Emission reductions of 80% above Paris Agreement targets needed to limit warming

Posted on March 25, 2021

A 2017 University of Washington-led study uncovered that current emissions reductions are not enough to achieve the Paris Agreement’s global temperature target of staying below 2 degrees Celsius warming this century. After disseminating these findings, the same researchers have now turned their attention to determine what emissions cuts would meet the international climate treaty’s goals. Using a statistical approach to model human-produced greenhouse gases, the researchers found that carbon emissions must be cut by an average of 1.8% annually to…

UW team advises employers how to keep employees and customers safe from COVID-19

Posted on March 23, 2021

As businesses look towards resuming work operations amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many have questions and concerns about reopening safely. To address this issue, Martin Cohen, teaching professor at the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, established the Return-To-Work Task Force. The task force combines expertise across disciplines to inform various businesses on how to return to work safely. Thus far, the task force has advised over two dozen companies on workplace safety protocols and provided…

Bleeding gums may indicate your diet needs more vitamin

Posted on March 18, 2021

New research from the University of Washington School of Dentistry suggests that bleeding gums may be indicative of vitamin C deficiency. The study, led by Philippe Hujoel, professor of oral health sciences in the UW School of Dentistry, demonstrates that bleeding of the gums is associated with low vitamin C levels in the bloodstream. Subsequent research found that increasing the daily intake of vitamin C in those with low vitamin C plasma levels helped reserve these bleeding issues. These findings…

Applications for summer Population Health Social Entrepreneurship Fellows due April 7

Posted on March 11, 2021April 26, 2021

The University of Washington Population Health Initiative – in partnership with the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, CoMotion and the Evans School – is accepting applications for its summer 2021 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program until Wednesday, April 7, 2021. The Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship program offers $10,000 summer salary each to five graduate or professional students from different academic disciplines as they explore social enterprise models that could support innovations developed by UW researchers. These innovations are specifically seeking novel ideas for…

Initiative announces award of 2021 pilot research grants

Posted on March 9, 2021April 23, 2021

Eight different faculty-led teams have received have received pilot research grant awards from the University of Washington Population Health Initiative. These teams are composed of individuals representing seven different schools and colleges as well as external partners. Generous additional funding from school, college and departmental matching brought the total value of these awards to roughly $530,000. “We’re delighted to support this year’s awardees in taking on pressing population health challenges ranging from COVID-19 to climate change to infant and child…

Economic relief policies can reduce reports of child neglect

Posted on March 4, 2021

A team of University of Washington researchers from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance and the School of Public Health have found how anti-poverty policies can lead to a reduction in cases of child neglect. The researchers examined the relationship between Earned Income Tax Credit benefits and the number of child abuse and neglect cases over a 14-year period. Their findings show a 10% increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit led to a 9% decrease in the…

Spotlight: Weichao Yuwen addresses caregivers’ needs through tech-enabled health solutions

Posted on March 2, 2021February 11, 2025

Weichao Yuwen, assistant professor of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership at University of Washington Tacoma, combines her passion for healthcare and family research into her ongoing work to promote technology-enabled health solutions for family caregivers. While pursuing her undergraduate degree in nursing at Arizona State University, Yuwen became involved in research examining how culture impacts adolescent health. In conjunction with her cultural experiences as an immigrant and Asian American woman, this work helped solidify her interest in family research. “I could…

Initiative offers supportive mechanisms to spur social entrepreneurship and innovation

Posted on February 25, 2021September 29, 2025

As a large public research institution with nearly 300 research centers, the University of Washington serves as an intellectual hub for creating innovative and impactful ideas. Many of these innovations aim to address critical population health challenges, grappling with existing social inequities and seeking to positively impact and address the needs of vulnerable populations. Despite the clear potential for this work to effect meaningful social change, it is not uncommon for researchers to encounter challenges in obtaining necessary financial support….

New research identifies COVID-19 through wastewater testing

Posted on February 23, 2021

New research from the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences demonstrates the efficacy of skimmed-milk flocculation for rapidly detecting COVID-19 outbreaks through wastewater. The process involves adding skim milk to raw wastewater; through this concoction, researchers can isolate and detect viral RNA. The environmental surveillance research was supported by the Population Health Initiative’s COVID-19 rapid response grants and holds the potential to serve as an early-warning system for COVID-19 detection. Learn More >

Individuals with spinal cord injury regain hand and arm function with new treatment

Posted on February 19, 2021

A new treatment developed by researchers from the University of Washington Center for Neurotechnology has helped individuals with spinal cord injuries recover hand and arm mobility. The treatment combines traditional physical therapy with a non-invasive method of stimulating nerve cells in the spinal cord. Findings show that research study participants recovered hand and arm function for at least three to six months following the end of treatment. Some participants also noticed other improvements, including a more regular heart rate and improved…