Expert insights: Why gas stoves are under fire
Contributing to concern about the direct health risks of indoor gas appliances is the recognition that natural gas piped into homes brings with it some radon.
Certain neighborhoods in Allegheny County linked to greater risk of severe asthma, study finds
“We wanted to see if living in an EJ tract had a relationship to the severity and controllability of asthma,” said Dr. Sally Wenzel.
Months after residents sound the alarm, Pennsylvania 'cracks' down on Shell plant
“If my car doesn’t pass inspection, I’m not really allowed to drive that car,” said James Fabisiak.
Alison Sanders won a grant to support an undergraduate student’s research
Assistant professor Alison Sanders earned the Undergraduate Faculty Research Grant from the Society of Toxicology.
New study explores how exposure to mix of toxic metals impacts developing kidneys
Chronic kidney disease is a growing problem worldwide and in the aging U.S. population. But could the groundwork for this progressive disease have been laid while its victims were still in utero?
Newly launched research at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health seeks to determine if pregnant mothers’ environmental exposure to toxic metals impacts kidney development in their babies, setting the stage for a problem that doesn’t become apparent until the baby is an adult.
Sowing new seeds of collaboration
Pitt’s School of Public Health and Swanson School of Engineering award $220K to four collaborative projects addressing climate change, global health and environmental justice
Student accolades and honors
The School of Public Health recognizes awards and achievements made by students during the spring semester.
Faculty grants awarded
Congratulations go to School of Public Health faculty members who have received new grant awards to support their research:
U.S. News and World Report 2023 graduate school rankings released
Pitt Public Health and several departments and programs perform well in the latest graduate school rankings.
Severe asthma patients on ways their doctors could improve treatment
“Having a doctor who really listens to you and works with you can go such a long way toward making you feel supported.”
Adult-onset asthma is common. What to consider if you’re diagnosed.
“In children, asthma tends to be more benign,” says professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sally Wenzel. “In adults, it’s more unpredictable.”
Pitt Public Health experts weigh in on East Palestine derailment
A train carrying toxic materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3. Since the derailment, faculty members at Pitt Public Health have been interviewed by numerous media outlets to provide their expertise on the situation. Read the news stories below. (Subscription may be required for some outlets).
Officials burned off toxic chemicals from Ohio train. Was it the right move?
“From a vulnerability perspective, the greatest risk of exposure is in the train workers as well as the responders, the people who did the burn," said Dean Lichtveld.
How vinyl chloride, chemical released in the Ohio train derailment, can damage the liver – it’s used to make PVC plastics
Vinyl chloride – the chemical in several of the train cars that derailed and burned in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023 – can wreak havoc on the human liver.
Who should be on Allegheny County’s new board of health?
Experts weigh in on what types of appointees are needed to build a healthier Pittsburgh and surrounding county.