Humans in Public Health

New research shows that no level of alcohol consumption is risk-free, with mortality risks jumping sharply after just seven drinks per week. Professor Christopher Kahler breaks down the health hazards of moderate drinking and shares realistic strategies for reducing risk.

With the U.S. experiencing its worst measles outbreak in 25 years, the threat of preventable infectious disease is back at our doorstep. In this rerun episode of Humans in Public Health, host Megan Hall speaks with Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University. Nuzzo dives into the factors driving the resurgence of measles, the dangerous spread of health misinformation and why simply "repackaging facts" isn't enough to rebuild public trust. Tune in to explore how we must rethink public health communication, biosecurity and community protection in an age of rising outbreaks

In this episode, we sit down with Professor Meredith Niles to explore how climate-friendly agriculture—from methane-reducing rice irrigation to no-till farming—is actually a quiet powerhouse for public health. While traditional environmental messaging has hit a wall, shifting the narrative to human health benefits (like keeping heavy metals out of baby food and clearing our air) might be the key to finally getting farmers, consumers and policymakers on board. It’s time to take off the carbon goggles and look at the health potential of sustainable farming.

More than 6.5 million people are expected to attend the World Cup this summer at stadiums across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. One of the largest sporting events in world history, the tournament is presenting unique infectious disease challenges for public health officials. To help, spatial epidemiologist Professor Will Goedel has developed an interactive map to track the movements of World Cup teams and their fans. He explains how his live-updated tracking map is helping health departments, and how it might be able to prevent a disease outbreak before one starts.

In this special commencement-season episode of Humans in Public Health, host Megan Hall welcomes Campbell Loi and Graham Huntington, two freshly minted graduates of Brown University’s intensive 5-year combined undergraduate/MPH program.

As they transition from the classroom to professional practice in 2026, they reflect on the academic experiences and practical training that have shaped their careers — including Graham's background as an EMT— and that have shaped their commitment to global health.

Meat is on the top, grains are at the bottom, scientists are concerned. Nutrition expert Jennifer Sacheck deconstructs the controversial new food pyramid, what it means for your health—and your wallet. She breaks down the new dietary guidelines, how much protein Americans actually need and how the beef lobby may be reshaping everything from SNAP benefits to cafeteria trays.

When you check the weather on your phone, you're getting a "best guess" based on the nearest airport—but your actual neighborhood could be much hotter. And in high-risk communities, this invisible temperature spike or major air quality issue transforms a daily forecast into a serious medical emergency.

In this special episode in honor of Brown’s first-ever Climate Week, environmental epidemiologist Allan Just explains how his team uses NASA satellite data to measure hyper-local temperatures and air pollution. Discover why these precise measurements are vital for public health, especially for those on common medications that can unex...

What does it take to lead a top-tier School of Public Health? For Dr. Francesca Beaudoin, the journey started in the chaos of the ER.

In this episode of Humans in Public Health, we sit down with Interim Dean Beaudoin to trace an incredible trajectory. She has experienced Brown from every possible angle: first as a medical resident, then a doctoral student, then as member of the faculty, a department chair and administrative leader.

Now she steps into the role of Interim Dean, prepared to propel the school forward with momentum. Host Megan Hall sits...

In this episode, host Megan Hall sits down with the co-directors of Brown University’s new AIM Lab, emergency physician Dara Kass and legal expert Liz Tobin-Tyler, to discuss the chaotic intersection of medicine and law three years after the Dobbs decision. As state abortion bans create a "chilling effect" that leaves clinicians paralyzed by legal fear, the AIM Lab is stepping in to provide a practical roadmap for emergency care and maternal health. Kass and Tobin-Tyler share how they are moving past the political noise to solve the public health crises on the ground, offering a harm reduction ap...

A quarter of young adults are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for mental health advice, highlighting a massive shift in how people seek support. Dr. Ateev Mehrotra discusses his research and the urgent need to balance AI's capacity for providing accessible, cost-effective care with its potential to unwittingly cause harm.

In a world teeming with health data—from smart watch accelerometry to millions of hospital system electronic records—how do researchers find out which medical treatments truly work? Biostatistician Rebecca Hubbard discusses the messiness of real-world data, the limits of randomized control trials and how both of these powerful—but imperfect—methods are essential for building trustworthy evidence in public health.

Measles has been declared eliminated in the U.S. for 25 years, but a surge in cases is threatening that status. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, joined Humans in Public Health to break down the outbreak, the chaotic federal response and how her team's tracker is stepping in to provide reliable, life-saving data.

We all understand the power a song can have to recall vivid memories, seemingly sending us back in time. Professor Ellen McCreedy is a musician whose gerontology research harnesses music’s power to recall memories. She’s testing an intervention that brings personalized music playlists to nursing homes in order to help ease dementia symptoms for patients, without using medication. Driven to give dementia sufferers—and their caregivers—moments of having themselves back again, McCreedy joined Humans in Public Health to discuss her work, its challenges and the grandmother who originally inspired her.

Since the 1980s, the U.S. has experimented with various forms of managed health care. But none of them has managed to control costs or improve health outcomes, argues Senior Fellow Hayden Rooke-Ley. In this episode of Humans in Public Health, he explains a radical new idea from CAHPR researchers for delivering lower health care costs that is actually quite old-fashioned: a return to fee-for-service.

Read the JAMA article here.

A special live Commencement & Reunion Weekend episode of Humans in Public Health brings experts from epidemiology together with the director of Urban Studies at Brown for a discussion on cities: How they collect public health problems and the ways they might help us to address those same issues.

This episode of Humans in Public Health features Professor Alex Macmadu, an epidemiologist who has spent her career studying the opioid and overdose crisis. She shares insights on Rhode Island’s bold step in opening the first state-approved overdose prevention center in the U.S. and what her research reveals about community attitudes toward harm reduction. Listen in to learn how evidence, advocacy and compassion are shaping the future of public health responses to drug use.

What happens when private equity firms buy hospitals and doctor’s offices? In this episode of Humans in Public Health, host Megan Hall sits down with health care economist Yashaswini Singh to unpack how private equity is reshaping the American health care system—often behind the scenes. From rising costs to shifting priorities in patient care, Singh explains why the recent collapse of Steward Health Care is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether you’ve heard the term “private equity” or not, this conversation will change the way you think about your next doctor’s visit.

March 2020—life as we knew it changed overnight. In this special episode of Humans in Public Health, we take you back to the early days of the pandemic, when uncertainty loomed, fear spread and the world held its breath. Through personal stories and firsthand accounts from public health experts, we revisit the emotions, decisions and pivotal moments that shaped those first weeks. How did people react? And what have we learned since? Tune in for a compelling look at the moment everything changed.

Sound Effects in this episode from Freesound.org, courtesy of the following users: 

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They’re not just in your nail polish. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals are everywhere—in our homes, clothing, the personal care products we use, and in our bodies. Postdoctoral researcher Amber Hall explains the dangers PFAS pose, especially to developing humans, and helps us learn how to avoid them. The burden of protecting our children’s health from toxic chemicals, she argues in the latest episode of Humans in Public Health, shouldn’t be borne by individuals. Regulation, Hall says, is needed to push through product-level change and protect the public’s health.

Sound Effects in this episode fr...

Host Megan Hall sits down with Jared Perkins, director of health policy strategy at Brown University's Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research. They discuss how academic research makes its way from dense journals to policymakers on Capitol Hill, bridging the gap between science and legislation. Jared offers insights into the challenges of health policy under a shifting political landscape and explains how researchers can play a vital role in shaping decisions that impact healthcare nationwide.