Every year, nearly 2 million young Americans experience homelessness. which can be both a crucial source of emotional support and a barrier to receiving services such as housing or medical care. Studies have shown that Some may choose veterinary care for their animals over obtaining health care for themselves. ��

The Seattle One Health Clinic was designed to address those barriers. Led by the operated in collaboration with the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and supported by two nonprofit organizations, the clinic offers free veterinary care alongside its medical services. A paper ��in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health found that the integrated approach increased access to preventative medical care for both people and their pets.��

“It’s truly integrated — human and animal providers working together is a unique approach,” said , lead author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for One Health Research.��

At the One Health Clinic, a nurse practitioner and veterinarian, often accompanied by veterinary students, provide primary care services while 91̽��students volunteer as patient navigators, helping to coordinate care and address shared health needs such as extreme weather, environmental contaminants and zoonotic disease. The clinic also helps clients document their pets as emotional support animals, which enables them to access a wider range of housing and other services. ��

“T��� data clearly shows that this model of care is building trust,” Rejto said. “It’s special to see holistic care that takes into account the environment, the animal, the person and their relationships in society, to provide care to these young people. It’s incredibly important for people to have preventative care, and that in turn has a great impact on public health.” ��

The study analyzed medical and veterinary records of clinic visits between 2019 and 2022. The majority of human participants were 23 years old or younger. Of the 88 human clients who visited the clinic during that period, 75 saw a health care provider at least once, and 40 patients established care for the first time in at least the past two years. Most of those patients returned for at least one follow-up appointment within two years of their first visit.��

Most significantly, nearly 80% of all visits to the One Health Clinic resulted in clients receiving human health care. That includes 69% of visits where clients initially intended to seek care only for their pets.��

“Adding veterinary care to a primary care clinic creates a supportive environment that is vastly different from a typical medical care facility”, said co-author , one of the founders of the One Health Clinic and director of the 91̽��Center for One Health Research, who is also a 91̽��professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and an associate professor of medicine in the 91̽��School of Medicine. “This unique atmosphere encourages clients to seek care for themselves as well as their animals.”������

A fully integrated model may be a new concept to many, requiring novel partnerships between human health and veterinary professionals, Rejto acknowledged. But the results suggest that health care providers should give greater consideration to the health impact of the human animal bond between people and their pets.����

“Potentially a good start would be to increase collaboration and communication between animal and human health care, to have human health facilities that are in communication with veterinary facilities. That could help identify diseases and shared environmental risks,” Rejto said. “It’s about expanding providers’ and human health care workers’ framework for addressing health.”��

Other authors include , senior research coordinator and center manager at the Center for One Health Research; , a 91̽��assistant professor of global health and of epidemiology and deputy director of the Center for One Health Research; Hannah Fenelon, Michael Xie, Alice Tin and Erin Tabor of the 91̽��Center for One Health Research; of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine; Kate Schneier and Andrew Nee of Neighborcare Health; and Amanda Richer of Uplift Consulting.��

This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research Training Program in Global Health Nursing at the UW, the New Tudor Foundation, and by a gift from the now-shuttered Y/YA Shelter “Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets.” Funding for the publication of this study was provided by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (ASPCA) Open-Access Publishing Fund.

UPDATE (Aug. 2, 2024): A previous version of this story misstated Paul Kinahan’s name.

Fifteen faculty members at the 91̽�� have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences. They are among 36 scientists and educators from across the state . Selection recognizes the new members’ “outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.”

Twelve 91̽��faculty members were selected by current WSAS members. They are:

• , associate professor of epidemiology, of health systems and population health, and of child, family and population health nursing, who “possesses the rare combination of scientific rigor and courageous commitment to local community health. Identifying original ways to examine questions, and seeking out appropriate scientific methods to study those questions, allow her to translate research to collaborative community interventions with a direct impact on the health of communities.”
• , the Shauna C. Larson endowed chair in learning sciences, for “his work in the cultural basis of scientific research and learning, bringing rigor and light to multiculturalism in science and STEM education through STEM Teaching Tools and other programs.”
• , professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, “for her sustained commitment to community-engaged, science-driven practice and policy change related to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of mental health, with a focus on providing effective, sustainable and culturally appropriate care to people with serious mental illness.”
• , the David and Nancy Auth endowed professor in bioengineering, who has “charted new paths for 30-plus years. Her quest to deeply understand protein folding/unfolding and the link to amyloid diseases has propelled her to pioneer unique computational and experimental methods leading to the discovery and characterization of a new protein structure linked to toxicity early in amyloidogenesis.”
• , professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, of global health, and of emergency medicine, who is “a global and national leader at the intersection of climate change and health whose work has advanced our understanding of climate change health effects and has informed the design of preparedness and disaster response planning in Washington state, nationally and globally.”
• , professor of bioengineering and of radiology, who is “recognized for his contributions to the science and engineering of medical imaging systems and for leadership in national programs and professional and scientific societies advancing the capabilities of medical imaging.”
• , the Donald W. and Ruth Mary Close professor of electrical and computer engineering and faculty member in the 91̽��Clean Energy Institute, who is “recognized for his distinguished research contributions to the design and operation of economical, reliable and environmentally sustainable power systems, and the development of influential educational materials used to train the next generation of power engineers.”
• , senior vice president and director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, the Joel D. Meyers endowed chair of clinical research and of vaccine and infectious disease at Fred Hutch, and 91̽��professor of medicine, who is “is recognized for her seminal contributions to developing validated laboratory methods for interrogating cellular and humoral immune responses to HIV, TB and COVID-19 vaccines, which has led to the analysis of more than 100 vaccine and monoclonal antibody trials for nearly three decades, including evidence of T-cell immune responses as a correlate of vaccine protection.”
• , professor of political science and the Walker family professor for the arts and sciences, who is a specialist “in environmental politics, international political economy, and the politics of nonprofit organizations. He is widely recognized as a leader in the field of environmental politics, best known for his path-breaking research on the role firms and nongovernmental organizations can play in promoting more stringent regulatory standards.”
• , the Ballmer endowed dean of social work, for investigations of “how inequality, in its many forms, affects health, illness and quality of life. He has developed unique conceptual frameworks to investigate how race, ethnicity and immigration are associated with health and social outcomes.”
• , professor of chemistry, who is elected “for distinguished scientific and community contributions to advancing the field of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, which have transformed how researchers worldwide analyze data.”
• , professor of bioengineering and of ophthalmology, whose “pioneering work in biomedical optics, including the invention of optical microangiography and development of novel imaging technologies, has transformed clinical practice, significantly improving patient outcomes. Through his numerous publications, patents and clinical translations, his research has helped shape the field of biomedical optics.”

Three new 91̽��members of the academy were selected by virtue of their previous election to one of the National Academies. They are:

• , professor of atmospheric and climate science, who had been elected to the National Academy of Sciences “for contributions to research and expertise in atmospheric radiation and cloud processes, remote sensing, cloud/aerosol/radiation/climate interactions, stratospheric circulation and stratosphere-troposphere exchanges and coupling, and climate change.”
• , the Bartley Dobb professor for the study and prevention of violence in the Department of Epidemiology and a 91̽��professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine “for being a national public health leader whose innovative and multidisciplinary research to integrate data across the health care system and criminal legal system has deepened our understanding of the risk and consequences of firearm-related harm and informed policies and programs to reduce its burden, especially among underserved communities and populations.”
• , division chief of general pediatrics at Seattle Children’s Hospital and a 91̽��professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine “for her leadership in advancing child health equity through scholarship in community-partnered design of innovative care models in pediatric primary care. Her work has transformed our understanding of how to deliver child preventive health care during the critical early childhood period to achieve equitable health outcomes and reduce disparities.”

In addition, Dr. , president and director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and of the Cancer Consortium — a partnership between the UW, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Fred Hutch — was elected to the academy for being “part of a research effort that found mutations in the cell-surface protein epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which plays an important role in helping lung cancer cells survive. Today, drugs that target EGFR can dramatically change outcomes for lung cancer patients by slowing the progression of the cancer.”

the Boeing-Egtvedt endowed professor and chair in aeronautics and astronautics, will join the board effective Sept. 30. Morgansen was elected to WSAS in 2021 “for significant advances in nonlinear methods for integrated sensing and control in engineered, bioinspired and biological flight systems,” and “for leadership in cross-disciplinary aerospace workforce development.” She is currently director of the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium, co-director of the 91̽��Space Policy and Research Center and chair of the AIAA Aerospace Department Chairs Association. She is also a member of the WSAS education committee.

“I am excited to serve on the WSAS board and work with WSAS members to leverage and grow WSAS’s impact by identifying new opportunities for WSAS to collaborate and partner with the state in addressing the state’s needs,” said Morgansen.

