Michelle L. Bell, PhD
she/her/hers
Mary E. Pinchot Professor and Sr. Assoc. Dean of Research and Director of Doctoral Studies at the School of the Environment and Professor of Environmental HealthDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
School of the Environment
195 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
United States
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Mary E. Pinchot Professor and Sr. Assoc. Dean of Research and Director of Doctoral Studies at the School of the Environment and Professor of Environmental Health
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Biography
Dr. Michelle Bell is the Mary E. Pinchot Professor of Environmental Health at the Yale University School of the Environment, with secondary appointments at the Yale School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Division; the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs; and the Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science, Environmental Engineering Program. She serves as the Senior Associate Dean of Research and Director of Graduate Studies for the Yale School of the Environment. Her research investigates how human health is affected by atmospheric systems, including air pollution and weather. Much of this work is based in epidemiology, biostatistics, and environmental engineering. The research is designed to be policy-relevant and contribute to well-informed decision-making to better protect human health and benefit society. She is the recipient of the Prince Albert II de Monaco / Institut Pasteur Award, the Rosenblith New Investigator Award, and the NIH Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Last Updated on March 12, 2026.
Appointments
School of the Environment
ProfessorPrimaryChemical and Environmental Engineering
ProfessorSecondaryEnvironmental Health Sciences
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- MSc
- University of Birmingham, Global Ethics and Justice (Philosophy)
- MSc
- University of Edinburgh, Philosophy
- PhD
- Johns Hopkins University, Environmental Engineering
- MS
- Johns Hopkins University, Environmental Management and Economics
- MS
- Stanford University, Environmental Engineering
- BS
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Environmental Engineering
Research
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Environmental Health; Epidemiology
Public Health Interests
Climate Change; Epidemiology Methods; Environmental Health
ORCID
0000-0002-3965-1359- View Lab Website
Michelle Bell's Research Team
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Michelle L. Bell's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Michelle L. Bell's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Michelle L. Bell is interested in exploring.
Nicole Deziel, PhD, MHS
Kai Chen, PhD
Thomas M. Gill, MD
Kevin Sheth, MD, FAHA
Brian Leaderer, MPH, PhD
David Felson, MD, MPH
402Publications
143,972Citations
Environmental Health
Publications
2026
Association of mortality and combined oxidative capacity of ozone and nitrogen dioxide
Niu Y, Chen R, Sera F, Urban A, Vicedo-Cabrera A, Honda Y, Huber V, Guo Y, Tong S, Coelho M, Saldiva P, Lavigne E, Matus Correa P, Ortega N, Osorio S, Achilleos S, Roye D, Jaakkola J, Ryti N, Pascal M, Schneider A, Breitner-Busch S, Entezari A, Mayvaneh F, Raz R, Ng C, Hashizume M, Carrasco G, da Silva S, Madureira J, Holobaca I, Kim H, Lee W, Tobias A, Íñiguez C, Guo Y, Pan S, Li S, Masselot P, Bell M, Zanobetti A, Schwartz J, Gasparrini A, Kan H. Association of mortality and combined oxidative capacity of ozone and nitrogen dioxide. Nature Sustainability 2026, 1-10. DOI: 10.1038/s41893-026-01875-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsRespiratory mortalityPublic health effortsAssociation of mortalityShort-term associationsPublic health impactNitrogen dioxideOxidative capacityHealth effortsTotal mortalityCardiovascular mortalityHealth impactsGaseous pollutantsStudy periodHuman healthMortalityAssociationO3NO2Geographic regionsEffects of O3Lag01HealthOzoneChemical relationshipsPollutionTemporal changes in mortality risk associated with PM10 across 143 cities in 26 countries: a multicountry, multicity time-series study
Choi Y, Byun G, Kim H, Stewart R, Song Y, Heo S, Lee J, Tong S, Lavigne E, Valdés Ortega N, Matus Correa P, Osorio S, Achilleos S, Kyselý J, Urban A, Roye D, Orru H, Maasikmets M, Jaakkola J, Ryti N, Pascal M, Schneider A, Breitner S, Katsouyanni K, Samoli E, Carlsen H, Entezari A, Mayvaneh F, Raz R, Stafoggia M, de'Donato F, Hashizume M, Ng C, Madaniyazi L, Hurtado Diaz M, Arellano E, Klompmaker J, Rao S, Madureira J, Gaio V, Guo Y, Scovronick N, Garland R, Kim H, Lee W, Forsberg B, Vicedo-Cabrera A, Ragettli M, Guo Y, Pan S, Armstrong B, Sera F, Gasparrini A, Masselot P, Mistry M, Zanobetti A, Schwartz J, Bell M. Temporal changes in mortality risk associated with PM10 across 143 cities in 26 countries: a multicountry, multicity time-series study. The Lancet Planetary Health 2026, 101465. PMID: 42269660, DOI: 10.1016/j.lanplh.2026.101465.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsAmbient PMDaily PMHealth impacts of air pollutionHealth impactsImpact of air pollutionRandom-effects meta-regressionTime series designCurrent health burdenQuasi-Poisson regressionTime-series studyAssociated with population agingTemporal changesAssociated with mortalitySecond stageRisk estimatesAir pollutionHealth burdenMeta-RegressionCalendar yearPopulation agingTemporal trendsTemporal variationCity-specificEnvironmental conditionsAssociationHigh-resolution projections of extreme heat and thermal stress in southeastern U.S.
