST) at Michigan Public Health offers students hands-on experience in public health. During the most recent annual trip to Grenada, students worked on projects like promoting voluntary blood donation, enhancing Alzheimer’s care, and supporting disability services, demonstrating the vital role of experiential learning and community engagement in driving public health initiatives.