This week’s episode of YBJM Science News discusses how our surroundings impact a variety of health outcomes. From air pollutants to sleep quality to pharmacy access and more, join Roxanna and Hanna as they discuss recent Yale-affiliated research in biology and medicine.

Papers featured in this episode and associated links:

“Early-Life Exposure to Air and Light Pollution Linked to Increased Risk of Pediatric Thyroid Cancer” – https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/early-life-exposure-to-air-and-light-pollution-linked-to-increased-risk-of-pediatric-thyroid-cancer

“Perinatal Exposures to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter and Outdoor Artificial Light at Night and Risk of Pediatric Papillary Thyroid Cancer” – https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14849

New York Times article on Environmental Health Perspectives journal – https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/science/science-journal-environment-trump.html

“Reduced Deep and REM Sleep Could be Early Markers of Alzheimer’s” – https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/reduced-deep-and-rem-sleep-could-be-early-markers-of-alzheimers/

“Lower slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep are associated with brain atrophy of AD-vulnerable regions” – https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.11630

The Atherosclerosis In the Community Study – https://www5.cscc.unc.edu/aric9/

“Groundbreaking Study Highlights Critical Gap in Global Mental Health Research” – https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/news-article/groundbreaking-study-highlights-critical-gap-in-global-mental-health-research/

“Psychiatric genetics in the diverse landscape of Latin American populations” – https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02127-z

Latin American Genomics Consortium – https://www.latinamericangenomicsconsortium.org/

“A New Metric to Identify – and Prevent – Pharmacy Deserts” – https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/a-new-metric-to-identify-prevent-pharmacy-deserts/

“Vulnerability Index Approach to Identify Pharmacy Deserts and Keystone Pharmacies” – https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.0715

“Timing of RSV Immunization Matters for Infant Protection” – https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/timing-of-rsv-immunization-matters-for-infant-protection/

“Estimated Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus” – https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.0380

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