The new members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences will be formally inducted in September.

Two 91̽�� researchers have been named AAAS Fellows, according to an by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. They are among 502 newly elected fellows from around the world, who are recognized for their “scientifically and socially distinguished achievements” in science and engineering.

A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and all fellows are expected to meet the commonly held standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.

This year’s 91̽��AAAS fellows are:

, the Lloyd E. and Florence M. West Endowed Professor of Chemistry and a researcher with the 91̽��Clean Energy Institute, is honored for her contributions to the development of nanoscale materials, which are in the size range of approximately 1 to 100 nanometers, for applications in energy and advanced electronics. For reference, 1 nanometer is about 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Cossairt investigates how crystalline nanoscale materials come together, grow and shrink and react with other compounds and photons. Her research includes synthesizing materials with novel physical and surface chemistry properties, such as inorganic quantum dots with use in lighting, displays, catalysis and quantum information technology. A 91̽��faculty member since 2012, Cossairt has earned numerous honors, including a Sloan Research Fellowship, a Packard Fellowship, an NSF CAREER Award and a teacher scholar award from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. She also co-founded the Chemistry Women Mentorship Network to provide support, encouragement and career-development opportunities for women in the chemistry field.

, professor of pharmacy and of global health, was recognized for his work to better monitor the safety of essential medicines and vaccines, especially in low- and middle-income countries. He directed a study assessing the safety of antimalarial drugs among pregnant people in sub-Saharan African nations and has been involved in several other initiatives to assess the safety of vaccines used during pregnancy. He researches the global burden of antimicrobial resistance and has strengthened pharmacy services in numerous countries. Dr. Stergachis is an elected member of the National Academies of Medicine, fellow of the American Pharmacists Association and fellow of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology. He holds adjunct faculty appointments in the Departments of Health Metrics & Evaluation and in Epidemiology.

Three current 91̽��scientists were among the authors of the assessment, which summarizes climate change that has already occurred, and that is projected in coming decades. This fifth edition includes two new chapters, on economics and on social systems and justice.

, a professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences, was an author on the chapter on . Ebi also co-authored the human health chapter of the fourth assessment, released in 2019, and was a contributing author to the same chapter in

“It is indisputable that climate change is harming human health and well-being, from exposure to extreme weather and climate events, changes in the geographic range and seasonality of infectious diseases, alterations in air quality, reductions in food- and water-security, and impacts on mental wellness,” Ebi said. “Historically marginalized and under-resourced communities face greater harms and exacerbations of health inequities. Future health risks could be reduced, but not eliminated, by strengthening health systems, implementing effective adaptation measures, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.”

Dr. , a professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, of global health and of emergency medicine, was an author on the chapter. Hess was previously a lead author of the human health chapter in the third assessment.

“We have ample evidence that climate change is worsening air pollution — in part due to increasing wildfire smoke and pollen levels — and there are clear and worsening impacts on human health,” Hess said. “These impacts are felt most acutely in low-income communities and communities of color. But we also know that smart policies and coordinated action can simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and improve health for all, particularly the most impacted.”

, a research scientist at the Climate Impacts Group, was a co-author of the . She also contributed to a cross-cutting section , a new feature that centralizes critical information on key trends.

“T��� Fifth National Climate Assessment includes more information on response actions and emphasizes action at the state and local levels,” Raymond said. Since 2018, Raymond said, adaptation plans and actions at the city and state level have increased by about a third across the U.S.

Raymond also highlighted the increased focus on engagement in the assessment process, and special steps that have been taken to increase the accessibility of the assessment to wider audiences.

“T��� process included more opportunities for public engagement, and the fifth assessment includes some great new communication features — Spanish translation, a six-episode podcast series, 92 art pieces featured throughout the assessment and forthcoming regional webinars and workshops,” Raymond said.

also co-authored the Northwest chapter while she was affiliated with the 91̽��Climate Impacts Group. Asinas is now at the Urban Ocean Project in Brooklyn, New York.

��

For more information, contact Ebi at krisebi@uw.edu, Hess at jjhess@uw.edu and Raymond at clrfire@uw.edu.

October 17, 7:30pm |��Kane Hall

Among the most striking everyday phenomena is the emergence of life from inanimate matter. William Bialek, professor at Princeton University, will explain how we know this everyday phenomena, which involved a quiet revolution in the ability to do physics experiments on living systems, in all their complexity.

