A new collaborative effort by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Boston University School of Public Health aims to address the health effects of exposure to multiple negative environmental and social factors—such as air pollution, excess noise, lack of green space, and crime—in communities across Massachusetts. The Center for Research on Environmental and Social Stressors in…

Frequently experiencing the stress caused by racial discrimination—whether in the form of lower wages in the workplace than one’s peers or living in a poor neighborhood with a high rate of violence and little access to fresh fruits and vegetables—can significantly impact peoples’ mental and physical health, says David Williams, Florence Sprague Norman and Laura Smart…

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) — which are less than 100 nanometers (one millionth of a millimeter) in diameter — can make the colors in digital printer inks pop and help sunscreens better protect against radiation, among many other applications. They may even help prevent infectious diseases. But as the technology becomes more widespread, questions remain about the potential…

When fast food joints are on every corner and fruits and vegetables are costly at the local market, how can parents make sure their children eat a healthy diet? How can low-income parents ensure their children get enough exercise when they don’t have a safe place to play outdoors? What’s the best way to limit…

A 20-year rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China appears to have been spurred largely by increases in high blood pressure, according to a study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Increasing body mass index (BMI), decreasing physical activity, a high prevalence of smoking, and unhealthy diet have also contributed to the growing burden…

The task of addressing global societal, economic, and environmental issues from the perspective of one university campus in any part of the world seems a daunting exercise in futility. But when multifaith voices from around the world gather to talk about the common challenges facing students and institutions of higher education, the planet becomes a…

Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel joins the 2016 class as a visiting fellow Cambridge, Mass. – Harvard’s Institute of Politics (IOP), at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, today announced the selection of the 2016 IOP fall resident and visiting fellows. “We have an extraordinary class of Fellows. They are the perfect guides…

Some bacteria, called fusobacteria, commonly found in the mouth, use a sugar-binding protein to stick to developing colorectal polyps and cancers, according to a new study by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine. While certain fusobacteria have previously been shown to worsen colorectal cancer in animals…

A new free online course from Harvard University will explore the principles guiding humanitarian response to modern emergencies as well as the challenges faced by responders when providing aid. Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster—offered through HarvardX, the University’s branch of the online education platform edX—begins Aug. 30, 2016. Already, more than 9,000 students from 175 countries…

Stunting—a condition in which children’s physical growth is lower-than-normal for their age—afflicts approximately 160 million children under age five around the world. It can diminish children’s cognitive development and put them at a higher risk for degenerative diseases. The condition is broadly understood to be a consequence of growing up undernourished and in poverty, but Harvard T.H.…

Two years after Medicaid coverage was expanded under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in their states, low-income adults in Kentucky and Arkansas received more primary and preventive care, made fewer emergency departments visits, and reported higher quality care and improved health compared with low-income adults in Texas, which did not expand Medicaid, according to a…

For the first time ever, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a travel advisory to a part of the continental U.S.—a one-square-mile area in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, where 14 people were infected with Zika after being bitten by local mosquitoes. CDC Director Thomas Frieden urged pregnant women who live and…

Dessert shouldn’t have to be a tradeoff between unhealthy ingredients and flavor, according to Walter Willett of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Willett, chair of the School’s Department of Nutrition and Fredrick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, is on a mission to reimagine dessert around what he calls the Three Pleasures:…

“Being Mortal,” the PBS documentary based on the 2014 book of the same name by surgeon, writer, and public health researcher Atul Gawande, has been nominated for an Emmy award. The documentary, which first aired on PBS’s “Frontline” program in February 2015, explores how doctors struggle to care for their dying patients. “Being Mortal” is…

Collegiate gymnasts may have been exposed to flame retardant chemicals from polyurethane foam safety equipment, such as pit cubes and landing mats, according to a small pilot study led by a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researcher. Flame retardants are associated with neurological and reproductive toxicity and cancer. The study was published online…

Australia-Harvard Fellowships are offered by the Harvard Club of Australia Foundation supporting learned exchange between Harvard University and Australia. These fellowships are aimed at creative scientists normally based at Harvard who have a persuasive plan for collaborative work in Australia with Australia’s best bioscience researchers and educators. The award also supports Australian researchers who wish to…

Induction of labor appears not to be associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorders in children in a large new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The new finding suggests that concern about autism risk should not factor into clinical decisions about whether or not to induce labor. The study…

As new vaccines are introduced—some of them quite costly—accurate information on the cost and financing of national immunization programs can be lacking. Research and a new website developed at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are designed to help governments worldwide manage their immunization programs and…

The nation’s pediatricians are launching new efforts to help their young patients avoid being traumatized by gun violence and racism. In July 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued recommendations to shield children from media violence, and called on policymakers and the entertainment industry to address the proven link between virtual and real violence.…

Facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon David Shaye, an MPH student at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, spends three months every year as a volunteer surgeon and instructor in Rwanda. Shaye, who practices at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and teaches at Harvard Medical School, wrote about his experiences in a WBUR CommonHealth blog posted July…