Environmental Exposures and Cardiopulmonary Health

Environmental and lifestyle exposures can affect the lungs, cardiovascular system, and other organs. Our research investigates the health effects of air pollution, combustion-derived particles, biomass smoke, vaping, and other emerging exposures through integrated laboratory and human studies.

Ongoing human research includes investigations of air pollution-associated cardiopulmonary effects among adolescents, biomass-smoke exposure among women, and vaping-related respiratory and systemic effects among young adults. These studies integrate exposure assessment, biological markers, and clinically relevant health outcomes.

A complementary research focus examines the lung and gut microbiome in relation to environmental exposures, particularly biomass smoke-associated respiratory disease and COPD in women. By connecting experimental and population-based evidence, this work aims to identify early indicators of harm, understand biological mechanisms, and support disease prevention and public-health applications.