A number of features of the living world hold a special fascination for physicists. On a dark night, eyes can count individual quanta of light. When we point to the source of a sound, we are measuring time differences of just a few millionths of a second. Even though each bird in a flock sees only a few neighbors, thousands of them can agree on a single direction and speed to fly. William will use these examples to show how these remarkable observations point toward deeper and perhaps more general theories, in the physics tradition.

Free |

October 19, 11:30am – 1:00pm | , Communication Building

Join the Translation Studies Hub for a lunchtime colloquium. Despite playing a significant role, translation often goes unremarked in scholarship and curricula on cultural histories of the environment. Jason Groves will share possibilities for introducing translation to the environmental humanities classroom. Cristina Sánchez-Martín will describe the design and implementation of a community-based translation module in ENGL 370, “Introduction to English Language” and how students approached English(es) as a situated language practice, learning what it means to tell collective stories of translation while dwelling in incomplete closures.

Free |

October 19, 4:00 – 6:00pm | Hans Rosling Center

This author talk will bring attention to medical apartheid and how it heavily affects black and brown communities across the globe. Listen to prominent, multi award-winning, and independent health journalist Vidya Krishnan present an author talk followed by a Q&A titled Plagues, Philanthropies and the End of Imagination hosted by the School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and the South Asia Center.

Stay around for a reception following the event.

Free |

October 19, 5:00 – 6:00pm | Allen Library

The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Graduate Research Cluster is hosting a conversation with Julia Quinn, author of the��Bridgerton series, in conjunction with 91̽��Libraries.

Julia Quinn is a best-selling author of historical romance fiction whose novels have appeared on��The New York Times��Best Sellers List and have garnered world-wide popularity. Her��Bridgerton��series was adapted for Netflix in 2020, and has since graced the screens of audiences all over the world, being crowned one of the streaming platform’s most popular shows of all time.

Free |

October 19, 7:30pm | Kane Hall

This lecture will reflect on the future of computing and the implications for science, business, and society, led by Dario Gil, IBM Senior Vice President and Director of Research.

Working at the intersection of information and biology, artificial intelligence advances and permeates through more applications affecting business and science. Powerful models are now emerging, enabling AI to create in new domains. Society is witnessing the growth of a new computing paradigm combining physics and information—quantum computing. Quantum computing has the potential to solve problems out of reach for even the most powerful supercomputers.

Free |

October 20, 7:30pm | ��Brechemin Auditorium

Faculty guitarist Michael Partington celebrates the release of his eleventh solo CD, “Concoctions from the Kitchen,” dedicated to the music of American composer Bryan Johanson. Featuring pieces written during the last five years, including “The Illustrated Guitar,” “Oranges,” and “Sonatine-Cahier,” the program also includes some of Johanson’s popular Preludes. The composer will be in attendance, and will take audience questions during a post-concert Q&A.

Free |

October 22, 10:00am – 3:00pm | ��Burke Museum

Celebrate International Archaeology Day with fun activities for all ages at the Burke Museum. Learn about ancient technologies, identify animal bones, sort shells, watch a flintknapping (stone tool making) demonstration, and more.

Find out more about archaeology techniques from Burke archaeologists and event partners as they share tabletop activities, and stories about artifacts and belongings.

Free – $22 tickets |

Beginning in October | “Ways of Knowing” Podcast

“Ways of Knowing” is an eight-episode podcast connecting humanities research with current events and issues. This season features faculty from the 91̽��College of Arts & Sciences as they explore race, immigration, history, the natural world – even comic books. Each episode analyzes a work, or an idea, and provides additional resources for learning more.

The podcast is a new collaboration between the The World According to Sound and the UW.

Free | More info

Have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Lauren Zondag (zondagld@uw.edu).

The American Geophysical Union Sept. 13 that five 91̽�� faculty members have been elected as new fellows, representing the departments of astronomy, Earth and space sciences, oceanography, global health, and environmental and occupational health sciences.

The Fellows program recognizes AGU members who have made exceptional contributions to Earth and space sciences through a breakthrough, discovery or innovation in their field. The five 91̽��honorees are among 54 people from around the world in the 2023 Class of Fellows. AGU, the world’s largest Earth and space sciences association, annually recognizes a select number of individuals nominated by their peers for its highest honors. Since 1962, the AGU Union Fellows Committee has selected less than 0.1% of members as new fellows.

Also honored by AGU this year are three 91̽��faculty members, from the departments of Earth and space sciences and atmospheric sciences, who have received other awards.

