We Are Public Health

Verónica M. Vieira, DSc

Chair and Professor, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health

Responding to the Call for Climate Action

Earlier this month, an estimated 25,000 gallons of oil leaked off the coast of Huntington Beach, closing beaches along the Orange County coastline and creating a massive clean-up effort that could take months to complete. And while the long-term effects of oil spills on human health are understudied, we know that living near or being exposed to contaminants from crude oil can cause problems with the heart, lung, liver, and other organs. This is in addition to the hazardous effects oil spills have on the biodiversity of our aquatic ecosystems.

Most recently, Governor Newsom declared a statewide drought emergency, signaling that California now faces a third year of drought. And in the 2021 wildfire season alone, California saw record-breaking wildfires that has burned over 2.4 million acres. These are just the major climate change events that Californians face – the entire country and other parts of the world have their own set of catastrophes that are becoming more and more common.

We are past the point of needing to see more examples of environmental degradation to know that more must be done to protect our planet and our communities from the devastating effects of climate change.

Just one month prior to the recent oil spill off the coast of Orange County, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations released their widely anticipated 6^th assessment report. The report reiterates much of what we already know: that human influence has warmed our atmosphere, oceans, and lands, and continues to serve as the leading cause of extreme weather events in every region of the world. Most alarmingly, the report stresses that, regardless of any steps we take to mediate climate change today, the actions of our past have locked us into at least 30 years of worsening climate impacts.

As global citizens, we face a moral imperative to collectively act on climate change. And as public health practitioners, researchers, and advocates, we have a key role to play in helping drive these efforts and bringing awareness of what is happening to our planet.

Here are a few things we, as members of the scientific community, should be doing:

Defend science. Twelve percent of Americans still do not believe climate change is happening and 32% do not think it is caused by human behavior. The crisis requires us to improve public understanding of the crisis and emphasize the gravity of the issue. With misinformation so rampant online, in the media, and in American society, it’s crucial that we combat these falsehoods with accurate, evidence-based information from trusted-sources.
Refine our communication strategies. To raise awareness, it is also essential that we enhance our communication skills. In conversations with others who deny the threats posed by climate change, we must be able to listen actively and respond empathetically. If we have research or data of our own to share, we must be prepared to walk others through the scientific process and explain our evidence-based work in layman terms.
Develop community partnerships to address disparities. Climate change, like chronic or infectious disease, is a public health issue best understood through the lens of health equity. Those most impacted by the ill effects of climate change are often already marginalized and underrepresented. It is critical that we work directly with impacted communities and engage in one-on-one conversations with community partners to tackle the complex environmental health issues they face.

The effects of climate change will continue to irreversibly alter our planet if we do not act now. It is essential that we remain active and vigilant in our fight against climate change through individual action and partnership. With research, collaboration, innovation, and sound policy making, we may be able to save our planet and better safeguard the health and well-being of our most impacted communities. Now is the time for us to act.

UCI COVID-19 Chatline

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Are you in need of COVID-19 antibody surveillance testing for your research study – all through the convenient collection of saliva?

A cost-effective service is offered through the UCI Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research. This assay can be used to support research studies to investigate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and incidence. The easy-to-collect, non-invasive nature of saliva sampling facilitates the identification of prior COVID-19 exposure, enabling seroprevalence research studies to occur at a population-based level.

David M. Souleles, MPH delivers COVID-19 updates across campus

David M. Souleles, MPH, Director of COVID-19 Response at UCI, gave a series of presentations across campus including the UCI Human Resources Campus Administrative COVID-19 Update on October 4 and a Conduent Health Communities Institute California Client Meeting on October 19 entitled, "COVID-19 Update, Response, and Creating a New Normal".

UCI Public Health adds the Air Pollution Health Effects Laboratory as key research center

The Air Pollution Health Effects Laboratory (APHEL) will continue to be co-directed by Drs. Michael T. Kleinman and Robert F. Phalen. APHEL will advance UCI Public Health’s mission to promote evidence-based science and health equity by driving key interventions in environmental justice through the study of inhalation exposure and more.

UCI Public Health launches Center for Environmental Health Disparities Research

The center, co-directed by Drs. Jun Wu and Alana M.W. LeBrón, is dedicated to addressing environmental justice through community-based research and promotion of equitable environmental health policies locally and nationally. It will engage myriad disciplines beyond public health including engineering, urban planning, medicine, nursing, pharmacy practice and anthropology.

Now Recruiting:
UCI Black Thriving Initiative (BTI) Environmental Health Disparities Cluster Hire Faculty Positions

Through BTI, UCI aspires to become the nation’s foremost destination for Black people to thrive as undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni and communities served by the campus and beyond. UCI Public Health is now recruiting for two open positions as part of the cluster hire:

Dr. David Richardson delivers talk at National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium

Dr. David Richardson was invited to speak at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Gilbert W. Beebe symposium on October 19-20. This two-day webinar covered a range of topics including the effects of low doses of radiation on cardiovascular health and lessons learned about radon risks since the publication of the BEIR VI report.

