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Jamie Oliver Receives 2012 Healthy Cup Award
May 23, 2012 Jamie Oliver, with Dean Julio Frenk (left) and nutrition department chair Walter Willett, hoists the Healthy Cup Award. Television personality, food activist, and internationally acclaimed...
Melissa Begg, Vice Dean of Education at Columbia University, to Receive Inaugural Lagakos Distinguished Alumni Award
May 17, 2012 Melissa Begg The Harvard School of Public Health's Department of Biostatistics will award the inaugural Lagakos Distinguished Alumni Award to Melissa D. Begg, ScD '89, professor...
New Research Explores Role of Genetics in Smoking and Lung Cancer
May 15, 2012 In 2008, three different studies found that certain genetic variants associated with nicotine dependence and smoking were also associated with lung cancer. The findings raised a question:...
Simulated Conference Teaches Students About Complexity of Health Aid Negotiations
HSPH's Stephen Marks (center) played the role of the Malawi prime minister at a simulated conference on international health aid. May 11, 2012 The prime minister of Malawi banged his fist on the...
For Both Bullies and Their Victims, Victimization Plays a Role
May 11, 2012 Bullying’s causes are rarely simple. Rather, bullying—for bullies, victims, and those who are both bullies and victims—is often associated with exposures to other forms...
William Foege Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Former CDC Director and Global Health Champion Helped Eradicate Smallpox May 10, 2012 Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) alumnus William Foege, MPH ’65, legendary for his work in the late...
TREC Center at HSPH Tackles Obesity, Cancer Prevention
May 11, 2012 Research has linked obesity with the development and progression of many health problems including multiple forms of cancer. But questions remain about the complex mechanisms by which obesity...
Franziska Michor Honored at Second Annual Alice Hamilton Lecture
May 11, 2012 Associate Professor Franziska Michor Franziska Michor, associate professor of computational biology, received Harvard School of Public Health’s second annual Alice Hamilton Award...
Newer Antiepileptic Drugs Associated With Lower Risk of Fetal Malformations than Older Drugs
But One New Generation Anticonvulsant, Topiramate, Is Linked With Cleft Lip May 7, 2012 For pregnant women with epilepsy, new anticonvulsant drugs may be less likely than older ones to cause malformations...
Earth Week at HSPH: "Handprinting," Stairwalking, Cleaning
HSPH volunteers Caitlin O'Connor (front) and Jen Doleva clean Pontiac Street in Mission Hill. The Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) community marked Earth Week 2012 with a wide variety of activities,...
HSPH Mourns Endang Sedyaningsih
Endang Sedyaningsih, MPH '92, SD '97 received her master's and doctoral degrees from the Department of Global Health and Population. In 2009, she was appointed Minister of Health in her native Indonesia....
Harsh Immigration Policies May Undermine Public Safety, Study Finds
Tough enforcement of immigration laws may limit illegal immigration—the intended consequence—but may also have the unintended effect of undermining public safety, by alienating immigrants...
Hollywood and Health: Harnessing the Power of Storytelling
TV shows like SVU: Special Victims Unit have been able to boost viewers' health knowledge. May 1, 2012 Twelve years ago, in a survey of TV viewers who regularly watched the show ER, only 24% had...
HIV May Increase Risk of Malaria Infection in Children
April 26, 2012 A mother with her infant in Tanzania listens to an HIV/AIDS radio program as part of the STRADCOM (Strategic Radio Communication for Development) project. Photo: ©2008 Robert Karam,...
Mold, Debris, Toxins, Stress: Dealing With the Impacts of Hurricane Katrina
Mold in a living room, post-Katrina April 26, 2012 In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was left with a huge mess: miles and miles of flooded neighborhoods, wrecked homes, mountains of...
HSPH Students Propose Cost-Saving Public Health Reforms to Massachusetts Legislators as Part of Inaugural Spring Challenge
April 25, 2012 The winning team in HSPH's Spring Challenge, pictured with HSPH Prof. John McDonough (third from left) and members of the Massachusetts Prevention for Health Caucus, presented their...
Inaugural HSPH Leadership Fellows Share Real-World Public Health Policymaking Expertise
Ann Veneman K. Sujatha Rao April 24, 2012 To tackle a big public health issue—maternal mortality, for example—it takes more than simply focusing on how women fare during childbirth....
HSPH Researchers Assess Effect on Health of Proposed Fare Hikes in Boston Area Public Transportation System
April 20, 2012 Fare increases and service cuts originally proposed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to counter a projected $161 million deficit in 2012 would likely have costly...
