UW Epidemiology Professor Helen Chu discusses Washington’s early respiratory virus season and questions surrounding the new mRNA flu vaccine, including access and vaccine guidance. buff.ly/Fp0mMHp

Why this WA flu season will be one to watch

A new and improved flu vaccine is available for adults 50 and over this year, using mRNA technology for the first time. Insurance coverage is up in the air.

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UW epidemiology professor Joel Kaufman explains Washington's workers' compensation system and the legal hurdles facing families seeking recourse after fatal workplace accidents in Longview. buff.ly/WWYJCDM

Nippon Dynawave tries to dismiss lawsuit from widow of Longview employee

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Flu is peaking unusually early in the Pacific Northwest. UW Epidemiology Professor Helen Chu spoke with KNKX about the rise in H1N1 cases, what may be driving the early surge and what people should know about flu vaccination. buff.ly/8Ms7Rl1

Flu cases are peaking early in the Pacific Northwest

Public health leaders are urging people to get a flu vaccination and to check with their health provider about vaccine options.

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Calling #PublicHealth practitioners and academic partners! Learn how the University of Washington's SEAL Team expands workforce capacity, supports public health priorities, and creates meaningful student learning experiences through academic-practice partnerships. Register today! buff.ly/FCCz8Qv

A new gift from the Erick Shirley Foundation for Mental Health will help expand Pathways 2 Safety, a program led by Kelsey Conrick of UW Epidemiology’s Center for Firearm Injury Prevention. The program trains behavioral health providers to support patients at risk of firearm suicide. buff.ly/4LNWwZu

Erick Shirley Foundation for Mental Health gives combined $750,000 to support work saving lives from firearm suicide | UW School of Public Health

Pathways 2 Safety trains community behavioral health providers on how to support patients in crisis.

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Congratulations to UW Epi faculty Alison Fohner, Sarah Lindström and Nicholas L. Smith on their recent NIH R01 successes. Fohner and Lindström had funding renewed, while Smith received two R01 grants, including one with emeritus faculty member Bruce Psaty. buff.ly/gCRHPE1

New and Renewed NIH Funding Strengthens UW Epidemiology Research

Alison Fohner, Nicholas L. Smith and Sara Lindström have secured new awards or competing renewals, supporting research spanning dementia, cardiovascular disease, cancer genetics and more. These...

epi.washington.edu

The federal government is cracking down on potent kratom-related compounds, but what happens next? UW Epi's Caleb Banta-Green tells CNN that banning these products could have unintended consequences. buff.ly/8rdQVzE

DEA makes kratom-related compounds Schedule I substances on an emergency basis

Three semisynthetic derivatives of kratom leaf compounds are now banned in the United States.

cnn.com

A new study led by UW Epidemiology alum Austin Hammermeister Suger (PhD, 2026) suggests hereditary cancer risk may be more interconnected than we think. Analyzing data from 729,000+ people, researchers identified 33 genes linked to risk across multiple cancer types. buff.ly/vtlM2ID

Congratulations to UW Epi faculty Ramya Kumar, recipient of the AIDS 2026 Implementation Science Research Prize in HIV Prevention! The award recognizes outstanding research advancing global HIV prevention through innovative, high-quality implementation science.

Wildfire smoke doesn’t affect everyone equally. New reporting from The Seattle Medium explores the health risks facing Washington’s most vulnerable communities, featuring insights from UW Epi faculty Anjum Hajat and Joan Casey on environmental exposures, health and health equity. buff.ly/pbyrazt

Wildfire Smoke Poses Greater Health Risks For Washington's Most Vulnerable Communities

As wildfire smoke continues to affect Washington, public health experts are warning that exposure to smoke, particularly during periods of poor air quality, can affect more than the lungs, with…

seattlemedium.com

UW Epi Professor Helen Chu weighs in on proposed changes to the childhood MMR vaccine schedule and what they could mean for parents. Read more from KIRO 7: buff.ly/cckuW9q

Doctors say changes to the MMR vaccine may cause confusion for parents

“[The change] makes it more confusing for parents: what do we do, who do we trust, but also makes it more complicated for kids,” Polo said.

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TOMORROW: Miriam Flores Moreno will defend her dissertation: "Beyond the Crops: The Health Impacts of Precarious Farmwork". Good luck tomorrow, Miriam! Event details: buff.ly/0gYMbam

TOMORROW: Shengruo Zhang will defend her dissertation: "Understanding and Addressing Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening: Patient Perspectives and the Impact of HPV Self-Sampling Interventions". Good luck tomorrow, Shengruo! Event details: epi.washington.edu/news-events/...

