Harvard Humanitarian Initiative collaborates on George Clooney-funded project to monitor Sudan
The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative is collaborating on a new human rights project initiated by George Clooney to monitor tension in Sudan surrounding the country's January 9 referendum on independence for oil-rich southern Sudan. In response to fears that the event may spark civil war and humanitarian disaster, the Satellite Sentinel Project uses satellite imagery and crowd-sourced mapping to capture evidence of violence and possible threats to civilians in near real-time. Read more
Photo: Tim Freccia/Enough Project
Arizona shooting spree casts light on gun violence in U.S.
Happiness and health HSPH researchers are exploring a new and sometimes controversial avenue of public health: documenting and understanding the link between positive emotions and good health. Read more
Shrinking the effects of the obesity epidemic If we can't stop Americans from getting heavier, can we at least develop drugs that prevent them from getting sick with obesity-related diseases? Read more
From pond to pump HSPH student Ramon Sanchez sees the future of energy production--and cleaner, healthier skies--in tiny green algae. Read more
New research
Exercise may lower risk of death for men with prostate cancer A new study of men with prostate cancer finds that physical activity is associated with a lower risk of overall mortality and of death due to prostate cancer. HSPH researchers and colleagues also found that men who did more vigorous activity had the lowest risk of dying from the disease. Read more
Violence against mothers linked to 1.8 million female infant and child deaths in India "Being born a girl into a family in India in which your mother is abused makes it significantly less likely that you will survive early childhood. Shockingly, this violence does not pose a threat to your life if you are lucky enough to be born a boy," said HSPH's Jay Silverman. Read more
HSPH researchers seek to understand Africa's chronic diseases A group of HSPH researchers are enrolling 500,000 people from four African countries for a long-running study focusing on identifying trends in chronic ailments, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Read more
Unrestricted funds help research at critical points
In the 1990s, researchers on the Harvard Six Cities Study discovered that people living in cities with higher air pollution were dying at a faster rate than those in cleaner cities. This long-term study would not be easily replicated. However, the researchers were able to use the Department of Environmental Health's flexible funds to undertake a new analysis of data from the American Cancer Society. Together, these two studies validated each other and dramatically changed the policies for air pollution control in the United States and the world.
Contributing unrestricted gifts provides flexible money that can be used at a critical point in a research project. Make an unrestricted gift to support researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health.
New HSPH multimedia Video: Improving American's health literacy Rima Rudd talks about the importance of getting all in the patient care industry more tuned in to the issues of health literacy. Watch video 2009 pandemic
H1N1 influenza: Perspectives on severity and response Marc Lipsitch discusses challenges and lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic. Watch video
Sodium intake of U.S. adult population has not increased over time--but it's still high (Conversations on Public Health) Listen to podcast
The 
Shrinking the effects of the obesity epidemic
From pond to pump
Exercise may lower risk of death for men with prostate cancer
In the 1990s, researchers on the 
