Human and Ecosystem Health

SFS’s research program in Human and Ecosystem Health focuses on the connections between people and freshwater. Our researchers are improving public health and fostering ecosystem sustainability through basic and applied research on stormwater runoff, sewer overflows, beach health, known and emerging environmental contaminants, and other issues related to water quality and quantity.

SFS’s research in this area is critical as climate change, escalating human activity and development, and a growing world population place increasing stress on water resources used for human consumption, food production, sanitation, and recreation.

Human and ecosystem health research encompasses toxicology, microbiology, genetics, genomics, public health, urban planning, and other related disciplines.

Faculty and scientists

Toxicology, toxicogenomics, epigenetics, behavioral toxicology, gene-environment-disease/dysfunction interactions

Genomics, emerging contaminants, pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, toxicology, nanotoxicology, ecology, biomarkers, water policy

Bacterial genetics, fecal pollution, fate and transport of bacteria, pathogens in the environment, beach closings