UR Institute for Human Health and the Environment

Teachers explored microplastics and health at our workshop yesterday at the University of Rochester - Warner School of Education.

New journal article by IHHE faculty member Dr. Lisa DeLouise. 📢
"Examining the immunomodulatory role of nanoparticles on mast cell activation"

Examining the immunomodulatory role of nanoparticles on mast cell activation - Scientific Reports Recent studies reveal that inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) can alter allergic skin reactions in a contact hypersensitivity (CHS) mouse model. Specifically, negatively charged silica (SiO2) NPs suppressed the response whereas manganese doped titanium dioxide (mTiO2) exacerbated it. Mast cells are criti...

Our community engagement team works with researchers, clinicians, and community partners to create materials about environmental health risks in our area – including air pollution, heat, and sun exposure. Click below to see our resources on outdoor air quality.

Outdoor Air Quality - Community Projects and Partnerships - Community Engagement Core (CEC) - URochester Medicine URochester Medicine / EHSC / Community Engagement Core / Community Projects and Partnerships / Outdoor Air Quality Outdoor Air Quality Air Sensor StoriesThese materials and workshop were developed to help diverse audiences understand the potential of user-friendly air quality sensors to address comm...

Our Summer 2026 edition of “Your Health and the Environment,” the Environmental Health Sciences Center newsletter, is now available! The newsletter highlights research on pregnancy and maternal-child health, the Capacity Building Project Program, efforts to expand air quality monitoring in Rochester, and more!

Check it out here: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/environmental-health-sciences/newsletter/summer-2026

Microplastics and Health Email from Science Take-Out Explore the possible health effects of microplastics   Science Take-Out kits are ready-to-go with no prep and no lab equipment required. Convenient, engaging, and cost-eff

Improperly disposing of medications by flushing them can allow pharmaceutical compounds to enter waterways, potentially impacting wildlife and causing drinking water contamination.

See our website for information about environmentally safe medication disposal.

Medication Disposal - Engagement Projects - Engagement - Institute for Human Health and the Environment - University of Rochester - URochester Medicine URochester Medicine / Institute for Human Health and the Environment / Engagement / Engagement Projects / Medication Disposal Environmentally Safe Medication Disposal Many medications (prescription or over-the-counter medication) contain chemicals that can harm other people or the environment. It is...

The Problem With Microplastics In recent years, the presence and impact of microplastics have become a topic in both ecology and human health studies. Many reports have shown how these microparticles enter into our drinking water and the effects they have on the human body. Being a topic of current importance opens up many teachi...

Congratulations to Dr. Elaine Hill for being selected for the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellowship. 🎉

The ELAM fellowship prepares women for senior leadership roles in medicine, dentistry, public health, and pharmacy.

www.urmc.rochester.edu

Problem with Microplastics - Lessons - Resources - Life Sciences Learning Center - URochester Medicine URochester Medicine / LSLC / LSLC Lessons / LSLC Lessons / Microplastics Microplastics Microplastics and Nanoplastics: How Small is Small?Microplastics are small, but just how small? And how much smaller are nanoplastics? This lesson focuses on conceptualizing the scale of very small particles to un...