Addressing the Health Risks of Climate Change: A Public Lecture by Dr. Rick Woychik
Climate change continues to pose critical health risks that threaten our health care infrastructure and medical supply chains. Stronger storm systems and widespread flooding, along with rising temperatures, may increase the risk of disease, spread of insect-borne pathogens, and changes in water and air quality. These changes can also impact our body’s regulatory systems, particularly stressing cardiovascular and pulmonary function, with vulnerable populations such as the very young, the elderly, and those with compromised health being most at risk.
To address these challenges, the National Institutes of Health has launched the Climate Change and Health Initiative, aiming to reduce threats by fostering research collaborations and developing effective policies to protect health in a changing world. Rick Woychik, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, leads this initiative and will be discussing the environmental influences on health outcomes in an upcoming public lecture at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in Roanoke.
Woychik’s lecture will explore how climate change impacts vulnerable populations unequally and the need for innovative research strategies to mitigate risks and foster resilient communities. With his background in molecular genetics and experience in academia and industry, Woychik brings valuable insights to the conversation on climate-related health risks.
To address these threats, the National Institutes of Health Climate Change and Health Initiative has been formed to foster research collaborations and develop effective policies to protect health in a changing world. Rick Woychik, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, leads the initiative and emphasizes the need to understand both the direct and indirect health consequences of climate change.
In a public lecture at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Woychik will discuss how the environment influences health outcomes and how the NIH is addressing these challenges. He will also explore how climate change disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations, highlighting the need for innovative research strategies to mitigate risks and build resilient communities.
Woychik, a molecular geneticist with experience in academia and industry, has directed the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program since 2020. His research has focused on obesity, polycystic kidney disease, and molecular biology.
The institute’s free public lecture series, made possible by Maury Strauss, invites the community to learn about the latest research and collaborative approaches to address climate-related health risks. The lecture will be held at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in Roanoke and will also be streamed live via Zoom.