YMCA of the USA/HSPH Initiative in Afterschool Programs Increases Physical Activity Levels in Youth
A Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) youth fitness and nutrition initiative conducted with the YMCA of the USA was found to effectively boost physical activity levels and time spent doing moderate...
Study Shows School-based Life Skills Tobacco Control Program Can Lower Smoking Rates in Youth
April 19, 2012 A new study provides the latest evidence that school-based tobacco control programs can have a positive effect in lowering tobacco use among youth. The study was an evaluation of Salaam...
Global Health and Development Topic of TEDx Event at HSPH
April 13, 2012 Student government representatives Melissa Shive, MPH '12, and Syed Kashif Mahmood, MPH ’14, introduced the event. Students and other members of the Harvard School of Public...
Report Says Countries Must Address Needs of World's Aging Population
The needs of the world’s growing over-60 population should be addressed “early and swiftly” to minimize the risk of future strain on health and economic resources and to maximize the...
Infant Lungs Prone to Nanoparticle Deposits
Findings may have implications for how drugs are delivered to infants Akira Tsuda, principal research scientist in the Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program in the Department of...
HSPH Students Look to Unravel the Complexities of Chagas Disease
March 30, 2012 Callae Snively (l) and Jennifer Manne Chagas disease affects an estimated 8 to 11 million people worldwide. Caused by a parasite transmitted primarily through a bite from the triatomine,...
Food Marketing Can Distort Portion Size Perceptions
Think you know how many calories you get when you order a “low-fat” sub? Or how many ounces are in the soda you guzzle down at the movies? Whatever you think you know, you’re likely...
Recalling Joseph Warren--Physician, Revolutionary, Leader
Atul Gawande (left) and Samuel Forman Every school kid learns about Paul Revere’s famous ride at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, when he raced on his horse from Boston toward Concord...
Questioning the Safety and Necessity of Flame Retardants
Did you know that your couch most likely contains up to a pound of flame retardants? And that these are toxic chemicals that may cause cancer, harm reproduction, or adversely impact brain development? In...
The Legal Battle Over Health Care Reform
From March 26-28, 2012, the Supreme Court will hear challenges to the constitutionality of the landmark health care reform law known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Read how Harvard School of Public...
Examining Racial Disparities in Cancer and Mortality Rates
African Americans face higher cancer rates than whites for many types of cancer, but the reasons why are largely unknown. Epidemiologist Lisa Signorello hopes to help explain the disparities in her role...
Documenting Public Health Needs in African Communities Destabilized by Militia Violence
Jocelyn Kelly interviews a mother of a girl who escaped from the LRA and returned home. Photo by Lindsay Branham for DTJ The militant group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has waged a 25-year...
Students Take Sides in Legal Battle Over Health Care Reform
Michelle Mello speaks with students in her Public Health Law class. Later this month, the Supreme Court will hear challenges to the constitutionality of the landmark health care reform law known...
Using Cell Phones for Public Health
Nathan Eagle is an expert in how to use cell phone data to predict and influence human behavior. And he thinks that cell phones could be the next big thing in public health. That’s because cell...
Social Networks and Volunteering Linked With Good Health Worldwide
Much research has indicated that strong social networks and volunteering are linked with good health. But most of that research was done in western or developed countries. Now, Harvard School of Public...
"Stars" Celebrated at Event Marking Years of Service at HSPH
The annual HSPH Celebration with the Stars honors employees who have reached a service milestone of five or more years. This year's event took place on February 16, 2012, in the Kresge cafeteria. Read...
Bring Lessons From the "AIDS Decade" to the Fight Against the Global Epidemic of Noncommunicable Diseases
A home care nurse measures the blood pressure of a terminal cervical cancer patient in Uttam Nagar, New Delhi, India. © 2007 Divya Pal Singh, Courtesy of Photoshare There is a myth that chronic...
Working Healthy Snacks Into After-School Programs
Nutritious snacks don’t have to bust budgets, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers conclude in a new study that analyzed the cost of foods served in YMCA after-school programs in four...
Most Cancers Strike Men, But Reasons Are Enigmatic
It is well known that most cancers strike men more often than women. In many cases these differences can be explained by known risk factors such as smoking, drinking, or occupational hazards. But more...
Alumna Hopes Video Will Help Stem the Cholera Tide
"The Story of Cholera" teaches how cholera spreads and how to treat and prevent it. A new animated video about cholera—how people get infected, how it spreads, and how to treat it—is...
Searching for Answers to Causes of Childhood Depression
Erin Dunn Over the past decade, scientists have produced a flurry of studies exploring the role of genetic (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) in youth depression, but there has been little...