Dr. Karen Edwards presents at 25th International Scientific Symposium on Biometrics

Dr. Karen Edwards delivered a keynote talk entitled, "Polygenic Risk Scores and prediction of metabolic syndrome: Is more better?" at the 25th International Scientific Symposium on Biometrics held in Poreč, Croatia from September 8-10, 2021. The event was organized by the Joint Conference of the Croatian Biometric Society and the Austro-Swiss Region of the International Biometric Society.

The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics had a very strong representation this year with graduate students presenting their research at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) virtual conference in October 18-22, 2021. ASHG is the world’s largest human genetics conference.

Tulika Kakati (Fulbright-Nehru visiting scholar, Computer Science; PI: Trina Norden-Krichmar) presented her research poster entitled “Pathway analysis enhances characterization of cell types and sample groups in single-cell RNA sequencing”.

Stanislav Listopad (Computer Science, PI: Trina Norden-Krichmar) presented his research poster entitled “Outlier gene detection to improve biological validation and classification performance in RNA sequencing”.

Xiaochen Liu (Epidemiology, PI: Trina Norden-Krichmar) presented her research poster entitled “Comparative analysis of bulk RNA versus single-cell RNA sequencing to profile gene expression in cellular subgroups within peripheral blood mononuclear cells”.

Chloe Thangavelu (Biological Chemistry; PI: Trina Norden-Krichmar) presented her research poster entitled “Investigating conservation of chromatin accessibility signatures during iPSC reprogramming across human and mouse ATAC-seq data”.

Dean Boden-Albala serves as Multiple Principle Investigator in OCHIN-led Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity

OCHIN, a national nonprofit learning network for health equity research and innovation, has been selected to lead the data and research component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) AIM-AHEAD program, a new artificial intelligence and machine learning consortium to advance health equity and researcher diversity. Dean Boden-Albala will co-develop a data and research plan focused on monitoring for bias and health inequities throughout the full process of developing AI/ML applications.

Study projects health insurance and population growth rates among undocumented Latino immigrants with an eye toward health equity

Dr. Annie Ro led a study that compared the severity of inpatient hospitalizations between undocumented immigrants and Medi-Cal patients in Los Angeles, Calif. Findings from the study suggest that younger undocumented patients had less severe illness and shorter lengths of stay than their Medi-Cal counterparts.

Study showed the 2016 presidential election created negative changes in mental health across populations

“We found that the group that experienced the most increase in poor self-reported mental health were English-speaking Latinx who were living in states where the majority voted for Trump in the 2016 election,” said Dr. Brittany Morey, the study's corresponding author.

Study finds psychological therapy reduces biobehavioral impact of testicular cancer

Psychological therapy reduces the adverse biobehavioral effects of testicular cancer in young adult survivors, according to a pilot study led by Dr. Michael A. Hoyt. “Testicular is the most prevalent non-skin cancer among males in late adolescence and early adulthood, so there is significant need for increased attention to these survivors,” Hoyt said.

Dr. Zuzana Bic appointed Faculty Director with the UCI Office of Global Engagement (OGE)

In this role, Dr. Zuzana Bic will conduct a wide range of functions aimed at enhancing UCI international activities including global partnerships and study abroad opportunities. She will represent UCI faculty perspectivrs for system-wide global engagement discussions and serve on several committees including the OGE Academic Advisory Board, International Relations Council, and act as liaison to the Academic Senate.

10/25/21: New York City Inches Toward Covid-19 Becoming Endemic (Andrew Noymer)

10/24/21: The ‘original’ COVID-19 is essentially gone (Andrew Noymer)

10/23/21: Kern County prepares for younger children to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (Andrew Noymer)

10/22/21: TimesOC: Advocates look for environmental justice in Orange County (Shahir Masri, Alana LeBrón)

10/22/21: Coronavirus FAQ: Why do so many folks say to drink lots of water before your vaccine? (Suellen Hopfer)

10/21/21: What will Santa Ana do to keep low-income and Latino residents safe from toxic lead? (Alana LeBrón)

10/21/21: Orange County's COVID-19 hospitalizations rise again (Andrew Noymer)

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Drs. Sora Tanjasiri (co-investigator) and Tim Bruckner (mutiple PI) part of research team awarded nearly $7M from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to launch the Public Health Informatics & Technology (PHIT) Workforce Development Program

Doctoral students Brook Jeang, Jessica Mena Monterossa, and Maribel Cervantes Ortega awarded Rose Hills Foundation Science & Engineering Fellowship

Dr. Daniel Parker awarded nearly $1M by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand Cambodia-based biomonitoring, vector control project

Dr. Jun Wu awarded $151,668 through the UCI Graduate Division for the recruitment of a graduate cluster in Environmental Sciences, an effort aimed at attracting outstanding students and support for UCI's commitment to inclusive excellence

Dr. Annie Ro awarded over $1.7M in R01 grant funding from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities for her ongoing project entitled, “Structural Racism and Adverse Birth Outcomes in the U.S. South: A Multigenerational Perspective," a study conducted in collaboration with faculty at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Dr. Brittany Morey and doctoral student Connie Valencia selected as 2021 (Round 2) Campus-Community Research Incubator Awardees for project entitled, "Environmental Justice Community Engaged Efforts Among Latino Residents in Boyle Heights."

