Kai Chen, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences)DownloadHi-Res Photo
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Faculty Director, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
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Environmental Health Sciences
60 College Street, PO Box 208034
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
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Titles
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences)
Faculty Director, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Biography
Dr. Chen received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering in 2016 from Nanjing University in China. During 2014-2015, he served as a Visiting Scholar at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Prior to joining the Yale School of Public Health faculty in July 2019, he was an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoc Fellow at Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Center for Environmental Health.
Dr. Chen’s research focuses on the intersection of climate change, air pollution, and human health. His work involves applying multidisciplinary approaches in climate and air pollution sciences, exposure assessment, and environmental epidemiology to investigate how climate change may impact human health. Much of this work has been done in China, Europe, and the U.S.
Last Updated on April 07, 2025.
Appointments
Environmental Health Sciences
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Climate Change and Health
- Climate, Health, and Environment Nexus (CHEN) Lab
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Public Health Data Science and Data Equity
- Public Health Modeling
- Wu Tsai Institute
- Yale School of Public Health
Education & Training
- PhD
- Nanjing University, Environmental Science and Engineering (2016)
- BSc
- Nanjing University, Environmental Sciences (2011)
Research
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Overview
Public Health Interests
Epidemiology Methods; Environmental Health; Global Health; Pollution; Infectious Diseases; Climate Change; COVID-19
ORCID
0000-0002-0164-1112- View Lab Website
CHEN Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Kai Chen's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Kai Chen's research output by year.
Lingzhi Chu
Robert Dubrow, MD, PhD
Yiqun Ma
Harlan Krumholz, MD, SM
Yuan Lu, ScD
Xiaomei Ma, PhD
125Publications
2,978Citations
Publications
2026
Upward Air Temperature Shifts and Acute Cardiovascular Events in Individuals with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Time-Stratified Case-Crossover Study
Lechner K, Zhang S, Krüger N, Krefting J, Wolf K, Dallavalle M, Dreischulte T, Offenborn F, Starnecker F, von Scheidt M, Chen K, Peters A, Breitner S, Schneider A, Schunkert H. Upward Air Temperature Shifts and Acute Cardiovascular Events in Individuals with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Time-Stratified Case-Crossover Study. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe 2026, 67: 101730. PMID: 42294354, PMCID: PMC13262291, DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2026.101730.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCase-crossover studyAssociated with higher riskAtherosclerotic cardiovascular diseaseAll-Cause MortalityAcute cardiovascular eventsBavarian State MinistryHealth impactsPublic health actionTime-varying confoundersCardiovascular diseaseConditional Poisson regressionGerman health insuranceRisk of ACArea-specific estimatesCase-crossoverHealth actionsPoisson regressionHeart FoundationCardiovascular eventsMultivariate meta-analysisPostcode levelHealth impacts of heatHealth insuranceHealth—andHealth concernTropical 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 exposureFour-Decade (1980–2023) Surface Ozone Concentrations across the Contiguous United States: Fine-Resolution Estimates and Health Implications
Liu R, Chu L, Deziel N, Chen K. Four-Decade (1980–2023) Surface Ozone Concentrations across the Contiguous United States: Fine-Resolution Estimates and Health Implications. Environmental Science And Technology 2026, 60: 14292-14306. PMID: 42117375, PMCID: PMC13170126, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c16412.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsContiguous United StatesAverage O3 concentrationsExposure levelsChronic health risksSurface ozone concentrationsLong-term exposureAnnual average scaleGeographical distribution patternsHealth risksSpatial patternsDistribution patternsOzone concentrationsAmbient ozoneUrban areasAverage scaleFine resolutionNearest neighbor distanceLife course epidemiology studiesExposure to ambient ozoneHealth burdenHealth implicationsSpatiotemporal resolutionModeling frameworkNeighbor distanceHigher valuesCardiorenal therapeutics in a polluted world: interpreting treatment benefit in an environmental context