Dean's Distinguished Lecture: Design Public Health Initiatives with Users in Mind
Whether drafting a plan to help patients make healthier food choices or designing an electronic medical records system, the more public health professionals know about the personal preferences of those...
Reducing Risk of Head and Neck Pain from Tablet Computer Use
Researchers Find Placing Tablet at Angle on Table is Best Posture for Prolonged Use People worldwide have been buying up tablet computers—small, thin devices such as Apple’s iPad--in droves,...
HSPH Tops Peers in Faculty Research Papers, Citations, Media Coverage
Faculty at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) publish more research—and their work is cited more frequently—than faculty at any other school of public health, according to recent statistics...
New Epidemiology Chair at HSPH Hopes to Continue Department's Legacy of Discovery and Training Scientists to Change the World
Michelle Williams Michelle Williams, SM ’88, ScD ’91, began as Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Stephen B. Kay Family Professor of Public Health at Harvard School of Public...
New Leadership Offerings Give HSPH Students Hands-on Practice
HSPH student Shaniece Criss participated in the group dynamics workshop It’s one thing to understand the public health implications of scientific evidence. It’s quite another to use...
Can Brown Rice Slow the Spread of Type 2 Diabetes?
The worldwide spike in type 2 diabetes in recent decades has paralleled a shift in diets away from staple foods rich in whole grains to highly refined carbohydrates, such as white rice and refined flours....
Faculty Members Nan Laird, Robert Blendon, and Sarah Fortune Honored
HSPH Dean Julio Frenk, Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of Public Health Nan Laird, former HSPH Dean Harvey Fineberg Nan Laird Nan Laird was appointed the new Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of Public...
Health Care Policy Expert Says Now Is the Time to Focus on Prevention
December 15, 2011 Mark McClellan With national health care reform underway, there should be plenty of opportunities for individuals, health care providers, insurers, and policymakers to emphasize...
Indian Health Service Director Discusses Challenges of Doing More With Less
December 15, 2011 The Indian Health Service’s limited resources are both a sore point and a strength, says its director, Yvette Roubideaux. They’re a sore point, says Roubideaux, AB '85,...
Conference Addresses Quantitative Challenges of Using Complex Genomics Data in Medical Research
With the completion of the 13-year Human Genome Project in 2003, many scientists have been hopeful that the wealth of new genetic information would help predict disease risk for individuals, help doctors...
HSPH Papers Recognized as Some of 2011's Most Influential Public Health Research
Congratulations to three HSPH papers, which were recognized in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's (RWJF) list of the Most Influential Research of 2011. The foundation chose 20 articles as finalists,...
Fighting Malaria With Spermless Mosquitoes
Flaminia Catteruccia, a molecular entomologist and new associate professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard School of Public Health, wants to learn everything she can about the reproductive...
Mary Ellen Avery, Pioneer in Medicine and Public Health, Dies at 84
December 8, 2011 Mary Ellen Avery, a major figure in Boston medicine and public health whose work while a research fellow at HSPH in the 1950s led to one of the most important strategies to improve...
HSPH Researcher Studies Best Ways to Prevent Auto-Pedestrian Crashes
December 7, 2011 When people get hit by cars, what’s the biggest reason? Is it because people don’t pay enough attention when they cross the street? Because cars go too fast? Because people...
Depression in Nursing Home Workers Linked to Work-Family Stress
Financial strain, insufficient food often to blame December 5, 2011 A study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers, published November 17, 2011, in the American Journal of Public...
Former U.S. President George W. Bush Visits HSPH-Affiliated AIDS Clinic in Tanzania
On World AIDS Day, George W. Bush and Laura Bush visited the new Mnazi Mmoja Center for Excellence in HIV Care and Education in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) helped establish...
Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis Advises HSPH Students on Public Sector Leadership
Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis “Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t make a difference in public service,” former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis...
HSPH Center Promotes Health, Safety in the Workplace
Developing ways for nurses to minimize back strain when lifting patients and procedures to help construction workers avoid injury on the job site are two initiatives being conducted by researchers at...
Ministerial Leadership in Health Program Launches
Dean Julio Frenk with South African Deputy President the Hon. Kgalema Motlanthe Dean Julio Frenk, together with South African Deputy President the Hon. Kgalema Motlanthe, launched the new Ministerial...
Novel Malaria Research Wins Gates Funding
Research at the Harvard School of Public Health that could play a key role in the development of a new malaria drugs has received new funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The work could...
