Nick Houtman is director of research communications at OSU and edits Terra, a world of research and creativity at Oregon State University. He has experience in weekly and daily print journalism and university science writing. A native Californian, he lived in Wisconsin and Maine before arriving in Corvallis in 2005.
Researchers at Oregon State University are investigating these and other advancements in health care. But, before innovations can wind up in your medicine cabinet or in a doctor’s hands, they need to pass through a landscape that is foreign to most scientists: business and government regulation.
As the world warms, insects and pathogens are on the move. Heat waves are getting hotter and more frequent. Algal blooms are increasing in frequency, intensity and duration, posing risks to drinking water and shellfish consumption. Wildfires are putting more particulates into the air, leading to increases in asthma and hospital admissions for respiratory distress.
Many of the products we buy — sunscreen, stain- and odor-resistant clothing, fuel additives, sports equipment — contain nanoparticles that have been designed for a purpose. These materials (about 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair) can block sunlight, prevent microbial growth, lubricate surfaces and confer tensile strength.
With memories of the Fukushima nuclear disaster still fresh, radioactive pollution can generate strong feelings among members of the public. So when questions arise about health impacts on humans and other organisms, Kathryn Higley can find herself in the media spotlight.
Infectious diseases are not equal-opportunity illnesses. Much depends on location, income and access to clean water, medical care and public health services.
Whenever he can, Jan Medlock relies on official sources. He gathers data on infectious disease from the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and government health ministries.