Our Research Program
The foundation of a robust Planetary Health field is a well-established evidence base connecting changes in biophysical conditions around the globe to the health of individual populations. Johns Hopkins is beautifully poised to grow that evidence base through rigorous transdisciplinary research.
Our Goal
To improve understanding of, and capacity to address, the health impacts of accelerating changes in Earth’s natural systems through transdisciplinary research.
Research Activities
Research Hubs
JHIPH is launching Planetary Health research hubs to amplify current work around a range of key topics, expand networks to include all divisions of JHU, and identify pathways for the translation of research into education curriculum, innovation opportunities, public communications, and transformational policy. We hope to foster new transdisciplinary collaborations and develop potential concept notes for funding opportunities, including the upcoming Burroughs-Wellcome Climate Health Excellence Centers call.
Air Quality Research Hub
In collaboration with the BREATHE Center and several additional initiatives, JHIPH is launching an Air Quality Research Hub to bring together researchers, graduate students, and others from across the university focused on the science, technology, policy, and health dimensions of air quality—from its sources and measurement to its effects and solutions.
Infectious Disease Research Hub
The Infectious Disease Research Hub will serve as a university-wide space for research, collaboration, and innovation at the intersection of global environmental change and infectious diseases. By linking experts across disciplines—from medicine and epidemiology to engineering, ecology, and policy—we aim to advance scientific understanding and drive real-world solutions.
Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships Planetary Health Cluster
A new Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships cluster in Planetary Health has been established, and recruitment is under way. This initiative is expected to strengthen and complement the scholarly community being developed through JHIPH’s programs and activities. The cluster’s investment in research includes four Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships and four Junior Faculty positions, all aimed at fostering a collaborative, multidisciplinary community focused on: understanding the health implications of changes in complex, interconnected environmental systems; designing and implementing sustainable solutions for the health impacts of the Earth crisis; and monitoring, evaluating, and communicating the outcomes of these strategies.
Planetary Health Nexus Awards
The Nexus Awards are a university wide initiative launched in 2023 to support convening, research, and teaching anchored at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center. Awarded projects and programs span the breadth of JHU’s scholarship and expertise from artificial intelligence and health policy, the arts and humanities, gender equity, and much more. A Planetary Health track with supplementary funding was incorporated into the 2025 Nexus Awards application, with the goal of stimulating new transdisciplinary research and convenings in the field of Planetary Health at JHU.
View global Planetary Health research and resources
Browse or search the Planetary Health Alliance’s collection of research articles, tools, videos, and other Planetary Health resources.
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