Aggressive breast cancers may contribute to racial survival disparities
August 4, 2017 A higher proportion of aggressive breast cancer subtypes are seen in black women, according to a study led by Dr. Melissa Troester. The study findings help to explain a gap in mortality that exists between black and white women with breast cancer and could lead to improved treatment approaches.
Climate change expected to increase premature deaths from air pollution
July 31, 2017 A new study by Dr. Jason West estimates that future climate change, if left unaddressed, is expected to cause roughly 60,000 deaths globally in the year 2030 and 260,000 deaths in 2100 due to climate change’s effect on global air pollution. The study adds to growing evidence that the overall health effects of a changing climate are likely to be overwhelmingly negative. Photo by Global Panorama.
Nichols awarded $330K grant to study birth outcomes of young women with cancer
July 28, 2017 Dr. Hazel Nichols has been awarded a three-year, $330,000 grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to examine the use of fertility preservation after a cancer diagnosis in adolescent and young adult (AYA) women.
School leaders welcome new faculty members, announce promotions
July 27, 2017 This list includes new faculty members and faculty promotions for the period between December 2016 and June 2017.
Home test for HPV may be lifesaving for women who do not receive regular cervical cancer screenings
July 25, 2017 A new study, led by Dr. Jennifer Smith and published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases, finds a convenient at-home test for human papillomavirus (HPV) to be a promising tool for preventing cervical cancer in underscreened women in the United States.
Too few pre-teens receive recommended vaccinations, especially for HPV
July 24, 2017 A new study led by recent alumna Dr. Nadja Vielot finds that too few adolescents in the U.S. are obtaining recommended prophylactic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV), a known and preventable cause of cervical and other cancers in females and males.
NIH renews UNC Gillings environmental health sciences training grant for ninth time
July 19, 2017 The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has renewed a major training grant that the Gillings School has led since 1971. The program supports scholars in biostatistics, epidemiology and environmental sciences and engineering, many of whom have gone on to affect national environmental policy.
Stillo to investigate communicating health risk to private well owners
July 17, 2017 Frank Stillo, a graduate student at UNC Gillings, has received a prestigious grant award to research public health communications related to clean water access in North Carolina.
Largest study of Hispanics/Latinos in US presents new findings about lung capacity in people of Dominican, Puerto Rican ethnicity
July 14, 2017 A new study led by Gillings School researchers has determined reference parameters for measuring lung capacity in non-Mexican American Hispanics. Accurate reference values for such measures are important for diagnosing common chronic lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and predicting mortality.
Paper records recommendations to improve safety of drinking-water wells in NC
July 13, 2017 A new paper by Dr. Jackie MacDonald Gibson offers recommendations that could improve the health of North Carolinians who rely on private drinking-water wells. The paper summarizes recommendations made by the Research Triangle (N.C.) Environmental Health Collaborative at a two-day well-water summit.
