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New research will seek to understand the biological mechanisms that are triggered by exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and lead to lower birth weight in newborns, placing them at greater risk for chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease and hypertension later in life. The research will be conducted in Beijing by an international team of researchers.

Air pollution is a significant global public health risk and is estimated to contribute to 3.2 million premature deaths per year. According to the World Health Organization, 9 out of every 10 people across the globe, including 100 million Americans, breathe unhealthy air.

The new $2.49 million National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences-sponsored study will be led by David Rich, Sc.D., M.P.H., an associate professor in the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Department of Public Health Sciences, and Jim Zhang, Ph.D., with Duke University.

The study builds upon research conducted by the team during the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008. That study looked at birth weights of children from mothers whose late-term pregnancy coincided with the Chinese government's extraordinary efforts to reduce air pollution during the Games. They found that these newborns were, on average, 23 grams heavier than those born during the period immediately before and after the games when the air pollution levels were much higher.

The CARE Network, a program that helps support students in distress, is now available for SMD graduate students. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to submit a referral to the CARE Network if they believe that a student is in or headed towards distress, are aware of an act of discrimination on campus, or have a general concern for a student. The CARE Network provides recommendations to campus and community resources, outlets for safe spaces, and coaches on communication skills to work through difficult discussions and situations. You can submit a referral and/or learn more about the CARE Network at www.rochester.edu/CARE.

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is embarking on a five-year initiative to encourage more mothers in high need areas of Monroe County to breastfeed exclusively for the recommended six months. The project, supported by a $970,000 grant from the New York State Department of Health, aims to normalize breastfeeding by protecting the practice in community settings and businesses and helping health care providers support and educate families.

URMC is one of six entities to receive funding from the state, which awarded a total of $5.8 million. The recipients of the grants serve communities with higher than average rates of poverty and obesity, which are associated with lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding.

"We know that breastfeeding has proven health benefits for both mothers and babies, but it is evident that women are still facing barriers after they leave the hospital. In New York state, only 56 percent of infants are breastfed for six months," said Stephen Cook, M.D., associate professor of Pediatrics at URMC, who, along with Ann Dozier, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences, is leading the initiative. "This project is unique because it involves making policy and practice changes across multiple settings — from the pediatrician's office to the support centers in the community — to ensure all women have access to high-quality education and resources."

The University of Rochester has been awarded $19 million from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health to coordinate a network of more than 50 institutions across the country. The network aims to help researchers turn scientific discoveries into health benefits faster.

The new grant, which will require 20 new personnel to be hired, comes only one year after the UR CTSI was awarded a previous $19 million grant to continue its efforts to foster research spanning from molecules to populations. Since its inception, the UR CTSI has received nearly $105 million in NIH funding and has, in turn, supported 98 trainees and funded 198 projects for a total of nearly $15 million at the University of Rochester. Researchers and trainees supported by the CTSI have gone on to secure $102 million in external funding.

"The CTSI is advancing medicine and health care by accelerating research discoveries into powerful clinical knowledge and treatments. I am grateful to the NIH for this award that continues to support this critical work and expand it on the national level," said Joel Seligman, president, CEO, and G. Robert Witmer, Jr. University Professor of the University of Rochester, at an announcement today in the Saunders Research Building, the home of the CTSI. "The award is a testament to the hard work of the leadership, faculty, and staff in the Medical Center and the CTSI."

In recognition of outstanding accomplishments in the field of Nicotine and Tobacco Research, the Board of Directors of The Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco congratulates Deborah J. Ossip, PhD for being named an SRNT Fellow. Fellows are listed at http://www.srnt.org/?page=Current_Fellows.

Ms. Williams will examine the potential impact of cancer treatment and inflammation on cancer-related cognitive impairment and other psychosocial symptoms. This award will provide a pre- and post-doctoral translational and multidisciplinary research training experience for Ms. Williams, who intends to pursue a career in cancer survivorship research that addresses questions of direct clinical relevance using an innovative research paradigm that combines public health, clinical, and basic science approaches. This is of emerging importance as the number of cancer survivors is expected to reach 18 million by 2022. Ms. Williams primary co-mentors are Edwin van Wijngaarden, Ph.D. and Michelle Janelsins, Ph.D. (Divisions of Epidemiology and Cancer Control and Survivorship respectively); in addition she is mentored by Christopher Seplaki, Ph.D. (Division of Epidemiology) and Clive Zent, M.D. (Dept. of Hematology/Oncology).

Amina Alio, PhD, Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences, has been awarded the J. William Fulbright Scholarship grant to study HIV among women (sex workers) in Niger.

Deborah J. Ossip, PhD, Professor, Director Smoking Research Program, has been appointed to the FDA Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) https://www.fda.gov/advisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/tobaccoproductsScientificAdvisoryCommittee/default.htm

Scott Steele, PhD, Director of the CTSI Regulatory Science Core has been selected to serve on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Science Board. The Board provides advice to the Commissioner and other FDA offcials, exploring issues from gene editing or regulation of opioids to food safety, and aims to help the FDA keep pace with technical and scientific developments.

AAMC Taps URMC for National Community Health and Equity Initiative. Theresa Green, PHD, MBA, spearheaded the proposal which led to URMC being selected as just one of eight institutions chosen by the Association of American Medical Colleges to join the collaboration, which will map our community health activities, evaluate their impacts, help us share best practices and foster the development of targeted actions.

