Google.org funds UNC, VUMC research into COVID-19 genetic impact
September 10, 2020 Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt University Medical Center have been awarded $500,000 by Google’s philanthropy, Google.org, to study how COVID-19 alters gene expression in some people in ways that may be linked to their risk of severe illness and death.
Golden named vice chair of Department of Health Behavior
September 8, 2020 Dr. Shelley Golden, associate professor of health behavior at the Gillings School, was named vice chair for academic affairs in the Department of Health Behavior. The appointment became effective September 1.
Villanueva launches fund to aid Native American communities during pandemic
September 8, 2020 Gillings alumnus Edgar Villanueva started the Decolonizing Wealth Project (DWP) to help funders give more equitably. The DWP’s Liberated Capital fund recently launched the Native American Community Response Fund, directing $2 million to help heavily impacted communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
To reduce food waste, changes in date labeling, marketing and consumer behavior are needed
September 2, 2020 A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) identifies promising strategies for reducing consumer food waste nationwide, including a national campaign to change consumer behavior, federal standardization of food date labeling, and changes to retailer marketing and food service practices, among other measures.
New study links particulate matter pollution to brain damage, depression
September 1, 2020 Recent research by a team that included Drs. William Vizuete and Marc Serre adds to mounting evidence that long-term exposure to particulate matter pollution contributes to memory loss and may accelerate aging of the brain, especially later in life.
Study finds source of COVID-19 messaging impacts effectiveness
September 1, 2020 According to new research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, COVID-19 prevention messaging is more effective when attributed to a health organization rather than the president of the United States.
Building early warning systems against pandemic threats
August 31, 2020 The nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance has announced its latest program: The Emerging Infectious Diseases Southeast Asia Research Collaboration Hub. This is one of a new group of research centers supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and faculty at the UNC Gillings School are key collaborators.
Mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 model provides new tool for COVID-19 discoveries
August 31, 2020 A new COVID-19 mouse model developed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill captures many of the features of human disease and has helped advance a vaccine candidate to clinical trial.
Gillings School to lead multi-year evaluation of NC’s Medicaid transformation
August 28, 2020 Faculty at the UNC Gillings School have entered into a $2.5 million contract for the current year with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The School will serve as the official evaluation center for the state’s landmark Medicaid transformation — a partnership that will have an incredible impact on public health in the state.
Obesity is a major risk factor for COVID-19 complications
August 26, 2020 A new analysis, led by the Gillings School's Dr. Barry Popkin, shows that obesity plays a major role in the severity of consequences experienced by people who become infected with the novel coronavirus.