Almost half of all WA state households rely on some type of food assistance. Epi professor Marie Spiker shares the impacts on physical and mental health when families cut back on food. buff.ly/Pw7pEzG

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Genomic screening is coming to primary care. UW researchers are helping lead a new NIH-funded network to expand equitable access to genetic screening for common hereditary conditions. Among them is UW Epi's Alison Fohner who highlights its potential to improve population health.

Expanding access to genetic screening through primary care

University of Washington School of Public Health researchers are part of the new Population Genomic Screening Network (PGSN), an NIH-funded program piloting community-level testing for…

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For graduate students interested in applied epidemiology, few practicum experiences offer the opportunity to contribute to public health during one of the world’s largest sporting events.

UW Students Join Seattle’s World Cup Public Health Response

Two members of the SEAL Team share the behind-the-scenes public health work that helped Seattle welcome the world.

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People in Seattle took more than 10.5 million e-scooter and e-bike trips last year. But in 2024 Harborview treated 163 serious injuries from e-scooters or e-bikes. UW Epi professor Steve Mooney talks with KUOW about injury prevention.

Don't miss Riffat Ara Shawon's #EpiDissertation defense: "Malnutrition Among Children Under Five with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Identifying and Managing Risk." Come show your support TOMORROW, and congratulations, Riffat! Event details: buff.ly/KH1xGcA

TOMORROW: Anna Harrington will defend her dissertation: "Living Apart, Breathing Apart: Associations between Racial Residential Segregation, Air Pollution Exposure, and Chronic Disease". Good luck tomorrow, Anna! Event details: buff.ly/s0i4CDW

UW Epi faculty member and physician Helen Chu and epidemiologist Pascal Geldsetzer discuss new research on the potential benefits of vaccines beyond preventing infection, including possibly lowering the risk of dementia. Listen here:

Can the shingles vaccine stave off dementia?

A growing body of research suggests that some common vaccinations have benefits far beyond preventing the disease they were designed for.

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New UW-led research in JAMA Internal Medicine, co-authored by UW Epi professor Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, found that older adults experiencing cognitive decline were 58% more likely to have an unsecured firearm in their home. Read more in the UW Daily: buff.ly/STLT0Xy

TOMORROW: Molly Fischer will be presenting on "Herpes Simplex Virus in Transplant Recipients: Evaluating Serostatus, Shedding, and Breakthrough Infection". Best of luck, Molly! #EpiDissertation Event details: buff.ly/pV0Qo42

Don't miss Omolara Akingba's #EpiDissertation defense: "STI Burden, PrEP Use, and Client Experiences in Integrated Pharmacy-Based Sexual Health Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kisumu, Kenya". Congratulations, Omolara! Event details: epi.washington.edu/news-events/...

On Monday, June 1, Ruby Lucas will defend their dissertation: "Characterizing sexual and reproductive health needs, experiences, and disparities in care access among transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive communities in the United States." Good luck, Ruby! Event details: buff.ly/AvY8jZk

TOMORROW at 10:00 AM, David Coomes will be defending "Geographic mortality and morbidity disparities in the US and Washington State: Migration, rurality, and wildfire smoke. Best of luck, David! #EpiDissertation event details: buff.ly/qFRH0qb

Thank you to Matt Doxey, Senior Applied AI Engineer at Google, for joining yesterday for a fascinating discussion on the future of AI-driven public health surveillance. We greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn from his expertise spanning Google, WA DOH, and IHME.

We're proud to celebrate outstanding people in the Epi department! Congratulations to John, Audrey, and Nicole on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for the important work you do.

Excellence in Epidemiology 2026

Outstanding Staff: John Paulson

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How can AI transform disease forecasting and public health surveillance? On May 26, join Google AI engineer Matt Doxey for a discussion on foundation models, agentic AI, and the future of real-time health intelligence. RSVP to attend: buff.ly/b9rrnF3

TOMORROW: Aiyumi Saito will defend her dissertation: "Towards Whole-Person Health: Exploring Gut-Brain Axis and Low Back Pain Using a Traditional Indian Medicine-Informed Theoretical Model." Good luck tomorrow, Aiyumi! Event details: buff.ly/JrGuG6V

“If you want to change the system, you have to understand the system.” Congratulations to Epi faculty Marie Spiker and Food Systems colleagues Jennifer Otten and Sarah Collier! In this interview, the team discusses why collaboration is central to food systems research and teaching.

Food Systems faculty receive Distinguished Teaching Award for collaborative team teaching | UW School of Public Health

Sarah Collier, Jennifer Otten and Marie Spiker honored for interdisciplinary instruction and mentorship.

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