The School of Public Health has launched a bold new campaign to highlight the critical impact of public health research. The campaign comes at a time when changes to federal funding have created an uncertain future for life-saving health research.

Recent breakthroughs from public health researchers — like the development of a blood test that predicts Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms appear — demonstrate what’s at stake.

Saving lives through research

The campaign, which includes videos, written content, social media and a comprehensive online hub, spotlights how public health research prevents illness and injury, saving lives every day.

“Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health work tirelessly on a wide range of challenges, from cancer and Alzheimer’s disease to opioid addiction and mental health disorders,” said John Meeker, senior associate dean for research at Michigan Public Health. 

“They are not just studying these problems — they are finding ways to prevent conditions, improve treatments and break down barriers to quality care. But significant breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation or overnight. It takes years of diligence, expertise, and collaboration to solve tough problems,” said Meeker, who is also the Dow Professor of Toxicology, and professor of environmental health sciences and of global public health.

The campaign’s signature video showcases several breakthroughs from public health research in recent years, including the groundbreaking Alzheimer’s blood test and major milestones on the path to eradicating AIDS. Each discovery represents countless lives touched — a grandmother who gets five more years with her family, a young person who avoids HIV infection, a factory worker who returns home safely each night.

Revealing the ‘why’ behind the science

The campaign also features a powerful series of videos in which scientists and researchers share the passion behind their research and the ultimate goals that drive their work, such as eradicating cancer or eliminating childhood hunger. 

In one video, Rick Neitzel, professor of environmental health sciences and of global public health and director of the NIOSH-funded Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, explains how NIOSH research has protected miners, firefighters, healthcare professionals and other workers from injury, illness and death for more than 50 years — and why recent budget cuts that eliminated two-thirds of NIOSH’s staff may have devastating consequences.

Neitzel also explains the economic benefit of federal investment in research: “What if I told you that for just $2.20 per worker annually, we could prevent workplace injuries and illnesses that cost our economy $250 billion each year?” 

Why federal research funding matters

With more than 30 research centers and initiatives, the School of Public Health conducts more than $100 million in research annually. The school’s researchers work to ensure people have access to clean air and water, healthy foods and quality healthcare. They analyze policy impacts, design safer workplaces, and prepare for emerging health threats — creating environments where all people can thrive.

Essential to these achievements is the school’s long-standing partnership with federal agencies. Support from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other federal agencies — which represented more than 85% of the $110 million School of Public Health researchers spent conducting high-impact research in 2024 — enables discoveries that would otherwise be impossible.

“The work happening in our laboratories and research centers powers remarkable progress — steadily increasing life expectancy, enhancing quality of life, and pioneering treatments or other interventions that were once unimaginable,” Meeker said. “Our collaboration with federal agencies is an investment in a healthier future for our country, yielding results that can be measured in lives saved. Public health research is a public good that benefits all of society. It is done best when supported by public investment.”

The campaign offers multiple ways to engage with and support this critical work. Hear directly from scientists and researchers, learn about life-changing breakthroughs, and discover how public health research touches nearly every aspect of our daily lives.

“Public health is fundamentally about people — your life, your wellbeing, your future,” Meeker said. “Every day, our researchers ask not just what we can discover, but how our discoveries can transform lives in Michigan, across the United States and throughout the world. 

“We measure our success beyond grants or publications; we are most interested in how our research leads to healthier communities, reduced suffering and lives saved. This human impact drives everything we do.”

University faculty and staff can help spread the word about life-saving public health research and the need for ongoing investment in this critical work. Visit the website to watch the videos, share compelling stories on social media and learn how to support public health research.