Harvard Chan NIEHS Center for Environmental Health

Center Member Research Presentation graphic with Dr. Mi-Sun Lee. Presentation entitled Environmental exposures, biomarkers, and early-life health.

Join us tomorrow, Feb. 25, at 1 pm ET for a Harvard Chan NIEHS Center Member Research Presentation with Dr. Mi-Sun Lee on 'Environmental exposures, biomarkers, and early life health.' In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/NIEHS-CRP for more info and registration.

How airway ‘squeezing’ during asthma attacks triggers a cycle of worsening disease | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health New research from Harvard Chan School shows that, during asthma flare-ups, the mechanical “squeezing” of the airway known as bronchoconstriction can trigger responses in the epithelial cells—those…

New research from Harvard School of Public Health led by Dr. Jin-Ah Park shows that airway tightening during asthma attacks can trigger a cycle of inflammation and disease, improving understanding of severe asthma and informing potential strategies to interrupt this feedback loop.

Webinar: Addressing Spatial Confounding & Interference in Environmental Health Research

Learn easy-to-implement models to tackle spatial confounding and interference in environmental epidemiology, with a real-world case study.

📅 Feb 25, 12:00–1:00 PM ET
🔗 buff.ly/o8CAKmW

Seminar graphic with Al McGartland's photo and lecture title: Quality science for quality decisions: The political regulatory cycle and the integrity of benefit cost analysis.

Tomorrow! Join us Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 1 pm ET, for a @hsphniehsctr.bsky.social and @harvardenvhealth.bsky.social seminar with Dr. Al McGartland of NYU's Institute for Policy Integrity @policyintegrity.bsky.social. In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/niehs-seminar for more info and registration.

Center Member Dr. Joe Allen speaks at the 1st Annual LA Fires Research Conference.

Center Affiliate Dr. Sneh Toprani presents her work, The Impact of Firefighters' Occupational Exposure on DNA Repair Capacity, at the 1st Annual LA Fires Research Conference.

Read our January newsletter! We're highlighting the winners of our flash funding competition for Community Action Funds, the 1st Annual LA Fires Research Conference, new CE courses, and upcoming seminars! For more: hsph.me/NIEHSnews. @lafirehealth.bsky.social @joeallenjoe.bsky.social

Harvard Chan NIEHS Center Member Research Presentation with Dr. Jessica Harder on 'Environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals and neuropsychiatric outcomes in women.' Jan 28 at 1 pm ET.

Join us tomorrow, Jan. 28, at 1 pm ET for a Harvard Chan NIEHS Center Member Research Presentation with Dr. Jessica Harder on 'Environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals and neuropsychiatric outcomes in women.' In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/NIEHS-CRP for more info and registration.

Screen shot of the top of the Center newsletter with logo in header and Director Marc Weisskopf's reflections.

Our December 2025 newsletter is out! We're highlighting a flash funding competition for Community Action Funds, the John B. Little Symposium, and our monthly seminar series! Read more: hsph.me/NIEHSnews

Lauren Wise event image with headshot for the seminar entitled Broadening diversity in an online preconception cohort study of the environment and reproduction.

Join us Wednesday, December 10, at 1 pm ET, for a
@hsphniehsctr.bsky.social and @harvardenvhealth.bsky.social seminar with Dr. Lauren Wise @wisewoman75.bsky.social. In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/niehs-seminar for more info and Zoom registration.

The Harvard Chan NIEHS Center delegation to the EHSCC 2025 Annual Meeting in front of the Harvard poster.

Our fall 2025 newsletter is out! We're highlighting community education about PFAS 'forever chemicals,' seminars, new working groups, and the 2025 EHSCC Annual Meeting! Read more: hsph.me/NIEHSnews

Lecture graphic with headshot of Dr. William Mair and title of lecture: Metabolic flexibility and healthy aging.

Join us Wednesday, November 12, at 1 pm ET, for a @hsphniehsctr.bsky.social and @harvardenvhealth.bsky.social seminar with Dr. Will Mair @willmair.bsky.social on Metabolic flexibility and healthy aging. In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/niehs-seminar for more info and Zoom registration.

Center Member Research Presentation with Peng Gao, PhD, graphic, titled Mapping the human exposome: From population pattern to cellular resolution.

Join us tomorrow, October 22, at 1 pm ET for a Harvard Chan NIEHS Center Member Research Presentation with @penggao.bsky.social on 'Mapping the human exposome.' In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/NIEHS-CRP for more info and Zoom registration.

Center Member Research Presentation graphic with JP Onnela's photo and presentation title: digital phenotyping.

Join us tomorrow, October 8, for a Harvard Chan NIEHS Center Member Research Presentation with Dr. JP Onnela. In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/NIEHS-CRP for more info and Zoom registration. @harvardenvhealth.bsky.social

Harvard Chan NIEHS Center retreat attendees visit the Arnold Arboretum's solar meadow.

The September newsletter is out! Read about our recent Center retreat, honoring CEC Director of Community Engagement Ann Backus, new research findings, and upcoming events: hsph.me/NIEHSnews

Caroline Buckee lecture image: The role of translational global health research in apocalyptic times.

