Nabarun Dasgupta, an epidemiologist and researcher with UNC’s Gillings School of Public Health, is the latest Chapel Hill faculty member earn a MacArthur Foundation fellowship. The private philanthropic organization announced its 2025 class of MacArthur Fellows on Wednesday, with Dasgupta among 22 people selected for the five-year grants, which come with no conditions. He was chosen for his work in harm reduction efforts through scientific research, leading UNC’s Opioid Data Lab as part of the university’s Injury Prevention Center. His projects aim to prevent opioid-related deaths and harmful drug use by informing users what substances are in their supplies and distributing antidotes to communities where it could reserve overdoses. “Our mission is science in service,” Dasgupta said through a university release about his fellowship. “We want people to have access to the best knowledge and tools, so they can make better decisions about what they put in their bodies. This award is a tes...