Harvard School of Public Health Hosts Seminar on School's Contributions to Maternal Health
From left to right: Wafaie Fawzi, Jennifer Leaning, Atul Gawande, Ana Langer When Aparna Chandrasekhar traveled from the United States to India at age 13 to visit family, she spent time shadowing...
Building Trust and Collaboration in Health Care
Ten years ago, when David Shore first began offering a program for health care executives on how to lead their organizations through change, he asked participants a question: If the U.S. health care system...
Mounting Evidence Links Epstein-Barr Virus, Multiple Sclerosis
Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and their collaborators have found more evidence that infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) appears...
HSPH Student Helps Mass. Department of Public Health Analyze Consequences of Raw Milk Distribution
Kathryn Falb (l), Sharon Greene With the continuing trend toward ever-more “natural” diets, the raw milk debate has gathered steam, including here in Massachusetts where lawmakers have...
HSPH Faculty Members Earn Research Achievement Awards
Max Essex, Mary Woodward Lasker Professor of Health Sciences and chairman of the Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative, was awarded the Institute of Human Virology Lifetime Achievement Award...
HHS Official Howard Koh Stresses Importance of Public Health Work
Former HSPH Prof Calls Working in D.C. “Sometimes Frustrating but Absolutely Fascinating” Howard Koh spent two decades as a doctor. Working one-on-one with patients is “a noble and...
Former CDC Director Talks Leadership with HSPH Students
Always have a goal and know where you are headed, Julie Gerberding, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) students October...
Why Civilian War Deaths Matter
Experts estimate that hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died since 2003 as a consequence of the United States war in Iraq. But John Tirman thinks Americans haven’t paid enough attention. Still,...
Greenhouse Gases Pose Threat to Public Health
Critics who doubt dire predictions about global warming question how much difference, say, a 2-degree temperature increase could mean to the planet. According to Aaron Bernstein, quite a bit. Bernstein,...
Symposium Honors 60-Year Legacy of HSPH's Melvin First
HSPH Prof. Emeritus Melvin W. First Family, colleagues, and former students traveled from across the world to celebrate the life and career of HSPH Prof. Emeritus Melvin W. First at a memorial symposium...
Rosenthal's Promotion to Professor Celebrated at HSPH Symposium
Meredith Rosenthal Health economics may not be the most glamorous specialty in public health, Dean for Academic Affairs David Hunter told an HSPH audience gathered to celebrate health economist Meredith...
Energized, Global Effort Needed to Target Noncommunicable Diseases
Felicia Knaul (l) and Srinath Reddy The United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), and a small group of disease-specific non-governmental organizations (NGOs) need help to address the mounting...
HSPH Alum Pens Book on Middle-Aged Health
You used to sleep soundly for hours, but now you wake up once or twice a night. You’re losing a small patch of hair on your scalp. You can’t hear too well out of one ear. You have trouble...
Researchers Shed Light on What Triggers Tumors in Lung Cancer
For decades cigarette smoking has been considered a risk factor for lung cancer, but exactly how tobacco use causes tumors to grow in the lungs is not fully understood. A new study led by Harvard School...
A Neurosurgeon Returns to Louisiana Focused on Public Health
Anil Nanda did not really need to seek a master’s degree in public health. He’s quite accomplished in his field already; Nanda is chief of neurosurgery at Shreveport’s Louisiana State...
International Symposium in Boston Targets Drug Resistance
Scientists from around the globe gathered in Boston this month to discuss the enduring problem of diseases like tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases that have been...
Former Acting CDC Head Besser Discusses Politics and Public Health with HSPH Students
HSPH Prof. Robert Blendon (left) with ABC's Richard Besser As acting head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the beginning of the Obama administration, Richard Besser learned...
Dean Julio Frenk Inducted Into American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Induction Recognizes ‘Extraordinary Individual Achievement’ Julio Frenk, Dean of Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and T & G Angelopoulos Professor of Public Health and International...
Dean Frenk Pushes Global Health Agenda
HSPH Dean Julio Frenk stepped up his efforts this fall to keep global health issues at center stage despite a continuing worldwide economic slowdown. During the week of September 12, Dean Frenk spoke...
HSPH Study Suggests Natural Selection at Work in Certain Disease-Related Genes
Gaurav Bhatia (l), Alkes Price A new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers implies that, among three closely related African-ancestry populations, natural selection is at...
Postdocs Celebrated at Annual Appreciation Day
David Kasahara and Laura Kubzansky PDA President Johan Öckinger Postdocs stuck pins in a map to show where they come from. Approximately half of the School's 296 postdocs are international. Postdocs...