Here are the UW’s five new AGU Fellows:

, professor of Earth and space sciences, studies which characteristics of Earth help this planet support life, and whether life might be found on other planets. His work spans astronomy, biology and geology, on planetary environments including Earth, Mars, Venus and icy moons, as well as planets outside this solar system. He is the author of “Astrobiology: A Very Short Introduction” for the layperson and “Atmospheric Evolution on Inhabited and Lifeless Worlds” for researchers.

, who holds the Karl M. Banse Endowed Professorship in oceanography, explores the limits and ecological contributions of microbial life in deep ocean and polar regions, focusing in recent years on how microbes adapt to the extreme conditions of Arctic sea ice. In addition to a research and teaching career, Deming founded what is now the 91̽��Center for Environmental Genomics and helped establish the nation’s first graduate training program in astrobiology.

, professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences, has been conducting research on the health risks of climate variability and change for nearly 30 years. She focuses on estimating current and future health risks of climate change, designing adaptation policies and measures to reduce risks in multi-stressor environments, and estimating the health co-benefits of mitigation policies. Ebi is also founding director of the 91̽��, or CHanGE.

, professor of astronomy, is an astrobiologist and planetary astronomer whose research focuses on��predicting, acquiring and analyzing observations of planetary atmospheres and surfaces. In addition to studying planets within our solar system, she is interested in exoplanets — those outside the solar system — and��how they might reveal the presence of life. With the UW’s Virtual Planetary Laboratory, she uses models of planets and planet-star interactions to generate plausible planetary environments and spectra for extrasolar terrestrial planets and the early Earth.

, professor and chair of Earth and space sciences, is a geochemist and glaciologist whose research focuses on polar climate and ice sheets in the Arctic and in Antarctica. He is best known for his analyses of Antarctic ice cores using measurements of oxygen and hydrogen in the ice to better understand how climate has varied in the past, over hundreds to thousands of years.

In addition to the newly elected fellows, 91̽��faculty members are also recognized in several subject-specific awards and lectures:

, professor of atmospheric sciences, will deliver the in December at the AGU’s fall meeting. Alexander studies the relationship between climate change and the chemical composition of the atmosphere. She looks at the pathways by which atmospheric pollutants form, how those chemical pathways can vary, and what that means both for present-day air quality and for the future of climate change.

, research assistant professor of Earth and space sciences, has received the for his research modeling natural disasters using geodesy, or the shape of the Earth’s surface, and seismology. Crowell pioneered ways to use GPS and related data in earthquake and tsunami early warning systems. He is currently using this data to better understand natural disasters as they unfold and develop a risk-mitigation framework for coastal hazards such as tsunamis.

, research assistant professor of Earth and space sciences, has received the . Journaux uses modeling and experiments to explore the conditions in extreme environments on other planets, and how that might affect their ability to harbor life. He is a member of the science team for NASA’s upcoming Dragonfly mission, which will characterize the chemistry and habitability of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.

, a researcher at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with an affiliate 91̽��faculty position in oceanography, has received the .

All honorees will be recognized in December at the AGU’s fall meeting in San Francisco.

Outdoor workers in the world’s lower-latitude tropical forests may face a greater risk of heat-related deaths and unsafe working conditions because of deforestation and climate warming, according to a led by The Nature Conservancy, the 91̽�� and Indonesia’s Mulawarman University.

In the study, researchers found that increased temperatures of 0.95 C (1.7 F) in the deforested areas of Berau Regency, Indonesia, between 2002 and 2018 were linked to roughly 118 additional deaths in 2018, and 20 additional minutes of daily conditions too hot for humans to work in safely. Future climate warming of 2 C (3.6 F) above 2018’s levels could increase deaths in Berau by 20% (approximately 282 additional annual deaths) and another five unsafe work hours per day — even without greater deforestation.

“Ambient heat exposure and internal body heat from heavy physical work can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke — which can be fatal — as well as acute kidney injury and traumatic injuries,” said�� co-author , associate professor and assistant chair of environmental and occupational health sciences in the 91̽��School of Public Health.

Researchers point out that the increase in heat-related deaths with a 2 C rise in global temperatures would be comparable to mortality from other long-term public health challenges in Asia, such as tobacco smoking. In addition, they write, “workers in Berau are already adapting to hotter temperatures due to deforestation, suggesting those engaged in outdoor work may already be approaching their adaptive capacity through behavioral adaptations.”

