Tuesday, February 17, 2026 2/17/2026

Climate factors, racial/ethnic disparities, and menstrual cycle health

Award Number: R01ES035106
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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Climate factors, racial/ethnic disparities, and menstrual cycle health - PROJECT SUMMARY The menstrual cycle is a marker of physiologic and reproductive health and is tightly controlled by hormone signals between the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovaries. The menstrual cycle can be disrupted by environmental and biological factors that cause hormone dysregulation and ovarian dysfunction. The most common cause of irregular menses in reproductive-age women is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); hallmark features include ovarian dysfunction and androgen excess. Women with PCOS also have an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, obesity, dyslipidemia across their lifespan. Climate factors, such as temperature, have been shown to affect reproductive function in mammals. Air pollution (AP) exposure has been associated with accelerated time to pregnancy loss, arrested embryonic growth in the culture environment, and reduced success of in vitro fertilization. Life course exposures have differing potential biological mechanisms. Gestational AP exposure has been reported to reduce telomere length at birth. Assessment of AP exposures and MCC are limited by studies of heterogenous populations with limited racial/ethnic diversity, incomplete city-level census tract level monitoring, retrospective collection of cycle history, and lack of MCC and PCOS ascertainment11, 12. We will additionally evaluate life course exposure to climate factors including temperature and humidity to understand their contribution to MCC outcomes and risk for PCOS. We will evaluate cumulative lifetime exposure and life course exposure to AP during the sensitive time windows of (1) gestation, (2) childhood/premenarche, and (3) adulthood to determine whether prenatal or adult exposures confer greatest risk. We will additionally evaluate disparities in AP exposures and MCC outcomes in a SafetyNet hospital population.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $546,929 )
2026	2026	PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE	1033 MASSACHUSETTS AVE STE 3	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02138	MIDDLESEX	USA	Environmental Health	000	4	1/30/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$546,929
														Subtotal = $546,929

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $546,929 )
2025	2025	HARVARD COLLEGE PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF	677 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Environmental Health	000	3	1/22/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$546,929
														Subtotal = $546,929

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $541,187 )
2024	2024	HARVARD COLLEGE PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF	677 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Environmental Health	000	2	1/10/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$541,187
														Subtotal = $541,187

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $581,961 )
2023	2023	HARVARD COLLEGE PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF	677 HUNTINGTON AVE	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Environmental Health	000	1	3/16/2023	NEW	$581,961
														Subtotal = $581,961

Grand Total All Awards = $2,217,006

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Climate factors, racial/ethnic disparities, and menstrual cycle health

Award Number: R01ES035106

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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