Environmental Health Center Institute of Epidemiology

Annette Peters, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology at Helmholtz Munich, has been elected Chair of NAKO e. V. She began her second term as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors on 1 April 2025.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the KORA study (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg), one of Germany’s most influential population-based research initiatives. Over the past four decades, KORA has followed around 18,000…

Interview with Dr. Alexandra Schneider about the effects of extreme weather conditions on cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes.

Katharina Lechner's goal is to help people age healthily. That's why she focuses on personalized prevention strategies. Find here how she plans to implement these and make them accessible to everyone.

Leading lung health experts from the U.S. and Europe gathered in Hohenkammer, near Munich, for the second edition of the Munich-Chicago Lung Conference. Building on last year’s success in Chicago, this year’s event continued to push the boundaries of…

The 2024 global Lancet Countdown report on climate change and health underscores that the adverse effects of the climate crisis have reached unprecedented levels worldwide – especially concerning human health. Researchers from Helmholtz Munich…

An international study led by Helmholtz Munich investigates the health consequences of heavy rainfall events. Researchers analyzed the relationship between precipitation patterns and mortality rates at 645 locations across 34 countries from 1980 to…

The largest repository of human biosamples in Germany is located at the Helmholtz Munich campus. It features cutting-edge robotics and stores a valuable scientific collection at extremely low temperatures of up to -180°C. Researchers use these…

Even when air pollutant concentrations decrease, the health risks posed by these pollutants can remain consistently high. This is the conclusion of an international study recently conducted under the leadership of researchers from Helmholtz Munich. A…

Helmholtz Munich is researching how heat and cold affect people with chronic diseases as part of the Augsburg KORA Study.

Driven by climate change, heatwaves are becoming increasingly frequent and prolonged in Germany. Especially for older adults, children, and people with pre-existing conditions, extreme heat can pose a health risk.

Interview with Prof. Annette Peters about how to protect yourself better against heat.

Institute of Epidemiology carries out a range of projects on heat and health

In a recent study, researchers from Helmholtz Munich and the Augsburg University Hospital show that nocturnal heat significantly increases the risk of stroke. The findings can contribute to the development of preventive measures: With them, the…

Air pollutants can not only influence the development and progression of lung diseases but also trigger inflammation throughout the body.

The consequences of climate change are far-reaching and profound. Extreme weather events, such as heat waves and droughts pose a severe threat to human lives and health.

Our health and the environment around us are profoundly intertwined. But how do air pollution and other environmental factors interact with each other and determine our health for each individual and the neighborhood? Furthermore, how can artificial…

The increase in heat periods as a result of climate change can be more critical for people with diabetes than for metabolically healthy people. This is especially true at older ages. The article "Heat and diabetes" from diabinfo.de deals with helpful…

A new study conducted by Helmholtz Munich researchers reveals that ultrafine particles, representing the smallest size fraction of particulate air pollution, might be more dangerous to human health than larger particles. These findings add to the…

ISEE2026 is coming to Munich!

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has challenged public health worldwide. The European project ORCHESTRA - Connecting European Cohorts to Increase Common and Effective Response to SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic - was launched in December 2020 to unite European knowledge…

„Everyone’s health is at the mercy of fossil fuels” is the central finding of this year’s Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report. In this report, which was released on October 26^th 2022, experts warn of health consequences of the…

Helmholtz Munich has been participating in the DigiMed Bayern project of the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care (STMGP) since the end of 2018. The goal of the project is to advance digitized medicine in Bavaria. The project has now been…

On days with high temperatures, people taking certain medications have an increased risk of heart attack: this was found by a team of researchers led by Alexandra Schneider, PhD, research group leader 'Environmental Risks' at the Helmholtz Munich…

Germany is not sufficiently prepared for the health challenges posed by climate change. Despite a growing awareness among political leaders for the urgency of the situation, concrete measures to avoid climate-related health risks and to combat…

Prolonged exposure to air pollution can be linked to an increased risk of stroke and coronary heart disease, even when levels are below the limits specified by the EU and WHO. This has been shown, among others, by researchers and Helmholtz Zentrum…

The new Lancet Countdown shows that with a changing climate health risks are increasing globally. The Institute of Epidemiology at Helmholtz Zentrum München together with partners proposed policy recommendations in the Lancet Countdown Policy Brief…

Helmholtz Zentrum München is awarded four ERC Starting Grants in the latest funding round of the European Research Council (ERC). All shortlisted projects submitted by early career researchers were successful, marking a novel record for the center.…