Lu S, Do K, Zhang Y, Chen X, Leung R, Bell M. High-resolution projections of extreme heat and thermal stress in southeastern U.S. Weather And Climate Extremes 2026, 52: 100878. DOI: 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100878.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsWeather Research and ForecastingPseudo Global WarmingHigh-resolution projectionsHeat daysExtreme heatLand–atmosphere couplingLand surface conditionsHigh-resolution simulationsShared Socioeconomic PathwaysRegional dynamicsSynoptic anomaliesAtmospheric circulationRadiative forcingSoil moisture depletionSocioeconomic PathwaysDominant driverCurrent climateNorth CarolinaAggressive mitigationClimate changeSpatial characteristicsGlobal warmingSurface conditionsMoisture depletionMaximum temperatureTropical cyclone exposure and risk of adverse birth outcomes in urban and rural areas of Georgia
Ning X, Chen K, Liew Z, Warren J, Heo S, Bell M, Deziel N. Tropical cyclone exposure and risk of adverse birth outcomes in urban and rural areas of Georgia. Environmental Research Communications 2026, 8: 061003. PMID: 42245682, PMCID: PMC13231458, DOI: 10.1088/2515-7620/ae718b.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdverse birth outcomesAssociated with PTBBirth outcomesAssociated with higher riskRelative riskRisk of adverse birth outcomesHigher risk of PTBConfidence intervalsPerinatal risksRural areas of GeorgiaExposure metricsRural areasState birth recordsUrban-rural variationRisk of PTBAssociated with LBWWeekly rateRate of preterm birthPerinatal healthUrban/rural differencesSingleton birthsRural countiesBirth recordsMetropolitan countiesTropical cyclone exposureThe burden of El Niño–Southern Oscillation-related dengue attributable to anthropogenic climate change: a multicountry modelling study
Li G, Lu P, Weinstein P, Urban A, Tong S, Ryti N, Sera F, Bell M, Royé D, Ebi K, Woodward A, Geng M, Zhang T, Li W, Yan Y, Zhang X, Liu Q, Ma W, Lu B, Zhao Q. The burden of El Niño–Southern Oscillation-related dengue attributable to anthropogenic climate change: a multicountry modelling study. The Lancet Planetary Health 2026, 10: 101454. PMID: 42044647, DOI: 10.1016/j.lanplh.2026.101454.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEl Nino Southern OscillationAssociated with El Nino-Southern OscillationAnthropogenic climate changeContribution of anthropogenic climate changeEP-ElEastern PacificEffects of El‐Nino Southern OscillationInfluence of anthropogenic climate changeClimate changeSimulated climate dataBinomial generalised linear modelGeneralised linear modelsNegative binomial generalised linear modelClimate dataMonthly dengue casesModeling studiesDengue riskCzech MinistryAtmospheric stressors and kidney diseases
Ahn S, Yun H, Kim S, Al-Aly Z, Bell M, Lee W. Atmospheric stressors and kidney diseases. Nature Reviews Nephrology 2026, 22: 487-498. PMID: 41957144, DOI: 10.1038/s41581-026-01073-1.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetricConceptsAmbient air pollutionAir pollutionExposure to ambient air pollutionWildfire smokeParticulate matterNitrogen dioxideAtmospheric stressorsHuman healthIdentification of high-risk populationsKidney healthWildfirePollutionHigh-risk populationHealth outcomesAdverse effectsResearch prioritiesRisk of kidney diseaseStressorsPre-emptive actionHealthEpidemiological studiesAvailable evidenceCold temperaturesKidney diseaseEffect of atmospheric conditionsHog CAFO construction and temporal trends in racial/ethnic demographics, economic growth, and land use in North Carolina
Lewis B, Bell M. Hog CAFO construction and temporal trends in racial/ethnic demographics, economic growth, and land use in North Carolina. Journal Of Environmental Management 2026, 404: 129509. PMID: 41926889, DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129509.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSocio-economic statusDisplacement of Black residentsFarming communitiesGrowth of employment opportunitiesLower wage growthCommunity health disparitiesBlack residentsEmployment opportunitiesPolicy cycleWage growthCommunity developmentMid-twentieth centuryHispanic residentsLow socio-economic statusEconomic trendsEconomic growthRural communitiesHealth disparitiesNorth CarolinaHispanic populationEnvironmental degradationCommunityResidentsPeak periodsCountyTemporal Variation in the Association Between Short-term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Mortality Across Subpopulations in North Carolina and Michigan, U.S.
