Understanding Climate Change Resilience: Research Collaboration at WMU

Researchers from Western Michigan University, Dr. Bilinda Straight and Dr. Duy Ngo, are investigating the effects of climate change on human health and resilience, focusing on drought experiences in Northern Kenya. Their research examines prenatal exposure to drought and includes statistical analysis to explore long-term developmental outcomes. Collaborative efforts extend to mentoring students to advance this critical field of study.

In Kalamazoo, Michigan, researchers Dr. Bilinda Straight and Dr. Duy Ngo from Western Michigan University are collaborating to study the impacts of climate change on human resilience, specifically in the context of severe droughts experienced in Northern Kenya. Straight, an anthropology professor, has been working with the Samburu pastoralist community since the 1990s and witnessed significant drought effects on this community’s health and livestock during her early fieldwork.

In 2017, motivated by her observations, Straight revisited the drought’s long-term effects, seeking to understand how prenatal exposure to such environmental stressors affects child health and development. Collaborating with Dr. Belinda Needham from the University of Michigan, they designed a study comparing siblings conceived during the drought to those conceived afterward, secured funding from the National Science Foundation and aimed to assess the long-term impacts of climate phenomena on human health.

The data collection process proved arduous due to geographical challenges in Northern Kenya, necessitating extensive travel across rugged terrains. Despite these obstacles, Straight’s team successfully gathered comprehensive data, including demographics, epigenetic markers, meteorological information, and in-depth maternal interviews exploring emotional and psychological impacts during pregnancy.

With three years of fieldwork behind them, the research required sophisticated statistical analysis, which Dr. Duy Ngo successfully undertook. He applied a Bayesian approach to the multi-dimensional dataset, enhancing the project’s capability to draw meaningful conclusions from complex interactions between environmental factors and gene expression. This collaboration exemplifies the synergy between anthropological insight and advanced statistical methodologies.

Notable discoveries include significant epigenetic growth differences between siblings exposed to drought, revealing how environmental factors influence gene expression and highlighting the importance of epigenetics in climate change research. Furthermore, with NSF funding, Ngo is mentoring students such as Xi Qiao, who have successfully published findings related to the project, linking prenatal significant environmental stressors to biological aging in children.

The duo aims to extend their research to follow the same children over time to assess how environmental stressors influence resilience to future climate changes. They seek to gather longitudinal data and explore the implications of their findings not only for the Samburu community but also for broader climate resilience strategies globally. Continuous evaluation of adaptive capacity will be essential in addressing challenges posed by climate change, particularly for vulnerable populations.

The collaborative effort of Dr. Bilinda Straight and Dr. Duy Ngo represents a significant advancement in understanding the effects of environmental stressors on human development and resilience. Their research into prenatal impacts of drought illustrates the complex interplay between climate change and health outcomes. By mentoring the next generation of researchers and pursuing longitudinal studies, they aim to deepen the understanding of climate change resilience, ultimately contributing to the broader discourse on global adaptation strategies.

Original Source: wmich.edu