Health and the Environment

Just as humans affect the environment, the environment affects humans. Penn State researchers are collaborating on ways that human health is being impacted, from pollution and toxins to infectious disease and climate change.

Systems In Sync

Dynamics of disease, environmental change, and gene-environment interactions have been affecting human, animal, and plant health for decades. From indoor pollution to infectious disease to climate change, health is being impacted.

Researchers are addressing these important factors in order to disrupt infectious disease vectors, enable precautionary design of chemicals and materials, and develop medical treatments to minimize negative impacts.

Scientists are also identifying an increasing number of beneficial human/environment interactions, including the microbiomes in our digestive systems and on our skin.

Penn State continues to grow in this area with the College of Health and Human Development's focus on Environmental Health Sciences.

A team of Penn State researchers is collaborating on a potential new method to treat cancer by delivering a unique nanoparticle to a localized cancerous area in mice and activating the treatment through light exposure — Adam Glick and a team of Penn State researchers are collaborating on a potential new method to treat cancer by delivering a unique nanoparticle to a localized cancerous area in mice and activating the treatment through light exposure.

Health and the Environment Research

Featured IEE Researchers

Xun Cao

Professor, Political Science

Charles Anderson

Professor, Biology

Institutes, Centers, & Programs

Health and the Environment News

Featured Stories

Institute of Energy and the Environment awards eight Penn State researchers

February 9, 2026

The Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE) has recognized eight Penn State researchers for outstanding contributions to energy and environmental research, scholarship and mentorship. Selected through nominations from across the Penn State community, the awardees are honored for their collaborative, interdisciplinary work and their commitment to mentoring students and colleagues.

Mentions: Bruce Logan, Rahman Azari, Ashmita Bhattacharya, Sven Bilén, José Duarte, Tamy Guimarães, Kostas Papakonstantinou, Aleksandra Radlińska, Gordon Warn, Lauren McPhillips

Institute of Energy and the Environment welcomes 15 new faculty members

January 28, 2026

Fifteen faculty members have joined the Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE), reflecting the institute’s growing interdisciplinary reach. Together, they bring expertise that connects energy systems, environmental processes and human dimensions, opening new pathways for collaboration and shared research efforts.Bruce Logan, director of the Institute of Energy and the Environment, said the group reflects the range of career stages represented across IEE’s research network.

Mentions: Bruce Logan, Richard Alley, Margaret Busse, Nelson Yaw Dzade, Chris E. Forest, Antonia Hadjimichael, Christine J. Kirchhoff, Kimberly Lau, Lauren McPhillips, Renee Obringer