The study in Lancet Planetary Health used publicly available and secondary data such as satellite monitoring of forest cover, temperatures, climate models, population densities, and the report published annually in The Lancet by the 91̽��Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Researchers focused on Berau as an area emblematic of tropical forest regions facing rapid deforestation.

“Approximately 800 million people live and work in the world’s tropical forest nations,” Spector said. “T���se forests can act as natural air conditioners and sequester carbon, thus having implications for both climate change adaptation and mitigation. Information from this modeling study should be considered in discussions about trade-offs between economic welfare, human health, the natural environment and decisions about climate change adaptation and mitigation.”

Other 91̽��authors of the study are , graduate student, and , professor and Tamaki Endowed Chair, in the Department of Atmospheric Science; and , professor of global health and environmental and occupational health sciences in the School of Public Health. For complete list of authors and more about the study see The Nature Conservancy’s .

The study was supported by a pilot research grant from the 91̽��Population Health Initiative.

To better identify and prevent future pandemics, the 91̽�� has become a partner in a five-year global, collaborative agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development. The newly launched Discovery & Exploration of Emerging Pathogens – Viral Zoonoses, or DEEP VZN project, has approximately $125 million in anticipated funding and will be led by Washington State University.

The effort will build scientific capacity in partner countries to safely detect and characterize viruses which have the potential to spill over from wildlife and domestic animals to human populations.

“The DEEP VZN project provides an exciting chance to better understand why the world is experiencing more frequent and severe outbreaks of zoonotic infectious diseases transmitted between animals and people,” said Dr. , a co-principal investigator for USAID DEEP VZN and professor of environmental and occupational health sciences in the 91̽��School of Public Health.

“This means gaining knowledge about new viruses that could cause problems in the future, and the ecosystem changes that appear to be driving the process of viruses jumping between species,” Rabinowitz added. “T��� hope is that this improved understanding will lead to prevention of future pandemics and more resilient ecosystems.”

Rabinowitz is also director of the and co-director of the .

The project plans to initially partner with five countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to help local organizations carry out large-scale animal surveillance programs within their own countries safely and test samples for viruses using their own laboratory facilities. This will avoid the process of having to ship samples to other countries for testing and build an international network of laboratories capable of quickly responding to disease outbreaks.

“Since the vast majority of viruses that ignite pandemics have their origin in nonhuman animals, it is critical that we figure out which of the many new zoonotic viruses that we are now identifying are most likely to jump species into humans, spread easily from person to person and cause severe disease or death,” said Dr. , a co-principal investigator in the project and chair of the 91̽��Department of Global health.

“T��� focuses on a proactive, integrated systems approach to pandemic preparedness that has brought together internationally recognized leaders in the kinds of laboratory methods that will make it possible for the DEEP VZN team to fully sequence and characterize novel viruses in unprecedented breadth and depth,” said Wasserheit, co-director of the Alliance. “In addition, the Alliance’s approach catalyzed collaborations between these lab-based scientists; One Health leaders working at the interface of human, animal and environmental health; and leaders in Global Health who will work with colleagues in focus countries to identify high-risk locations and subpopulations at the human-animal interface.”

The DEEP VZN project will focus on finding previously unknown pathogens from three viral families that have a large potential for viral spillover from animals to humans: coronaviruses, the family that includes SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; filoviruses, like Ebola virus; and paramyxoviruses, such as Nipah virus. With 70% of new viral outbreaks in people originating from animals, understanding future threats helps protect the U.S. as well as the partner countries.

The goals are ambitious: to collect over 800,000 samples in the five years of the project, most of which will come from wildlife; then to detect whether known and novel viruses from the target families are present in the samples. When those are found, the researchers will determine their zoonotic potential, or the ability to be transmitted between animals and humans.

This process is expected to yield 8,000 to 12,000 novel viruses, which researchers will then screen and genome sequence for the ones that pose the most risk to animal and human health.

The UW��Medicine��laboratory effort, led by��Dr.��Alex Greninger,��assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at 91̽�� School of Medicine, will use��the��cutting-edge research expertise of five internationally recognized 91̽��Medicine laboratories to��develop innovative techniques and provide reference and support activities for virus detection and characterization by in-country labs.

“It’s time to get to work and find some new viruses. We will be building capacity in other countries to be able to find new viruses and characterize them in hopes to better understand coronaviruses and other viruses circulating in the world,” said Greninger.

