Dr. Luby’s research group is engaged in several efforts to generate knowledge that will alter the way that bricks are manufactured across South Asia so that they generate less air pollution, less climate change and tens of thousands fewer deaths per year. This involves: 1) evaluating interventions to improve combustion efficiency within brick kilns and so simultaneously reduce coal costs for producers while generating less pollution 2) using remote sensing to specify the location of brick kilns and ultimately evaluate their emissions.
Another strand of his work looks at the release of lead into the environment in low and middle income countries, seeks to identify the sources of lead that is generating the greatest public health burden and develops and evaluates interventions to reduce this burden.
His research group also explores practical interventions to reduce infectious disease transmission in low and middle income countries. These activities include efforts to maximize the uptake of masks, water treatment and vaccines with careful evaluation of the impact of these interventions. His research group explores strategies to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission in healthcare facilities in lower income countries.