Alumni Weekend 2011
HSPH Alumni Gather From Around the World 2011 Alumni Award of Merit winners: E. Francis Cook, SM ’77, SD ‘83; William Rom, MPH ‘73; Yolene Vaval Surena, MPH ‘81; Hugh Fulmer,...
Smog or Jobs? HSPH Forum Panel Debates Obama Decision to Forgo Tightening Ozone Standards
HSPH Prof. Douglas Dockery, moderator Cristine Russell, and panelists Rogene Henderson, Roger McClellan, John Walke, and W. David Montgomery Are clean air protections and job growth at odds in a...
Move Prevention to the Top of Every Nation's Health Care Agenda, Health Expert Urges
Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal The world needs a prevention revolution, Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal told an HSPH audience on September 15, 2011. A leading health advocate and spokesperson for the...
HSPH Faculty Members Honored
Prof. Nancy Kane, associate dean for educational programs, was selected as this year's winner of the ASPH/Pfizer Award for Teaching Excellence. This award “supports faculty who are outstanding in...
HSPH Researchers Call New Florida Gun Law Unconstitutional
Restrictions on physician-patient conversations could threaten public health A new Florida law aimed at preventing health care practitioners from asking patients whether guns are stored safely in their...
Technology Crucial to Give Patients a "Medical Home"
HSPH Expert Outlines Key Ways to Improve Health Care Delivery Of the many problems facing health care in the United States, critics say one of the biggest is that patient care isn’t well coordinated....
New Report Pegs Economic Toll of Noncommunicable Diseases at $47 Trillion Over Next Two Decades
The world stands to lose a staggering $47 trillion over the next two decades because of the economic impacts of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), according to a new joint report by the Harvard School of...
Lowered "Time-Price" of Food to Blame for Rising Obesity, Says HSPH Prevention Expert
The HSPH Prevention Research Center developed the Planet Health curriculum for middle school students. HSPH Prof. Steven Gortmaker believes that there is a simple explanation for the globally skyrocketing...
Technology Boosts Humanitarian Efforts
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Helps Aid Organizations Respond to War, Disasters Coping with humanitarian emergencies brought on by war, famine, or a natural disaster is rife with challenges. Aid workers...
Protecting Children From Adversity Key to Healthy Development
For years, state and national policy regarding early childhood has focused primarily on educational enrichment. That’s all well and good, but it’s not enough, says Jack P. Shonkoff, Julius...
Take It to Heart: Positive Emotions May Be Good for Health
Negative thinking or depression can adversely affect your health, according to a number of studies. But what about positive emotions? Can they actually make you healthier? Laura Kubzansky thinks they...
Location, Location, Location: Where You Live Can Affect Your Health
Do you live near a major road? A power plant? In a dense neighborhood, or in a suburb? Close to a supermarket with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables? Factors such as these, said Francine Laden, Mark...
World Health Organization Needs 'Major Reform,' Says HSPH Prof.
The World Health Organization (WHO) needs major reform to regain its leadership as a trusted provider of scientific and technical knowledge, according to Barry Bloom, Jack and Joan Jacobson professor...
HSPH Health Policy Expert Impressed with National Health Reform Implementation
Cites Political Process as Biggest Hurdle to Full Rollout HSPH Prof. John McDonough launched the School’s 2011 Hot Topics speaker series with an overview of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA)...
HSPH Researchers Honored at National Epidemiology Conference
HSPH Prof. Marc Lipsitch, postdoctoral research fellow Tuula Oksanen, and doctoral student Pamela Rist were honored by their colleagues at the North American Congress of Epidemiology 2011, held in Montreal...
New Chairs of Global Health and Population, Epidemiology Announced
Fawzi Assumes Chair of Department of Global Health and Population Wafaie Fawzi assumes the role of chair for the Department of Global Health and Population on September 1. Fawzi succeeds David Bloom,...
Indonesian Minister of Health Discusses Challenges of Implementing Health Reform
Improving access to health care for more than 237 million people spread across the sprawling 17,000-plus island Republic of Indonesia is fraught with logistical and political challenges, Dr. Endang R....
HSPH, HBS Students Team to Develop Health-Care Model for Women's Development Organization in Mexico
“Poverty and poor health perpetuate each other,” said Callae Snively, a student and SM’12 candidate at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), on May 2, in Hawes 202 at the Harvard...
U.S. Secretary of State Clinton Visits Health Center in Tanzania
On June 12, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited the Buguruni Health Center in Tanzania. The site, which is associated with Harvard School of Public Health, offers reproductive...
HSPH Commencement 2011
HSPH Graduates Urged To Become Leaders, Transform Public Health HSPH Commencement 2011 Learn moreView Commencement Day slideshow View Commencement Eve video View Webcast of Ceremony View Photo...
