A study by PhD student Melanie Firestone suggests that public disclosure of restaurant inspection results at the point of service can drive a reduction in the burden of foodborne illness.
Environmental Health Sciences
Cancer-causing Chemical Formed in E-cigarette Users
Researcher and Associate Professor Irina Stepanov found that while e-cigarettes contain virtually no N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) — a chemical that can cause oral cavity and esophageal cancer — the chemical can form in an e-cigarette user’s body when they take in nicotine through e-cigarettes.
9/11 Responders at Higher Risk for Asthma Compared to General Population
A new study from Assistant Professor Hyun Kim compared the health of 9/11 emergency responders to a national survey of people and found that they are at dramatically higher risk for developing asthma.
U.S. Department of State Names Osterholm U.S. Science Envoy
Professor Michael Osterholm will combat biological threats by working with priority countries on infectious disease preparedness and antimicrobial stewardship.
Weather Alerts Should Warn People with Specific Health Conditions
Research from PhD student Yang Liu recommends that temperature advisories include information about the potential harm to people with cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal diseases.
Plastic Particles Common in Tap Water, Beer, and Salt
A study by recent graduate Mary Kosuth (’17) found that 81 percent of tap water samples — and all tested brands of salt and beer — contained microplastic particles.
Communicating the Root Causes of Foodborne Illnesses
A new article by PhD student Melanie Firestone discusses using root cause analysis during foodborne illness outbreaks and how to communicate their findings to a broad food safety audience.
Tackling a Persistent Pollutant
Associate Professor Matt Simcik developed a process to keep hazardous PFCs — now called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) — from traveling through aquifers to drinking water sources and ecosystems.
New Method Uses Big Data for Calculating Health Statistics
PhD student Joe Servadio and Adjunct Professor Matteo Convertino developed a new method for identifying the most important data to use in creating risk factors and health scores.
Asthma Leading to Job Status Changes for 9/11 First-Responders
Research from Assistant Professor Hyun Kim shows that 9/11 first-responders with asthma have higher rates of disability and premature retirement.
CIDRAP to Develop R&D Roadmaps for Three Deadly Diseases
Regents Professor Michael Osterholm and CIDRAP are working with the WHO to develope R&D roadmaps targeting Ebola/Marburg, Nipah, and Lassa viruses.
Influenza Model Among Best Performers at CDC Flu Forecasting Competition
A statistical model created by PhD student Yang Liu placed fourth out of twenty-one teams in the CDC’s annual influenza forecasting competition.
