Sasha Khomenko receives an Extraordinary Doctorate Award from the UPF

The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) researcher Sasha Khomenko has received one of the Extraordinary Doctoral Awards granted at the end of 2025 by Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) for her doctoral thesis, entitled “Health impacts and determinants of environmental exposures related to urban and transport planning practices in European cities”.

The thesis, supervised by fellow ISGlobal researcher Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, assesses how urban and transport planningpractices influence environmental exposures and, consequently, the health of the European population. To this end, Khomenko analysed an extensive database including information from almost 1,000 cities, with the aim of quantifying the health impacts associated with air pollution, environmental noise and other factors derived from the urban environment. In addition, the thesis explores urban form and the relationships between urban design, environmental exposure and health, incorporating variables such as urban heat islands and green spaces.

The ISGlobal researcher’s study has a strong applied and translational focus. One of the main contributions of her thesis has been the development of the ISGlobal Ranking of Cities portal, a platform that provides accessible information on the health impacts associated with different environmental exposures. The tool also includes the Healthy Urban Design Index (HUDI), an index that assesses the extent to which urban planning in European cities promotes health.

Prior to undertaking her doctorate with ISGlobal and UPF, Sasha Khomenko graduated in Biomedical Sciences from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and obtained a master’s degree in Global Health from Maastricht University, where she began to develop an interest in issues related to the environment, climate and health.

With this recognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra highlights the scientific quality and public policy relevance of the doctoral thesis, which contributes to generating evidence to support progress towards healthier and more sustainable European cities.