Meng X, Chen K. Cardiorenal therapeutics in a polluted world: interpreting treatment benefit in an environmental context. American Journal Of Preventive Cardiology 2026, 101676. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpc.2026.101676.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLow-Level Airborne Particulate Matter and Risk of Hypertension Hospitalization in Older U.S. Adults
Zhang Y, Zhang S, Wang Y, Spatz E, Krumholz H, Lu Y, Chen K. Low-Level Airborne Particulate Matter and Risk of Hypertension Hospitalization in Older U.S. Adults. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2026, 87: 2826-2842. PMID: 41984014, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2026.02.5112.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAnnual PM2.5 concentrationsEffects of PM2.5Quasi-Poisson regression modelParticulate matterExposure to PM2.5 concentrationsLong-term exposure to fine particulate matterExposure to fine particulate matterFine particulate matterAir quality standardsAirborne particulate matterAnnual standardRegulatory thresholdsQuality standardsContiguous United StatesHypertension hospitalizationsSuburban areasSocioeconomically deprived neighborhoodsOlder U.S. adultsRegulatory standardsRegression modelsConcentrationDeprived neighbourhoodsEffect modificationGreater vulnerabilityOlder adultsClimate and health at a critical juncture
Lokmic-Tomkins Z, Abadi A, Benmarhnia T, Chen K, Chong K, Conte Keivabu R, Dasgupta S, Estallo E, Guo J, Hashizume M, He C, Herrmann A, Irfan A, Kovats S, Li S, Males J, Navas-Martín M, Paz S, Qureshi A, Rocklöv J, Telesford L, Wheat S. Climate and health at a critical juncture. PLOS Climate 2026, 5: e0000895. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000895.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricThank You to Our 2025 Peer Reviewers
Nguyen T, Anyamba A, Balbus J, Chen K, Dey S, Franklin M, Fu T, Gao M, Jiang S, Liu Y, Paytan A, Usmani M, Yim S. Thank You to Our 2025 Peer Reviewers. GeoHealth 2026, 10: e2026gh001928. PMCID: PMC13058566, DOI: 10.1029/2026gh001928.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchResponse by Chu et al to Letter Regarding Article, “Joint Exposure to Ozone and Temperature and Acute Myocardial Infarction Among Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years in the United States”
Chu L, Ma X, Chen K. Response by Chu et al to Letter Regarding Article, “Joint Exposure to Ozone and Temperature and Acute Myocardial Infarction Among Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years in the United States”. Circulation 2026, 153: e914-e915. PMID: 41802023, DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.125.078382.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersA cumulative perspective reveals urbanization exacerbates compound extreme heat-air pollution events in China
Li J, Zhou W, Wang J, Chen K, Georgescu M. A cumulative perspective reveals urbanization exacerbates compound extreme heat-air pollution events in China. Sustainable Cities And Society 2026, 139: 107234. DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2026.107234.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsChina's total land areaPollution eventsCompound eventsCumulative impactUrban areasAir pollution eventsEnvironmental health risk factorExtreme eventsMultiple climate driversSocio-ecological riskTotal land areaTemporal co-occurrenceSpatiotemporal patternsEnvironmental risksSimultaneous extreme eventsClimate driversNational scaleLand areaNorth ChinaCumulative perspectiveEnvironmental stressCo-occurrenceExtreme heatPrefecture levelChinaImpact of Long-Term Cumulative Exposure to Wildfire Smoke PM2.5 on Cardiovascular Hospital Admissions Among Older Adults in the United States A Population-Based Cohort Study
Zhang S, Wang Y, Wei J, Benmarhnia T, Liu Y, Krumholz H, Lu Y, Chen K. Impact of Long-Term Cumulative Exposure to Wildfire Smoke PM2.5 on Cardiovascular Hospital Admissions Among Older Adults in the United States A Population-Based Cohort Study. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2026 PMID: 41706074, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.12.079.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates how long-term exposure to wildfire smoke particles (PM2.5) increases cardiovascular hospitalizations in older adults, highlighting the need for targeted health strategies.
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We are the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health
The Yale Center on Climate Change and Health is revealing the full health costs of climate change and bringing evidence to action.
News
- July 01, 2026
Faculty and Postdocs Hailed as Outstanding Mentors
- March 20, 2026Source: ABC News
Extreme heat linked to broad number of health issues
- February 24, 2026
Translating science
- February 14, 2026Source: Good Morning America
YSPH professor says EPA rollback of greenhouse gas emissions threatens lives
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Environmental Health Sciences
60 College Street, PO Box 208034
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
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60 College Street
Academic Office
Fl 8th, Rm 824
New Haven, CT 06510