New HSPH Office Building Earns Green Award
90 Smith Street, a 43,000-square-foot former Catholic elementary school now housing several HSPH administrative offices, received top honors in the Green Building Project category at Harvard’s Green...
Gawande New Yorker Article on End-of-Life Care Wins National Magazine Award
Atul Gawande, associate professor in HSPH’s Department of Health Policy and Management and a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, has won a National Magazine Award for his story "Letting...
Challenges of Eradicating Malaria Outlined at World Malaria Day Program at HSPH
Despite stepped up worldwide efforts to combat malaria over the last decade, increasing drug resistance, poor access to treatment and prevention regimens, and public apathy are among the reasons...
Life on the 'Dark Side': HSPH Alum Describes Role of Private Sector in Public Health
Gerald Chan, SM '75, ScD '79 A public health professional who works in private industry can play as important a role in improving the human condition as those who work in academia, medicine,...
HSPH Students, Researchers Display Their Findings at 25th Annual Poster and Exhibit Day
HSPH students and researchers present their work at the 25th Annual Poster & Exhibit Day. A study measuring potential changes in the behavior of Chinese health care consumers as their household...
Heat Waves Tied to Climate Change Could Increase Urban Fatalities
Scientists predict that global climate change will generate more heat waves in the decades ahead, but few studies have quantified the negative health effects of heat waves. In a new study that looked...
So You Want to Do Disaster Relief? Simulation Tests the Mettle of Humanitarian Aid Workers-in-Training
HHI's Women in War Research Coordinator Jocelyn Kelly, SM '08, works with students on the International Rescue Committee team.Photo: Patrick Holloway “Guys, we have a kidnapping scheduled at...
Experts Lay Out Future of Health IT at PHAT Conference
Ashish Jha Paper medical records—the 19th century tools still used by most 21st century medical providers—are a big part of what’s ailing the United States’ health care system,...
Yerby Diversity Lecture Highlights Lack of Health Insurance, Access to Health Care, Among Urban Youth of Color
Angela Diaz Adolescents and young adults of color are the least likely to have health insurance and have the least access to health care compared to other groups in the United States, Angela Diaz,...
HSPH's Laurie Glimcher Honored at Day-Long Symposium
Laurie Glimcher, center, is surprised with a cake marking her 30 years of contributions to science. Researchers from across the globe joined HSPH faculty, students, staff and guests to honor Prof....
Stress Plays Key Role in Racial Disparities in Health
African Americans and U.S-born Hispanics found to have higher levels of stress than whites, foreign-born Hispanics Despite the widespread belief that racial differences in stress exist and that stress...
Five HSPH Students Named Schweitzer Fellows
Raymond Deng Ted Henson Mariah Rich Five HSPH students have been named to the 2011-12 class of Schweitzer Fellows by The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. Raymond Deng, Ted Henson, and Mariah...
Women's Height Declining in Many Low-Income Countries
Decline most noticeable among socioeconomically disadvantaged women Over the last four decades the average height of women has declined in Africa, stalled in several South American countries, and varied...
South African Health Minister Presents Plan for Stemming the Tide of HIV/AIDS in His Country at HSPH Dean's Distinguished Lecture
The statistics laid out by the Honorable Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, South African Minister of Health (right), during the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture at Harvard School of Public Health on March 30, 2011,...
National Public Health Week 2011: Live Injury-Free
Each year since 1995, National Public Health Week has been celebrated during the first week in April. Organized by the American Public Health Association (APHA), the national campaign aims to raise awareness...
Crises Responders Seek to Bridge Gaps in Emergency Response
In recent days, the reporting on the horrific events unfolding in Japan has shifted from the technical response to issues such as the critical role of leadership and resilience in the aftermath of...
WHO's Bustreo Delivers Dean's Distinguished Lecture with a 'Hidden Agenda' to Inspire Students to Join Fight for Women's and Children's Health
Marking the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, Flavia Bustreo (right), assistant director-general for women and children’s health at the World Health Organization, reminded...
Risk to U.S. from Japan Radiation Low, Expert Says
A radiation expert at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), says that radiation leakage from the continuing nuclear disaster in Japan poses little risk to the U.S. Edward Maher, adjunct lecturer on...
HSPH Prof. Nancy Krieger Pens New Book, Epidemiology and The People's Health: Theory and Context
Nancy Krieger discusses her book at a lecture and book signing on March 9, 2011 Ask a typical student who is studying epidemiology what she or he is learning, and the overwhelming answer will refer...
