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Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health

The health of the oceans and the health of humans go hand in hand. Sustaining life in a variety of different ways, oceans provide us with the air we breathe, the food we eat, even some of the medicines we use to cure disease. However, imbalance in the oceans can have deleterious effects on human health. In particular, proliferation of harmful algal blooms and pathogenic microbes can cause human illness or, in acute cases, death, while also wreaking economic havoc through beach and fishery closures. Understanding this corollary between the health of the ocean and our own, policymakers and researchers sought to emphasize an inter-disciplinary approach in studying this important relationship, pairing oceanographers and other scientists with biomedical experts.

The Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health (WHCOHH) is an interdisciplinary center focused on the interface of human health and ocean health and facilitates an integrated research program pairing oceanographers and other scientists with biomedical experts. Current research focuses on fundamental questions regarding the nature of harmful algal blooms (HAB), environmental factors that influence bloom conditions, and toxicological processes that relate to human health concerns.

Saving Our Ponds Film Series!

By mrichlen

The WHCOHH Community Engagement Core and Circuit Films, in collaboration with many community partners, created an outreach film series entitled “Saving Our Ponds”. The six-video series explores the recent increase and impacts of these blooms, discusses how individuals can protect themselves and their pets, and highlights the importance of preserving and restoring water quality. The “Saving Our Ponds” film series is available for viewing on WHOI’s YouTube channel.

Learn about new HABhub features and capabilities!

By mrichlen

Visit the HABhub blog to learn about latest updates to the WHOI HABhub, and how these tools and features promote data access and analysis.

WHCOHH CEC grantee highlight

By mrichlen

CEC lead Mindy Richlen was featured by the NIEHS in in a 2021 Grantee Highlight in the March 2021 Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH) newsletter. Read more HERE.

Strategic Framework for Community Engagement in Oceans and Human Health

By mrichlen

CEC project lead Richlen collaborated with CEC personnel from the other Centers to develop and publish a strategic framework to support OHH researchers in coordinating partners, purpose, activities, and approaches intentionally in their work with communities. Read more HERE.

Northeast HAB Website

By mrichlen

The management of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in New England has grown more challenging due to the emergence of New HAB species that can cause seafood poisoning and disrupt ecosystems. The Northeast HAB website was created as a regional resource that provides background information as well as access to bloom monitoring data and commentary, forecasting model products, and data collected by HAB sensors deployed throughout the region.

2025 Gulf of Maine HAB Science Symposium

By mrichlen

The next Gulf of Maine HAB Science Symposium will be held in Portsmouth, NH from March 11-12, 2025. This meeting brings together researchers, managers, and stakeholders to share research findings, information and data, and monitoring plans about HABs in New England waters. The preliminary agenda is available HERE.

Toxic Algae Blooms

By webapp-support

“Everything You Need to Know about Toxic Algae Blooms” featured an interview with Don Anderson. The story, published in the Los Angeles Times on August 14, 2019, focused on toxic blooms of cyanobacteria and algae and the harmful effects associated with human and animal exposure. In oceans and freshwater lakes and streams, harmful algal blooms are…

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