About us
Climate change and air pollution are major threats to public health. Unless decisive action is taken to reduce the impact, both issues will increase over time, as will the associated health problems.
Rising seawaters and extreme weather events could increase flooding, leading to an increase in water-borne disease outbreaks, and lead to unsanitary living conditions. Droughts and heatwaves could increase heat-related deaths, and affect crops and access to food. Air pollution is associated with increased risk of respiratory conditions and numerous other health problems.
Our team has significant experience in researching the impact of climate and air quality on health. We’ve provided evidence on the global daily estimates of fine-particulate air pollution, and its links with rates of miscarriage and autism; drilled down into air pollution data to explore the health impacts of bushfire-related pollution in Australia, and around the world; estimated global mortality burden associated with temperature fluctuations; and developed forecasts for heat-related deaths worldwide based on current climate trends. We also explore potential mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change and air pollution. For example, we assess the health benefits of residential green space.
Our work is regularly featured in highly regarded peer-reviewed journals, such as The Lancet.
We apply environmental epidemiology, biostatistics, remote sensing modelling and infectious disease modelling to air quality and climate change. We regularly collaborate with international and domestic research groups from over 50 countries, to provide robust evidence for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Meet the Team
Project Manager
- Dr Amanda Johnson
Adjunct Appointments
- Professor Chunlei Han
- Professor Peng Lu
- Professor Qi Zhao
Current PhD Students
- Hao Feng
- Yuan Gao
- Wenzhong Huang
- Ke Ju
- Rahini Mahendran
- Bo Wen
- Yao Wu
- Zhengyu (Eddy) Yang
- Tingting Ye
- Wenhua Yu
- Yiwen Zhang
Current Master Student
- Xinyi Ren
Visiting Scholar
- Liwen Hu
Visiting Students
- Wen Li
- Yujia Huang
Past PhD Students
- Gongbo Chen – Health effects of particulate matter of 1 µm or less in China: Novel exposure assessment technology and important health outcomes
- Samuel Hundessa – Climate change and malaria transmission: A national study in China
- Amanda Johnson – Understanding the associations between coal mine fire smoke and public health
- Dr Rongbin Xu – Outdoor environmental factors and human epigenetic modifications
- Qi Zhao – Ambient temperature and hospitalizations in Brazil: Addressing measurement indicators, geographical variation, temporal change, and demographic difference
- Dr Pei Yu – The association between exposure to particulate matter of 2.5 µm or less and cancer
Past Visiting Scholars
- Dr Peng Lu, Binzhou Medical University – Environmental toxicology and environmental health
- Dr Guoxin Xia, Binzhou Medical University – Public Health, Epidemiology, Surgery
- Associate Professor Yajuan Zhang, Ningxia Medical University – Environmental epidemiology, air pollution and human health, climate change and human health
- Dr Youn-Hee Lim, Seoul National University, 2018 – Environmental epidemiology and statistics, health impacts of air pollution and climate change
- Dr Kejia Hu, Zhejiang University, 2017-2018 – Health impacts of climate change and air pollution
- Dr Qin Li, Peking University, 2017-2018 – Environmental exposure and birth health
- Associate Professor Chunlei Han, Binzhou Medical University – Environmental Inequality and human health
Past Master Student
- Yu Xue
Past Honours Student
- Jackson Webb
Past Visiting Students
- Marie Bergmann
- Liwei Sun