Ashley Holub, PhD student of Public Health Sciences received 3rd place honors in the National Lipid Association Young Investigator Competition for an abstract entitled: The Effects of Aspirin in Combination with EPA and DHA on HDL Cholesterol and ApoA1 Exchange in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Xi Cen, PhD student of Public Health Sciences, has been selected as a recipient of the student travel award from Academy Health. Xi will present "Medicare Bundled Payments for Post-Acute Care", a research paper with Yue Li, PhD and Helena Temkin-Greener, PhD at the 2017 Academy Health Long Term Services and Supports Interest Group meeting on June 24 in New Orleans

Deborah Ossip, PhD, Elected President of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

Todd Jusko, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, was awarded a one year research contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The overall objective of the project is to examine the relationship between in utero and postnatal blood lead concentrations and children's immune system function.

Robert Block, MD, MPH, was awarded a 2-year research grant from the international Atherosclerosis Society and Pfizer Pharmaceutical Corporation. The overall goal is to partner with patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disease that causes very premature heart attacks and strokes) and physicians in order to build and test educational/motivational information about this disease within the University of Rochester's electronic health record.

Helena Temkin-Greener, PhD was awarded a two-year research grant from the Donaghue Foundation. The overall goal of the research project is to develop process and outcome-based measures of care quality for nursing home residents with mental health and behavioral disorders, and to explain variations in these measures across facilities and regions/states. Locally, findings will provide a benchmark performance measure for nursing homes participating in the NYS Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Program.

Kelly Thevenet-Morrison, M.S., Lead Programmer Analyst in the Department of Public Health Sciences, awarded Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher award at the Opening Convocation for the School of Medicine & Dentistry on September 8, 2016.

Ann M. Dozier, PhD, Professor Public Health Sciences, in the Center for Community Health, and of Clinical Nursing, named Albert David Kaiser Chair of Public Health Sciences at the Opening Convocation for the School of Medicine & Dentistry on September 8, 2016.

Hayley Martin, MD-PhD student in Epidemiology received a student scholarship to attend the 2016 Family Medicine Education Consortium Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA. This meeting is aimed at family medicine physicians, residents and medical students in the north east interested in "improving the health of the community by strengthening Family Medicine / Primary Care services and medical education."

Dr. Diana Fernandez, Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences, is assuming the co-chair position of the Latino Health Coalition convened by the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency

Yareni Sime, a University of Rochester rising junior and Scholar in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, was hosted this summer by Dr. Ann Dozier and her team that is studying infant feeding, health and safety. Ms. Sime's summer research project was entitled Suboptimal Infant Feeding Practices Among Hispanic/Latino Women in Monroe County.

At the annual meeting of the APHA, Helena Temkin-Greener, PhD received the Weiler Award for Leadership in Aging and Public Health. This is an award from the Aging and Public Health Section of the APHA which, according to a statement from the APHA "recognizes the best of past and present leadership concerned with ensuring the highest quality of life for our older population. Recipients are individuals and organizations who have provided leadership in the field of genrontological health, and include, but are not limited to, public officials, policy-makers, practitioners, teachers, and researchers."

Public Health Sciences is celebrating the 2017 PhD graduating class as one of it's largest. Congratulations to the following:

PhD in Epidemiology

PhD in Health Policy Health Services Research and Policy

Masters in Public Health

Certificates

Usama Daimee, Trail-based Clinical Research

Deirde-Ann Reid, Analytic Epidemiology

Kelly Vore, Analytic Epidemiology

Peter Veazie, PhD, Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences, has recently published a new book titled "What Makes Variables Random: Probability for the Applied Researcher." This book provides an introduction to the foundations of probability that underlie the statistical analyses used in applied research. By explaining the structure of probability in terms of measure theory, it gives the applied researchers a conceptual framework to guide statistical modeling and analysis, and to better understand and interpret results. It is intended to augment existing calculus-based textbooks on probability and statistics and is specifically targeted to researchers and advanced undergraduate and graduate students in the applied research fields of the social sciences, psychology, and health and healthcare sciences.

Related sites of interest below:

www.crcpress.com/What-Makes-Variables-Random-Probability-for-the-Applied-Researcher/Veazie/p/book/9781498781084

Study results are mixed on whether omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients found most readily in fish like salmon and tuna, are beneficial when it comes to preventing heart disease.

The 17th Annual Saward-Berg Honorary Lecture was held on March 29th, 2017, R. Tamara Konetzka, PhD presented "Two Decades of Nursing Home Compare: What Have We Learned. For More information visit the Saward-Berg Lecture page.

Paula Alio, PhD, Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences, has been awarded the J. William Fulbright Scholarship grant to study HIV among women (sex workers) in Niger.

Deborah J. Ossip, PhD, Professor, Director Smoking Research Program, has been appointed to the FDA Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC)

Scott Steele, PhD, Director of the CTSI Regulatory Science Core has been selected to serve on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Science Board. The Board provides advice to the Commissioner and other FDA offcials, exploring issues from gene editing or regulation of opioids to food safety, and aims to help the FDA keep pace with technical and scientific developments.

The University of Rochester Medical Center is one of only eight institutions chosen by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to join an effort to improve health equity and the health of communities nationwide.

Deborah J. Ossip, Ph.D., professor of Public Health Sciences and Oncology, has been elected 2016 president of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT). The international society coordinates and advances research related to nicotine and tobacco from molecular to societal levels, and it publishes the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

Todd Jusko, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, was awarded a one year research contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The overall objective of the project is to examine the relationship between in utero and postnatal blood lead concentrations and children's immune system function.