The latest issue of our Public Health Sciences newsletter is now available!
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We encourage you to take a look and explore all the work happening across our department—from research and community engagement to student and faculty highlights.
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A new paper in Science of The Total Environment from PhD student Nicholas Pellegrino and Dr. Chia-Ling Kuo explores how air pollution may contribute to heart disease. They worked with colleagues Breno S. Diniz, Ying Zhou, Richard H. Fortinsky, George A. Kuchel, and Doug Brugge.
The team: Pellegrino led the analysis and drafting. Kuo, who contributed to the study design, data curation, and writing, is a co-author and the corresponding author.
What they did: The team analyzed data from more than 38,000 UK Biobank participants followed for an average of 13 years. They looked at fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5), a marker of cellular aging based on 94 blood proteins, and new cases of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
What they found: Higher PM2.5 exposure was linked to higher levels of the aging marker and to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Higher levels of the marker were themselves linked to greater disease risk. Statistically, the marker accounted for about 5.5% of the pollution–disease link, which suggests cellular aging is one piece of how air pollution harms the heart.
Why it matters: Air pollution is one of the world’s leading environmental health threats, and this is among the first studies to test cellular senescence as a biological pathway between pollution and heart disease. Understanding that pathway could help guide future prevention and public health efforts.
Read the paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.182315
When most people think about public health, they think about the outcomes: healthier communities, disease prevention, clean air, safer workplaces, and access to reliable health information. What often goes unnoticed are the people behind those efforts. Public health professionals work across research, healthcare, government, nonprofits, education, and industry to address complex health challenges and improve lives.
Read our latest edition of, Your Dose of Public Health today!
Not everyone faces the same health risks from air pollution. New research from the UConn School of Medicine found that excess abdominal fat, measured by waist size rather than BMI alone, may make people more vulnerable to the harmful effects of ultrafine air pollution. Researchers also found that people with higher levels of visceral fat appeared to benefit more from HEPA air filtration, offering new insights into who may need added protection from pollution exposure. This work helps move us closer to more personalized approaches to preventing disease and protecting community health.
Read on UConn Today: https://lnkd.in/dGqgmRG6
Every fall brings headlines about viruses, outbreaks, and vaccine updates. What you don’t always see is the public health workforce behind those stories. Here are four things happening in Connecticut this fall, and what they reveal about careers that protect our communities every day.
Read our latest edition of Your Dose of Public Health today!
The Department of Public Health Sciences is pleased to share news of two recent faculty promotions, approved by the Academic Affairs Subcommittee and the Board of Directors.
Both promotions recognize their outstanding contributions to public health research, teaching, and service. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Rhee and Dr. Moore on this well-earned recognition!
