Environmental factors significantly impact women’s health, with climate change, pollution and resource depletion contributing to a range of issues. Exposure to air and water pollution can increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, which disproportionately affect women due to biological factors, such as hormonal differences that influence immune response, as well as cultural and social factors, such as women’s higher exposure to household air pollution from cooking. Infectious diseases, often exacerbated by poor sanitation and changing climate patterns, can lead to higher rates of illness among women. These risks are significantly exacerbated in in low-income regions where women have limited access to healthcare. Environmental changes also influence food security and nutrition. Women, especially in developing countries, bear the brunt of food scarcity and malnutrition, which can lead to complications such as anemia, poor maternal health and stunted child growth, affecting their reproductive health and overall well-being. These environmental impacts are compounded by gender inequalities, such as women’s limited access to resources and decision-making power, amplifying their vulnerability to these health risks. At Cornell, we also think about public policy and nutrition as environmental influences on women’s health. An appropriate diet, coupled with routine exercise, are not only critical for all aspects of women’s health, but are particularly crucial throughout the reproductive system. All of the above factors are areas of research at Cornell, where we aim to use our knowledge to influence policy makers worldwide.

Faculty:

Kemi Babagbemi, MD: breast cancer disparities, risk assessment and personalized screening; global breast cancer screening
Laura Bellows: public health interventions, nutrition, physical activity, self-care, obesity
Barbara Chubak, MD: sexual dysfunction, regenerative medicine, cosmetic genital surgery, bioethics
Ligia Fonseca Coelho: space science, menstruation technology, medical devices for women in space and in the field
Silvia C. Formenti: women and cancer; radiation biology, oncology and immunology
Alexander Gleed: fetal ultrasound, placenta, ultrasonic tissue characterization, image analysis
Ria Goswami: infectious diseases during pregnancy, vertical transmission, infant immunity development
Sachin Gupta: access to eye health in India
Alison Hermann, MD: perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, menopause and mental health, reproductive psychiatry education
Gunisha Kaur: global health, refugee health, forcibly displaced populations
Matthew Kibbee: evidence synthesis, systematic reviews
Siu Sylvia Lee: metabolic regulation, gene expression regulation
Lori Leonard: global health programming and policy; medical humanities
Marla Lujan: folliculogenesis, menstrual cycle, polycystic ovary syndrome, adolescent reproductive transition
Roberta Marongiu: menopause, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease
Beth McGinty: health policy, child welfare policy
Geraldine McGinty: payment policy for breast cancer screening, sustainability in medical imaging
Molly McNairy, MD: women’s cardiovascular disease, adolescent HIV and reproductive health
Jane Mendle: mental health, puberty, adolescence
Kelly Musick: social context of childbearing, gendered costs of parenting
Lauren M. Osborne, MD: perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
Lindsey Reif: HIV, cardiovascular disease, adolescent health
Laura E. Riley, MD infectious disease effects on pregnancy, vaccines and pregnancy
Monika M. Safford, MD: cardiovascular disease in women; peer coaching to improve health behaviors
Sunita Sah: gender differences in medical care, decision-making, social and interpersonal factors
Madeline Sterling: cardiovascular disease, caregiving, workforce and long-term care
Matthew Wilkens: AI, natural language processing, social media analysis
Yiye Zhang: clinical decision support, risk prediction, built environment