Several of our group's current projects are described below. Students or postdocs who are interested in exploring opportunities with any of these projects, or who would like to learn more about other opportunities in the group, should first read this and then contact me by email.
Pathways to Equitable Healthy Cities
Over half the world’s population now lives in cities, and by 2050 this is expected to rise to 70%. People who live in cities are on average healthier than those living in rural areas, mainly due to the concentration of economic activity and extensive public services. However, as more and more people are exposed to city life, these services are stretched and stressed, and the urban poor fall behind. This seven country collaborative study aims to provide the evidence needed to help policy makers and governments take actions to improve the health of their populations and the planet, in a way that minimizes health inequality. We work closely with 4 global cities to gather local data and then use computer modelling to test policies, such as safe low-income housing or large public transport systems, to see whether they are likely to be successful. I lead the health outcomes component of the study. See more information here.
Over half the world’s population now lives in cities, and by 2050 this is expected to rise to 70%. People who live in cities are on average healthier than those living in rural areas, mainly due to the concentration of economic activity and extensive public services. However, as more and more people are exposed to city life, these services are stretched and stressed, and the urban poor fall behind. This seven country collaborative study aims to provide the evidence needed to help policy makers and governments take actions to improve the health of their populations and the planet, in a way that minimizes health inequality. We work closely with 4 global cities to gather local data and then use computer modelling to test policies, such as safe low-income housing or large public transport systems, to see whether they are likely to be successful. I lead the health outcomes component of the study. See more information here.
Environmental policy evaluation - health and air pollution impacts of the coal to clean energy policy in Beijing
The opportunity to conduct natural experiments is rare in environmental health. We are leveraging a rural energy policy being implemented into thousands of villages in northern China to assess its impacts on outdoor air quality, exposures to air pollution, and health. |
Climate change and health
Climate change, together with other natural and anthropogenic-stressors like land-use change, deforestation, can influence environmental exposures and human health through many pathways. We are investigating the health and wellbeing impacts of extreme weather events using global datasets on child health and development and through primary data on heat, air pollution, and noise collected in global cities including Ghana and Bangladesh
Climate change, together with other natural and anthropogenic-stressors like land-use change, deforestation, can influence environmental exposures and human health through many pathways. We are investigating the health and wellbeing impacts of extreme weather events using global datasets on child health and development and through primary data on heat, air pollution, and noise collected in global cities including Ghana and Bangladesh
Follow-up of The VHEMBE Study
We just received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to extend child follow up in the The Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) Study. VHEMBE is a birth cohort study of 752 South African women-child pairs investigating the effect of environmental exposures on child health. In this follow-up study, we will extend measurements from ages 5 to 8 years and investigate the impacts of postnatal exposures to insecticides used in malaria control and to air pollution on immune function and allergic airway disease.
We just received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to extend child follow up in the The Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) Study. VHEMBE is a birth cohort study of 752 South African women-child pairs investigating the effect of environmental exposures on child health. In this follow-up study, we will extend measurements from ages 5 to 8 years and investigate the impacts of postnatal exposures to insecticides used in malaria control and to air pollution on immune function and allergic airway disease.