Breathing Nature In: How Our Environments Shape The Nasal Microbiome and Human Well-Being

The benefits of nature exposure for human well-being are well-recognized, yet much remains to be understood about the underlying mechanisms as to how these effects occur. Research out of UW’s Environment & Well Being Lab led by SEFS’ graduate student Connor Lashus is helping us close the gap in understanding the role that microbes in the human nose might play in the relationship between nature exposure and well-being. With this pilot study, Lashus and his team explore the connection between our nasal bacteria and well-being after long-term nature exposure.