Faculty and students affiliated with the Hawai‘i One Health initiative participated in the UH Earth Day 2024 fair at UH Manoa Campus Center on April 22, 2024. This event brought together experts from different fields to discuss the fair’s theme, “Planet vs. Plastics”, along with other One Health concerns.
Dr. Catherine Pirkle, Associate Professor in the Office of Public Health Studies, discussed the environmental impact of microplastics on human, animal, and ecosystem health. Dr. Rodrigo Weingril from the Institute of Biogenesis Research and Dr. Jonathan Riel from the Hawai‘i Pacific Health Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health presented their group’s research on the detection of microplastics in human placentas and the implications for fetal development. Drs. Sandra Chang and Jourdan McMillan and PhD students Raechel Kadler and Ludwig Mayerlen interacted with students and members of the community by quizzing them on their knowledge of microplastics and climate change. Raechel also provided advice on the prevention and treatment of jellyfish stings based on research from her group, led by Dr. Angel Yanagihara of the Pacific Biosciences Research Center.
The event was an opportunity to inform UH students about the new Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Certificate in One Health open to all majors that addresses the close relationships between human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health. More information about this program is available on the Hawai‘i One Health website: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/onehealth.