A group of scientists, including several from the University of Washington School of Public Health, has found that certain types of vaginal bacterial are associated with an increased risk of HIV infection among women.

Scott McClelland, a professor of epidemiology and global health at the UW School of Public Health, is lead author of the new study, which investigates absolute concentrations of bacteria for more defined HIV risk analysis. Findings were published Jan. 25 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

At 14 years old, Erica Lokken spent hours on weekends in a warehouse in Houston’s south side sifting through bags and boxes of donated medical supplies. She counted unused urine cups and bandages, tinkered with prosthetic legs and sorted syringes.

Interim Dean Joel Kaufman has named Stephen Hawes, PhD, MS, the new Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health, effective Feb. 16.

Hawes is an expert on human papillomavirus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemiology and cervical cancer epidemiology, and has been a faculty member since 2002.

The University of Washington Schools of Public Health and of Nursing have formalized an alliance with Public Health – Seattle & King County that seeks to encourage collaboration and resource sharing through a new academic health department.

The three-year partnership will provide a foundation for increased training and other opportunities for students, faculty, researchers and staff of the participating organizations.

A new report authored by a national committee of experts, including members from the University of Washington School of Public Health, says the United States needs a robust surveillance system to better understand the impact of working conditions on the health of working Americans.

Parveen Bhatti and Amanda Phipps, from the University of Washington School of Public Health, have received $250,000 from the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) to support investigative and educational efforts focused on the health effects of atomic bomb radiation.

The RERF is a binational scientific organization run by the United States and Japan. The grant will re-establish an old partnership between the RERF and the School’s Department of Epidemiology, aimed at improving the quantity and quality of U.S. research scientists with expertise in radiation epidemiology.

Communities near Sea-Tac International Airport want to know if jet traffic is affecting their health. With funding from the Washington State Legislature, the UW School of Public Health seeks to help answer that question.

In his long career, Bruce M. Psaty, MD, PhD (MPH ’86) sees some themes, including an appreciation for the wide social impact of what researchers discover.

Professor and former SPH Dean Howard Frumkin (Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences) has joined forces with Professor Joshua Lawler from the UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences to lead the Nature Contact & Human Health Working Group. The group is a growing community of doctors, scientists, educators, landscape architects, recreation advocates and others interested in exploring how experiences in nature benefit human health and wellbeing.

The effects of climate change on human health are happening now, not off in the future: Rising seas, warmer temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are already causing injuries, illnesses and deaths. The impacts are significant and range from an increase in the number of people exposed to heatwaves to a growing geographic range for mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, according to recent findings published in The Lancet, co-authored by SPH Professor and former Dean Howard Frumkin.

The Bruce A. Fowler Endowed Fund for Undergraduate Student Support in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences was established this year to provide broad-based direct financial support to undergraduate students in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.

Hispanic women living in the United States experience higher rates of obesity than non-Hispanic white women. Now, new research from the University of Washington School of Public Health suggests that Hispanic women are less likely to believe that genetics is a trigger for the chronic disease – largely due to cultural variation in health beliefs.

A group of graduate students from the Community-Oriented Public Health Practice (COPHP) program has received the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award for work to move the COPHP program toward anti-racist practice. The group, selected by the UW School of Public Health, received the award at an MLK celebration last Thursday, Jan. 18, in the Magnuson Health Sciences Center.

'A Guiding Light for Cancer Centers Around the Country'

Former Dean Dr. Robert W. Day, one of the early leaders and shapers of the School of Public Health, passed away Saturday, Jan. 6, after a long battle with cancer.

“Bob was a kind, courageous leader and an inspiring mentor to generations of scientists who will miss him greatly,” said SPH Interim Dean Joel Kaufman. “He is remembered for many contributions to the enduring character of the School, including its commitment to research excellence and a culture of collaboration.”

Women who experience common menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, may have an 18 percent greater risk of developing diabetes, according to a new study led by researchers from the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington School of Public Health.

In 2017, SPH received a No. 3 world ranking emphasizing scientific impact. The making of a health care card for LGBTQ youth shed light on one of the School's most popular graduate programs. A study on the health impact of cooking at home received significant national interest. And students spearheaded the evaluation of hosting Tent City 3 on campus. These stories are among your favorites of 2017. Here is the full hit list:

Mothers’ lifestyle during pregnancy may impact risk of diabetes, obesity in babies

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Public Health have pinpointed genetic variants that markedly increase HIV infection risk among people exposed to the virus.

These variants, described in a study published earlier this month in PLOS Pathogens, raised the risk of HIV infection by two- to eight-fold.

Children in farm worker families are exposed to higher amounts of harmful pesticides from dust in the home than other children, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Washington School of Public Health. This is most notable in the thinning season, when farm workers are in direct contact with pesticide-treated fruit, and they transport residue into their homes on their skin or clothing.

A team of investigators from the University of Washington has received a five-year, $3.75 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a Core Center for Clinical Research (CCCR) to support diverse research efforts to effectively diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions.