Health and the Environment

Protecting Wellness

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 — IEE faculty member 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

Peter Hudson

Verne M. Willaman Professor, Biology

James Freihaut

Professor, Architectural Engineering

Institutes, Centers, & Programs

Health and the Environment News

Featured Stories

Session proposals for 2025 Climate Solutions Symposium now being accepted

November 21, 2024 | psu.edu

The Penn State Climate Consortium has announced a call for breakout sessions for the 2025 Climate Solutions Symposium, taking place May 19–20, 2025, at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.

Mentions: Erica Smithwick, Janet Swim, Jacqueline O'Connor

Penn State’s research expenditures reach record $1.337 billion

October 18, 2024 | psu.edu

Penn State’s total research expenditures reached a record high of $1.337 billion in fiscal year 2023-24, an 8% increase or $99 million jump from the previous year, bringing the research expenditures of external and internal funding to the largest total in the University’s history. For the first time in Penn State’s history, external funding from sponsored grants and contracts surpassed $1 billion — a nearly 11% increase over the last fiscal year.

Mentions: Andrew Read, Neeli Bendapudi