The 91̽��Medicine labs:

• The will coordinate��qRT-PCR and broad serology assay development and in-country training, viral genome recovery and viral glycoprotein characterization.
• The David will model novel viral glycoproteins to determine risk potential based on in silico screens for potential human receptor affinity.
• The��David has detailed mechanisms of viral attachment and entry for novel paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses and will extend these biochemical studies to novel viral glycoproteins discovered in DV.
• will determine the degree and mechanisms of innate immunity evasion in human cells by novel viruses.
• The will produce recombinant proteins for in-country serological analysis as it has done for SARS-CoV-2.

The 91̽��Department of Global Health will apply its experience in more than 145 countries and expertise in capacity strengthening through the International Training and Education Center for Health, or I-TECH, to support sustainable sampling and strengthen in-country laboratory programs.

In addition to 91̽��and WSU, USAID DEEP VZN includes virology expertise of The Washington University at St. Louis, as well as data management and in-country expertise of public health nonprofits PATH, based in Seattle, and FHI 360, based in North Carolina. These partners have extensive established presence and partners in countries in the target regions.

“To make sure the world is better prepared for these infectious disease events, which are likely to happen more frequently as wild areas become increasingly fragmented, we need to be ready,” said Felix Lankester, lead principal investigator for USAID DEEP VZN and associate professor with WSU’s Paul G. Allen School for Global Health. “We will work to not only detect viruses but also build capacity in other countries, so the United States can collaborate with them in carrying out this important work.”

###

For more information, contact Jake Ellison at Jbe3@uw.edu

This story was adapted from a Washington State University .��

In the first��month��of the��COVID-19��pandemic, nearly all 50��states announced��restrictions on gatherings and��businesses, and most issued stay-at-home orders, aiming to��curb��disease transmission and��avoid��overburdening health systems.

States��eased��those��policies��based on politics as much as��COVID-19��death rates��or��case counts, according to new research from the 91̽��.��The researchers also found��that states with large Black communities,��despite those communities being��hit hardest by the pandemic, also lifted restrictions earlier.

In general,��the����in��Perspectives on Politics��found��that states with Republican governors��and��a��larger��vote share��for��Donald��Trump in 2016��eased their restrictions��two��weeks��earlier��than states with Democratic governors��and��smaller Trump vote shares, all else equal.

“T�����push by Trump to politicize social distancing policy��came at a critical time:��In April 2020, cases were��still very high��in many states.��Many��Republican governors��pulled the trigger on easing too early,”��said��lead author��, a��professor of political science at the UW.

The��study is the latest from��the����led by Adolph. Last year, the team published papers on the influence of politics on social distancing policies��and��mask mandates��and, like the latest research, found that a governor’s political party was a key driver in what are��ostensibly��public health decisions.��There��was a “near-immediate politicization of this public health crisis,” the authors wrote in their new paper, exacerbated when then-President Trump declared that��.

The new study looked at when states eased five��policies, beginning in mid-April 2020: stay-at-home orders; limits on gatherings; closures of nonessential businesses such as gyms��and movie theaters; and��restrictions on the operation of��restaurants and��bars.��In all five categories, researchers found that Republican-led states��eased��restrictions��on indoor activity��earlier��than Democratic-led ones, but by early July��2020,��all states had eased at least one��social distancing policy.

The team analyzed those moves taking into account other��factors��—��health��indicators��such as COVID-19��deaths, confirmed cases��and��test positivity rates,��along with��other��variables��such as governor’s political party, Trump’s��share of the vote in 2016,��state��population density��and some��demographic characteristics.

Public health indicators did play a role, the researchers point out,��as states with��better trends in��epidemiological indicators��could be��expected��to ease restrictions��two weeks (an��average of 14.1 days) ahead of states��where��trends in��case counts and deaths��were��worsening or improving more��slowly. But the��influence��of��COVID-19 trajectories��was slightly less than that of the governor’s political party and the share of Trump voters.��All else equal, states��with a Republican governor and a majority of Trump voters��could be��expected to begin easing restrictions just over two weeks��(an average of 14.5 days)��ahead of Democratic-led states.

“Since March��2020,��state-level decisions��on��the response to��COVID-19��have been��influenced��by politics as much as��— and sometimes more than —��public health data and evidence on evolving pandemic needs.��In the U.S.,��this��has happened for��,��, vaccination and testing requirements,��travel restrictions —��everything,”��said��,��a study��co-author��and doctoral��candidate��in��political science��at the UW.