Experts at HSPH Forum Give Views on 'Unprecedented' Triple Crisis in Japan
People in Japan may look calm on the outside but they are depressed on the inside, a former Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) research fellow told an in-studio and webcast audience at a panel discussion,...
Conference Calls for Global Focus on the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases of the World's Poorest Billion
Ten years ago, attention given to HIV/AIDS at a United Nations special session was followed by the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Now, a growing chorus...
Brendan Manning Receives Armen Tashjian, Jr., Award for Excellence in Endocrine Research
Award Honors Memory, Accomplishments of Beloved Professor Emeritus Brendan Manning delivers his talk “Connecting Cancer to Metabolism Through a Nutrient Sensing Signaling Network.” Former...
Economic Growth Fails to Remedy Undernutrition in India's Children
Growth in India’s economy since 1992 has not ended undernutrition among children in that country and may require the Indian government to directly invest in appropriate health interventions such...
HSPH Delegation Visits Tanzania and Botswana Nutrition, AIDS Programs
Meets with government officials, sees longstanding and new HSPH efforts in region HSPH Dean Julio Frenk (bottom row far left), and Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete (front row, second from right),...
Moderate Alcohol Intake May Decrease Men's Risk for Type 2 Diabetes
Middle-aged men who drink alcohol only occasionally appear to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by increasing their alcohol consumption to about one to two servings a day of beer, wine or...
Treating Depression in HIV-Positive Patients Improves Treatment Adherence and Viral Outcome, Study Shows
A team of researchers led by a Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) postdoctoral research fellow and a Massachusetts General Hospital physician report for the first time that using antidepressant medication...
Killing Deer Not the Answer to Reducing Lyme Disease, Says HSPH Scientist
Andover and Dover are among towns in Massachusetts and throughout New England that introduced or expanded limited deer hunting this fall, in large part to help curb the spread of tick-borne Lyme...
New Study Finds High Levels of Acrylamide in Diet May Increase Ovarian, Endometrial Cancer Risk
Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found an increased risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer among non-smoking post-menopausal women who consume food and beverages containing high...
HSPH Key Partner in U.S. Program to Improve Medical Education, Clinical and Research Capacity in Africa
Harvard School of Public Health is a partner in a recently awarded $130 million program announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and PEPFAR (the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan...
Symposium Honors Memory, Accomplishments of Former HSPH Professor Stephen Lagakos
HSPH faculty, staff, students, former colleagues and guests gathered for a day-long symposium on October 22, 2010, at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center to honor the memory of Stephen Lagakos. Lagakos,...
Chemical Compounds Emitted From Common Household Paints and Cleaners Increase Risks of Asthma and Allergies in Children
Young children whose bedrooms had high concentrations of fumes emitted from common household water-based cleaners and paints appear to have increased risks of doctor-diagnosed asthma, rhinitis,...
Study Identifies More Effective Antiretroviral Treatments for HIV-Positive Women in Africa
Findings lead WHO to revise guidelines on treatment of HIV-infected women, infants An international study led by Shahin Lockman, assistant professor in immunology and infectious diseases at HSPH and...
HSPH Awarded Four-Year, $10.5 Million Grant for Research on Genetic Risk for Breast Cancer
David Hunter, Dean for Academic Affairs and Vincent L. Gregory Professor in Cancer Prevention, is the contact principal investigator for a four-year, $10.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute...
New Research Program to Focus on Environmental Health and Child Development
The Tar Creek Superfund site in northeast Oklahoma is a public health concern. Between 1891 and the 1970s, mining companies extracted millions of tons of lead and zinc from below its surface. Harvard...
HSPH Dean Frenk Joins World Leaders in Millennium Development Advocacy Group
HSPH Dean Julio Frenk is a member of the MDG Advocacy Group, a task force of global leaders charged promoting the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) -- global targets for eradicating...
Are Drug Companies Living Up to Their Human Rights Responsibilities?
How well are drug companies allowing patients access to medicines and carrying out other human rights responsibilities spelled out two years ago in a report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on...
Global Health: Flood Illuminates the Struggles of Pakistan's Women
Education and Empowerment Crucial in Minimizing Effects of Future Disasters The scene that confronted Nabeel Zafar, MPH’10, in southern Pakistan’s flood-ravaged Khairpur district...
Improving Global Health Care Requires "Vigorous Exploration of the Future"
Improving the global health care system of the future requires taking action now and focusing on the diverse set of issues that will shape the system of the future, Enrique Ruelas, an international expert...