Stewart R, Kim H, Song Y, Choi H, Chen C, Choi Y, Bell M. Temporal Variation in the Association Between Short-term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Mortality Across Subpopulations in North Carolina and Michigan, U.S. Epidemiology 2026, 37: 456-466. PMID: 41849246, PMCID: PMC13218584, DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001977.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsPM2.5-mortality associationsPM2.5-mortalityShort-term exposure to fine particulate matterEnvironmental health disparitiesNon-Hispanic blacksCase-crossover analysisNon-Hispanic whitesExposure to fine particulate matterNorth CarolinaFine particulate matterOdds of mortalityStudy periodHealth disparitiesSociodemographic variablesYears of ageOdds ratioParticulate matterMortality impactEducational attainmentHealth impactsTemporal variationTemporal trendsOddsDisparitiesAssociationDensity of animal feeding operations, including concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and cancer incidence: A county-level ecological study across three U.S. states
Son J, Deziel N, Bell M. Density of animal feeding operations, including concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and cancer incidence: A county-level ecological study across three U.S. states. Environmental Research 2026, 299: 124298. PMID: 41856233, PMCID: PMC13051506, DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124298.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsCancer incidenceIncidence rate ratiosStratified analysisCounty-level ecological studySite-specific cancersUS statesIndividual-level dataPublic health implicationsPotential public health implicationsControl countiesExposed countiesRate ratiosCancer typesIncidence dataEnvironmental health risksHealth implicationsPropensity scoreCountyStatistical significanceExposure assessmentHealth risksEcological studiesAssociationLongitudinal approachGeographic regionsImpacts from sector-specific energy policies on mortality: Co-benefits and socioeconomic disparities across three midwestern states in the year 2050
Stewart R, Farzad K, Zhang Y, Gillingham K, Hobbs B, Esty D, Bell M. Impacts from sector-specific energy policies on mortality: Co-benefits and socioeconomic disparities across three midwestern states in the year 2050. Environmental Research 2026, 299: 124288. PMID: 41839343, DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124288.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCo-benefitsFine particulate matterClimate change mitigation strategiesGreenhouse gas emissionsParticulate matterEnvironmental justice indexMidwestern U.S.Gas emissionsPolicy scenariosMitigation strategiesEducational isolationEnergy policy scenariosStatistical lifeCensus tract levelMidwestern stateEffects of policiesSociodemographic subpopulationsSocioeconomic disparitiesReference levelDisadvantaged populationsExposureConcentrationEnergy policyExpected mortalityPolicy cases
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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Activities
activity Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)
06/22/2021 - PresentAdvisory BoardsMemberDetailsU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyThe Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) provides independent advice to the EPA Administrator on the technical bases for EPA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards.activity Landslides and mental health
01/01/2018 - PresentResearchDetailsJakarta, Indonesiaactivity Air pollution, temperature, and health
01/01/2016 - PresentResearchDetailsSeoul, South Koreaactivity Pollution - Heat-Related Mortality in Latin American Cities
01/01/2008 - PresentResearchDetailsSão Paulo, SP, Brazil; Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile; Mexico City, CDMX, MexicoAbstract/SynopsisProfessor Bell investigates how weather is associated with heat in Latin America, and in particular how heat-related mortality may differ by socio-economic status (SES). The project also examines the effects of air pollution on mortality, whether these relationships differ by SES, and looking at air pollution and weather together. The work is based on three cities: Santiago, Chile, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Mexico City, Mexico.
activity Pollution, Sandstorms, & Hospital Admission
01/01/2008 - PresentResearchDetailsChina; TaiwanAbstract/SynopsisProfessor Bell is examining the relationship between air pollution, sandstorms, and hospital admissions in Taiwan.
Honors
honor National Academy of Medicine
12/01/2020National AwardDetailsUnited States
News
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News
- February 24, 2026
School News
- October 30, 2025Source: Why Should I Trust You?
A model for public health in the age of mistrust
- September 24, 2024
Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke associated with higher risk of death
- August 21, 2024
Wildfires: what you need to know to stay safe
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Mailing Address
School of the Environment
195 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
United States