Dr. Bilinda Straight and Dr. Duy Ngo from Western Michigan University are researching the effects of drought on human health and resilience in northern Kenya. Their study aims to analyze prenatal stresses due to climate events and employs cutting-edge statistical methods to assess numerous environmental impacts on children’s health. The project highlights the importance of understanding adaptation strategies in vulnerable communities for future climate resilience research.
Dr. Bilinda Straight and Dr. Duy Ngo from Western Michigan University have embarked on a collaborative research project to analyze how environmental stressors, particularly droughts, impact human adaptation and resilience to climate change. Their efforts span from the drought-affected areas of northern Kenya to advanced statistical methods employed at WMU.
Dr. Straight, an anthropologist, has engaged with the Samburu people of Kenya since the 1990s. In 2009, during her fieldwork, she witnessed the severe effects of a historic drought on livestock and local communities. She revisited this topic in 2017, recognizing the long-term health implications for residents dependent on climate-reliant practices, prompting further investigation into the impacts of drought on children’s health from prenatal stages onward.
To enhance her research, Dr. Straight collaborated with Dr. Belinda Needham from the University of Michigan, and together they procured funding from the National Science Foundation. Their study design focuses on sibling comparisons whose mothers experienced drought during critical pregnancy periods, aiming to link environmental stressors with developmental health outcomes.
The data collection posed significant logistical challenges due to the remote nature of the communities and difficult terrains. Dr. Straight and her team succeeded in gathering extensive data sets, including demographic, epigenetic, meteorological, and qualitative information regarding mothers’ experiences during pregnancy, highlighting the psychosocial impacts of extreme climatic events.
Dr. Duy Ngo, an assistant professor of statistics, joined the project to analyze complex data gleaned from the extensive fieldwork. He introduced innovative Bayesian statistical methods to address the intricate datasets that intertwine anthropological and epigenetic findings, thereby facilitating deeper insights into climate change impacts.
The researchers uncovered notable epigenetic changes in children exposed to drought conditions, serving as indicators of how environmental factors can influence gene expression. This research is pivotal for understanding the biological ramifications of climate change, providing critical knowledge for communities facing similar environmental stresses.
In line with their commitment to education and mentorship, Dr. Ngo has involved students in the research process, exemplified by Xi Qiao, a Ph.D. candidate who developed new methodologies for analyzing DNA methylation data. Her contributions to the study were recognized in publications, including the “Journal of Applied Statistics” and “Nature Communications.”
The team continues to mentor a new generation of students in statistical analysis, bridging foundational statistical training with advanced interpretation in the context of climate resilience. Their future research goals include collecting longitudinal data on the studied children, investigating long-term impacts of environmental stressors on adaptability to climate change.
Ultimately, their work aims to illuminate the biological and psychosocial dimensions of resilience to climate change, with the potential to inform strategies not only for affected communities but also for broader global initiatives.
The collaboration between Dr. Bilinda Straight and Dr. Duy Ngo represents a significant interdisciplinary effort to explore climate change resilience through advanced statistical analysis and anthropological insights. Their research highlights the long-term impacts of environmental stressors on health, particularly in vulnerable populations. As they mentor future researchers, the team intends to continue their investigations, seeking to understand resilience mechanisms within affected communities that will be essential for addressing climate change challenges globally.
Original Source: wmich.edu
