The group’s research line focuses on the interplay between social and environmental determinants of healthy and fair cities and on the impacts of greener, more sustainable, more resilient cities.

Many of our studies examine environmental and health inequities resulting from urban planning decisions and interventions, and the community actions, policies, and planning decisions arising to address such inequities.

We also evaluate how cities incorporate health risks, impacts, and emergencies into urban planning and policy, as well as the opportunities for and constraints faced by cities in bringing health, health equity, and health services to the centre of policy agendas, planning decisions, and implementation.

Finally, the group examines the effects on physical and mental health and well-being of exposure to urban gentrification and displacement. In addition, we analyse how the protective effects of various neighbourhood amenities, such as healthcare and health services, green space, and others, may be modified by gentrification. Particular attention is paid here to the role played by gentrification as a moderating factor between exposure to new green and sustainable urban environments and health outcomes.

Our specific studies examine:

• Patterns and causes of health inequities embedded in urban development processes.

• Advancing public health theory on complex urban exposures, such as gentrification and related urban processes.

• Developing new measurement methods of objective and perceived gentrification for public health research.

• Examining the pathways and mechanisms between gentrification, displacement, and health.

• Evaluating the complex relationships between urban patterns of gentrification and access to and delivery of health care.

• Studying the impacts of urban greenspace access on health, with special emphasis on health (in)equity.

• Health and wellbeing effects of green rooftops for people with disabilities: effects and potential mechanisms.