Join us tomorrow, September 10, at 1 pm ET, for a @hsphniehsctr.bsky.social and @harvardenvhealth.bsky.social seminar with Dr. Caroline Buckee of @harvardepi.bsky.social. In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/niehs-seminar for more info and Zoom registration.

@lafirehealth.bsky.social @harvardenvhealth.bsky.social @joeallenjoe.bsky.social

Protecting Young Children From the Impacts of Wildfires - Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University Join us for a live discussion on how wildfire smoke affects young children and how we can reduce exposure to support healthy development.

Join the Center on the Developing Child for a webinar on how wildfires impact early childhood development and health. Hear findings from @lafirehealth.bsky.social and learn how these insights can guide efforts to reduce exposure and protect healthy development. 🗓️ Register here: bit.ly/4oPIT3K

Good morning and welcome to #ISESISEE2025 Day 2! ☀️ Let’s keep the energy high and dive into another day of amazing talks, poster sessions, and our conference dinner!

What are YOU most excited about today? 🤩 Let us know!

#ExposureScience #EnvironmentalEpidemiology

Image of the Harvard Chan NIEHS Center impact document 'Trailblazers in Chronic Disease Prevention'

The Harvard Chan NIEHS Center for Environmental Health is home to over 80 scientists who are actively working to identify and reduce environmental contributors to chronic disease burdening millions of Americans. Read more about our impact: hsph.me/NIEHS-Impact

Are current lead limits strict enough to keep children safe? | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health For Immediate Release:

Center Members @joeallenjoe.bsky.social and Kari Nadeau have released an important commentary in Nature on soil remediation practices after urban wildfires in LA, with policy recommendations to reduce lead exposure risk, especially for children. Press release and commentary: hsph.me/LAleadcommentary

Check out this new paper by Center member @smahalingaiahmd.bsky.social about the menstrual cycle as an important source of information about general health!

‘It breaks my heart.’ Trump cuts to Harvard leave Boston’s vulnerable sweltering without AC. - The Boston Globe As part of its far-reaching assault on the university, the Trump administration rescinded the money for the project.

"‘It breaks my heart.’ Trump cuts to Harvard leave Boston’s vulnerable sweltering without AC." Read the Boston Globe story featuring Dr. Adamkiewicz and Dr. Rice discussing impacts to their research aimed at helping Boston communities cope with heat and pollution.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/30/m...

Manhattan Project Waste Linked to Higher Risk of Cancer People who spent their childhood in the 1940s, ’50s or ’60s living near Coldwater Creek in St. Louis County faced a heightened risk of cancer, new research suggests.

Center Director Marc Weisskopf and team's new paper, published in JAMA Network Open, shows an increased risk of cancer for people who grew up near Coldwater Creek (St. Louis, MO). The area was contaminated by radioactive byproducts from the Manhattan Project. Read more below! @hsph.harvard.edu

I covered the L.A. fires in the Palisades. So I had my blood tested for lead The Los Angeles County wildfires unleashed all kinds of contaminants once locked away in paints, plastics and elsewhere. Among the most concerning is lead, so, like hundreds of Angelenos, a reporter…

New Research from Dr. Kari Nadeau and @lafirehealth.bsky.social has shown that urban wildfires increase lead exposures for first responders. An @LATimes.com reporter decided to test his blood to see what type of impact the fires posed to residents.

Learn more about research conducted by the LA Fire HEALTH Study, headed by Center members Dr. Kari Nadeau and Dr. Joe Allen!

Photo of Raanan Raz and lecture title: The seasonal factor in studies of temperature and pregnancy outcomes.

Join us this Wednesday, June 11, for a @hsphniehsctr.bsky.social and @harvardenvhealth.bsky.social seminar with Dr. Raanan Raz of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In-person and virtual! Visit hsph.me/niehs-seminar for more info and Zoom registration.

How big of a threat to public health are the recent federal funding cuts? Dr. Marc Weisskopf, who conducts research on ALS in veterans explains on @cnn.com how the recent grant terminations are a big set back for public health.

Watch: app.frame.io/presentation...

Ben Weitz, recent MS graduate and community engagement core student worker, looks at a bag of cayenne pepper with Mary Ann Nelson, president of the Mission Hill Health Movement.

The May newsletter is out! We're celebrating the graduation of our student community engagement employee and sharing new pilot research on why flight attendants face higher risk for certain cancers. Also, scholarships for Community Exposures and Health Training! Read more: hsph.me/NIEHSnews

Graduation 2025: Award winners | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Each year, awards are presented to graduating students, faculty, and staff.

Each year, awards are presented to graduating students, as well as faculty and staff, at Harvard Chan School. Today, we celebrated the many achievements of this year's award winners at a ceremony in the Kresge building.

View the full list of awards and winners:

YouTube video by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard’s public health research, in 7 words or less

Harvard Chan School is home to a wide variety of research initiatives, with faculty, researchers, and students all working together to improve health, prevent disease, and support well-being.

We asked some of them if they could explain their research in 7 words.

Harvard Chan scientists participate in a rigorous application process for federal grants to conduct their vital health research. The government has now terminated nearly every single one of those grants.