Our Vision
We see the Negev desert as a unique natural laboratory for advancing cutting-edge research on the health impacts of a changing climate
The region’s rapidly growing population (~750,000 residents) is exposed to a wide range of environmental risks arising from both human activity, such as industrial emissions, air and water pollution, waste, and chemical transport, and natural conditions, including extreme heat, solar radiation, desert dust, and soil erosion.
These combined exposures, already characteristic of the Negev, are expected to become increasingly common worldwide as climate change progresses. This positions the region at the forefront of research aimed at understanding and addressing emerging environmental health challenges.
Our work is uniquely enabled by the characteristics of Soroka University Medical Center. As the sole tertiary hospital serving the population from Eilat to Kiryat Gat, it provides comprehensive, population-based data, strengthening the validity and generalizability of our research.
In addition, the region’s diverse population, including Jewish and Bedouin-Arab communities, offers a valuable opportunity to study environmental health across differing socio-economic conditions, lifestyles, and genetic backgrounds. This diversity enhances our ability to investigate health disparities and develop more inclusive and effective public health strategies.