Dr. David Timberlake and UCI Health Affairs research team awarded funding for project entitled, "READ What Is SAID: An Inter-professional Approach to Clinical Assessment," as part of Office of Inclusive Excellence's Building Community to Confront Extremism Program.

Dr. Jun Wu awarded $800k from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to study effects of air pollution exposure on pregnancy outcomes before and after COVID-19

A spatio-temporal analysis of scrub typhus and murine typhus in Laos; implications from changing landscapes and climate

Scrub typhus (ST) and murine typhus (MT) are common but poorly understood causes of fever in Laos. A recent study conducted by Dr. Daniel Parker (corresponding author) found that as cities expand, high risk areas for MT will also expand. With global heating and risks of attendant higher precipitation, these data suggest that the incidence and spatial distribution of both types will increase.

Severity of Inpatient Hospitalizations Among Undocumented Immigrants and Medi-Cal Patients in a Los Angeles, California, Hospital: 2019

Findings from a recent study conducted by Dr. Annie Ro (corresponding author) suggest younger undocumented patients had less severe illness and shorter lengths of stay than their Medi-Cal counterparts. Older undocumented immigrants also had less severe illness, but had similar lengths of stay and were more likely to have repeated hospitalizations.

Study links air pollution exposure while pregnant to higher gestational diabetes risk

Pregnant women who live in Southern California areas with poor air quality have an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus, according to a recent study led by Dr. Jun Wu.

UCI-led study investigates saliva testing for medication monitoring among patients with psychiatric disorder

Research led by Dr. Elizabeth Thomas and the UCI Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience (IISBR) points to saliva testing as a potential alternative to blood monitoring for patients taking lithium to manage psychiatric disorders.

Adverse lifestyle behaviors among childhood cancer survivors with cognitive impairment: The Project Forward Cohort (Joel Milam)

Unraveling the Complexity of Imported Malaria Infections by Amplicon Deep Sequencing (Guiyun Yan)

The social amplification and attenuation of COVID-19 risk perception shaping mask wearing behavior: A longitudinal twitter analysis (Suellen Hopfer)

An Adaptive Intervention Trial Design for Finding the Optimal Integrated Strategies for Malaria Control and Elimination in Africa: A Model Simulation Study (Guiyun Yan)

Early life experiences and health across the life course: risks and opportunities
Tuesday, November 2, 2021 // 12:30 p.m.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Natalie Slopen
Assistant Professor, Social and Behavioral Sciences
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Adverse experiences in childhood are common in the United States and contribute to racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in health across the life course. This presentation will highlight (1) the importance of considering childhood experiences for the development of chronic disease risk, (2) major outstanding questions on the biological embedding of early life experiences, and (3) possibilities for intervention.

CPIP is supported through a joint effort with the Program in Public Health, School of Social Sciences and the Office of Research.

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UCI Graduate Alumni Chapter Launch Hybrid Event: Saluti
Thursday, November 4, 2021 // 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Canaletto Ristorante Veneto in Fashion Island (Newport Beach) and Online

Please join the UCI Graduate Alumni Chapter for an evening of networking and conversation with Deans of UCI's Graduate Division, Arts, Computer Science, Public Health, and Business.

The Deans
Dr. Gillian R. Hayes, Graduate Division
Dr. Stephen Barker, Trevor School of the Arts
Dr. Ian O. Williamson, Paul Merage School of Business
Dr. Bernadette M. Boden-Albala, Program in Public Health
Dr. Marios C. Papaefthymiou, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science

MORE INFO

Thomas Overton, MD
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health

Congratulations to Occupational Medicine Residency Program student Dr. Thomas Overton for recently presenting at the 2021 Western Occupational Health Conference in Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Overton presented a resident poster titled “PFOA/PFOS and Asthma ED Visits” at the 2021 Western Occupational Health Conference (WOHC) in Phoenix, AZ. The regional conference focuses on promoting and protecting the health of people at work and in their environment.

Public Health Alumni Chapter Board Meeting

Thank you to special guest Dean Boden-Albala for joining our Alumni Chapter Board hybrid meeting on October 12!

MEET THE BOARD