It’s becoming harder to ignore the fact that our health is inextricably linked to the planet’s health. Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable practices increasingly take their toll on both. At Stanford, a group of researchers has been working on this connection for years, examining how environmental changes directly impact human well-being. Now, this critical field of study is getting a major boost with the launch of the Stanford Center for Human and Planetary Health, which seeks to accelerate solutions that address the interconnected challenges of global health, climate change, and environmental sustainability.

“Our understanding of how human and planetary health are intertwined has deepened significantly over the years,” said Stephen Luby, the new center’s faculty director and Lucy Becker Professor of Medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine. “Without a healthy planet, humans cannot thrive. This center will help us find solutions to the environmental stressors affecting people worldwide.”

Based at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, the new center is a joint effort with the Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH) at the School of Medicine, and will expand interdisciplinary research, education, and partnerships to improve both human and planetary well-being.

“We’re thrilled to join our colleagues at Woods to support this center and address the greatest global health challenge to human health and vulnerable populations of our lifetime – climate change and other environmental threats,” said CIGH Director Michele Barry.

The journey to establish the center began in 2015, when Stanford launched the Program for Disease, Ecology, Health, and the Environment. Over time, a core group of faculty and researchers grew into a community of more than 130 scholars, coalescing after hosting the Planetary Health Alliance’s 500-person conference on campus. In 2021, the program solidified its strategic vision through a series of ideation workshops with over 100 leaders across Stanford, and in 2023 the program formally became the Human and Planetary Health Initiative (HPH).

The new center focuses on four research areas: Climate and Health, Pollution and Health, Disease Ecology in a Changing World (DECO), and Food Systems, Health, and the Environment. DECO, led by Erin Mordecai, an associate professor of biology in the School of Humanities and Sciences, and Giulio De Leo, a professor of oceans and of Earth system science at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, recently launched three partner-oriented research projects focused on how global environmental changes impact disease transmission.

The center’s elevation is the result of years of collaboration among leaders like Luby, Barry, HPH Senior Advisor Kathy Burke, and Allison Phillips, the center’s new managing director.

HPH is a hub for scholarship across fields, with activities ranging from postdoctoral fellowships to seed grants and early career research awards to a working group on plastics and health, and a science writing program for students and faculty. Its mailing list of over 1,000 people receives weekly updates on topics ranging from public health to sustainability, strengthening engagement with the broader community.

A key goal of the center is to prepare the next generation of leaders. Stanford offers over 60 courses each year related to human and planetary health, and the center will build on this foundation to create more experiential learning opportunities for students through Action Labs and other offerings. By fostering collaboration and encouraging real-world problem-solving, the center aims to empower students to lead efforts that improve both environmental and public health.

“The new center fills an important gap, positioning Stanford for impact on a wide range of consequential issues that lie between the traditional domains of schools of medicine and sustainability,” said Chris Field, the Perry L. McCarty Director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.

The center comes at a critical moment, as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss increasingly threaten human health worldwide. Its research aims to address these pressing issues and translate findings into practical solutions. For example, Project Unleaded, part of the Pollution and Health research area, focuses on preventing lead from entering the environment and people.

Beyond research, the center will foster collaboration with external partners and lead public engagement efforts. Regular convenings and events, including a speaker series, bring together experts, policymakers, and practitioners to share insights and drive action. The center’s influence will extend beyond Stanford’s campus, creating pathways for real-world impact.

“The School of Medicine is proud to support the launch of the Center for Human and Planetary Health,” said Lloyd Minor, the Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Dean of the Stanford School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford. “Through research, advocacy, and education, this center promises to stand as a leader in the development of life-saving technologies and therapies that will heal our planet and mitigate the effects of climate change on human health.”

“Creating a healthier and more sustainable future demands that we understand and address the connections between the most pressing challenges we face,” said Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean Arun Majumdar. “Building on nearly a decade of collaborative work at Stanford, this new center not only expands our understanding of human health and sustainability but also cultivates the partnerships essential in turning knowledge and education into impact.”