Preventing pandemics by learning about and from our community

Associate professor, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health,School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo

Air pollution is one of the most important environmental risk factors for human health. It impacts 90% of the global population and on a wide range of diseases. The health impacts of air pollution differ across different populations. Air pollution exposure during critical times such as pregnancy and childhood can have profound impacts on maternal and child health, and chronic diseases in later life. Dr. Mu’s research addresses air pollution exposure during those sensitive windows and life course health impacts, as well as understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms

Lina Mu, Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health. She is the director of the Office of Global Health Initiatives, the School of Public Health and Health Professions, and the co-director of the WHO PAHO UB Collaborating Center on Housing and Health. Dr. Mu’s primary research focuses on studying environmental exposure, health effects, and related biological mechanisms. She has led multiple research projects to study air pollution exposure-associated health impacts, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, birth outcomes, and child development, and understand the underlying molecular mechanisms including systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolites, and Telomere length. She also examines lifestyle factors, gene-environment interaction, and cancer development, identifies factors and biomarkers to predict cancer prognosis, and explores various measures in cancer prevention. She has received multiple grant funding from NIEHS and NICHD, and published over 140 peer-reviewed journal articles.