The authors warn��that��polarized��politics��could further��hinder��how��future public health emergencies��are��handled in the United States.��For instance,��following the initial loosening of social distancing restrictions,��.��Yet a��fragmented��approach��toward COVID-19��continued through the summer and fall of 2020, culminating in��a��devastating winter surge��and deepening��partisan��divisions.

“Public health��inherently involves political considerations and trade-offs, so��completely��divorcing politics from��public health��decision-making and policy implementation��isn’t really��an��option.��Instead,��we should��recognize how��public health policy and practice��occur��within��existing political��environments, and��actively��work within those systems to ensure��strong science��and timely data can inform��decisions,” said��, a study co-author and doctoral student in global health at the UW.

The team also analyzed the��association between the��loosening of restrictions and��a state’s Black population, given the��.��Indeed,��states with larger percentages of their population identifying as Black saw COVID-19 social distancing policies eased nearly a week��(an average of��6.7 days)��earlier than states with a smaller Black population — a finding that may mirror patterns of systemic racism and enduring neglect toward��Black communities��in the U.S.

“T��� COVID-19 pandemic continues to exact an uneven toll for individuals and communities, especially people of color and frontline��workers who face higher exposure to the virus. Each decision to reduce��COVID-related protections��places��already marginalized groups��at risk,��and needs to be made very carefully.��This was true in 2020,��and��it remains true today,”��Adolph��said.

The study was funded by��the��Benificus��Foundation and��the 91̽��Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences.

In addition to��Adolph, Bang-Jensen, and��Fullman, co-authors were��, professor and chair of political science at the��UW;��,��,����and��, all doctoral students in political science at the UW; and��, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto��who completed this work while a doctoral student in political science at the UW.

For more information, contact Adolph at cadolph@uw.edu.

In a new series on increasingly common extreme heat waves and their impact on human health , a 91̽�� climate change and health expert joined more than a dozen international experts to warn that��we better prepare.

“T��� preventable heat stress and deaths during this summer’s heat waves highlight the importance of developing a regional heat action plan. A heat wave early warning and response plan that includes all relevant services, developed and implemented in collaboration with particularly vulnerable communities, can reduce future illnesses and deaths. Longer-term planning for our cities needs to explicitly incorporate a warmer future with more frequent and intense heat waves. A regional heat action plan should be part of a larger plan to prepare for other climate-related hazards, including wildfires, flooding and drought,” said series co-lead author professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the 91̽��.

Ebi, who is the founding director of the UW’s��, and other authors of The Lancet series will discuss their findings and recommendations for public health practice and public policies

“Two strategic approaches are needed to combat extreme heat. One is climate change mitigation to reduce carbon emissions and alter the further warming of the planet. The other is identifying timely and effective prevention and response measures, particularly for low-resource settings. With more than half of the global population projected to be exposed to weeks of dangerous heat every year by the end of this century, we need to find ways to cool people effectively and sustainably,” Ebi said in

The series’ two main articles — co-led by Ebi and Professor Ollie Jay of the University of Sydney, Australia — cover the and by using personal cooling strategies and changing cities and their built environments.

“It is critical that the personal cooling strategies we recommend in heat-health action plans are based on scientific evidence. After all, having a plan is not enough; it must be the right plan,” Jay told The Lancet. “Too many strategies that are recommended in some existing heat-health action plans seem to be based on conventional wisdom. For example, it is commonly recommended that sugary drinks and high protein meals are avoided, and that fans should not be used, yet studies demonstrate the cooling effectiveness of fans at higher temperatures and other strategies such as self-dousing with water or wearing wet clothing. Early warning systems for extreme heat events, including evidence-based measures to protect vulnerable populations and raising awareness of the health risks posed by heat, will be central to limiting ill health and deaths from heat events, today and in the future.”

In a related (IHME), more than 356,000 deaths were related to heat in 2019, and more deaths are expected as temperatures continue to rise worldwide, the journal .

“Where people live has a major bearing on their risk of exposure to extreme heat and cold. In most regions, cold temperatures have a greater impact on health; however, our analysis finds that the harmful effects of extreme heat can far exceed those caused by cold in places where it is already hot, such as Southern Asia, the Middle East and many parts of Africa. This is very concerning, particularly given that the risk of exposure to high temperatures appears to have been increasing steadily for decades,” , assistant professor of Health Metrics Sciences at IHME, told The Lancet.