Creating a Healthy America Doesn't End With Insurance Reform
Health Policy Experts Call for a National Commitment to Health and Wellness for All HSPH Prof. David Williams For the first time in history, many children in the United States may be facing shorter,...
Greece Goes Smoke-Free in Restaurants, Bars with HSPH Support
Harvard School of Public Health and Cyprus Researchers Provide Scientific Evidence to Support Greek Action On September 1, 2010, Greece, the nation with the world’s highest smoking rate, went...
Managers' Attitudes Toward Work-Family Issues Can Affect Employees' Health
As the United States’ workforce grows more diverse, an increasing number of Americans are balancing work and family responsibilities. In a paper appearing in a recent issue of the Journal of Occupational...
Neighborhood Social and Economic Environments May Raise Heart Disease Risk
Women who live in neighborhoods lacking in close neighborly ties are more likely to have coronary artery calcification, a key marker for underlying heart disease, than those who live in more socially...
Health Policy News: Creating Affordable Global Health Workforce Targets
Global health workforce targets set by the World Health Organization are unrealistic for many low-income developing countries, according to an article in the July 2010 issue of Health Affairs by Harvard...
HSPH researchers advising government officials on public health effects from Gulf oil spill
As BP’s ruptured Deepwater Horizon well continues gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico, two HSPH researchers are sharing data and recommendations with government officials charged with managing the...
What's on the Menu? Sebastian's Managers Talk about Healthy Eating
The employees at Sebastian’s Café face a tall order. Housed in the same school as a renowned Department of Nutrition, they need to deliver high-quality, healthy food options each day, while...
Obama appoints Donald Berwick head of Medicare and Medicaid
President Obama appointed Donald M. Berwick, a professor at Harvard Medical School who has a secondary appointment in the HSPH Department of Health Policy and Management, as Administrator of the Centers...
Tuberculosis researcher Sarah Fortune receives clinical scientist development award
Sarah Fortune, assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases, has been selected to receive a Clinical Scientist Development Award from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The goal of...
Participants recognized for "taking the stairs" in HSPH eco-campaign
More than 150 HSPH members competed in this year's "Take the Stairs" campaign, an effort organized by the green team EcoOpportunity. Participants formed teams and then walked the stairs whenever possible,...
HSPH celebrates summer
HSPH celebrated summer with its annual ScoopFest celebration on June 24 in the Kresge cafeteria. Ice cream with all of the fixins' was on the menu. A ping pong table and hula hoops added to the fun. Pictured,...
Frank Hu receives award for diabetes epidemiology research
June 23, 2010 -- Frank B. Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, will receive the American Diabetes Association’s prestigious Kelly West Award...
Price increase may be best motivator to swap sugary drinks for healthier ones
Raising the price on regular sodas may be the most effective way to encourage Americans to reach for less sugary drinks, suggests a new study published in the June 17, 2010 issue of the American Journal...
Former Nobel Prize committee member shares stories about world's most famous scientific prize
In 1953, scientists James Watson and Francis Crick published a now-famous paper describing the double-helix structure of DNA, but it wasn’t until 1962 that the pair received a Nobel Prize for the...
Infectious disease: lessons learned from H1N1 pandemic
For the next new infectious threat—or the next phase of the ongoing H1N1 influenza pandemic—public health decision makers need better data about who’s infected and who’s severely...
Celebration for completing performance management reviews
Every spring, HSPH members are asked to complete performance reviews, and this year, they beat the existing record. Overall, the School achieved a 97% completion rate — up from 94% the last two...
HIV/AIDS: Stories from an epidemic
They are an odd couple of co-authors. Max Essex, chair of the Harvard AIDS Initiative and a world-renowned research scientist, teamed up with Unity Dow, author of four novels and the first woman to sit...
Commencement: HSPH graduates given call to action to make a difference
Watch a Slideshow and Video HSPH 2010 Commencement Dean Julio Frenk opened the 2010 Commencement Ceremonies on a crystal clear late spring day May 27 by observing that for the day’s...
HSPH grad Lyle Ignace to bring Native Americans better health care
Daily battle to improve health Lyle Ignace had been working for the Indian Health Service for years, providing care as an internist at a Navajo health facility in New Mexico and rising to the level...
Designated Driver Campaign: Harvard center helped to popularize solution to a national problem
More than two decades after the concept was first introduced in the United States, the designated driver is all grown up today. But, as you might expect, that driver still doesn’t drink while on...
Sen. Tom Harkin received Healthy Cup
From l to r, Dean Julio Frenk, Sen. Harkin, and Prof. Walter Willett It may come as a surprise to many people that the comprehensive national health care reform bill signed into law...
