For over a decade, PRHE has mentored dozens of environmental health scientists, most of whom have gone on to play significant roles in the field. We spoke to four of them about their PRHE postdoc experience, what they’re doing now, and what changes they think are needed in environmental health. During the course of these … Continue reading PRHE Postdocs: Where are they now?
Avoiding food in plastic or cans, and avoiding fast foods are among the recommendations in a new study from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and improve pregnancy outcomes. The study, published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, was a semi-structured review to learn … Continue reading FIGO study: Dietary changes can reduce exposure to EDCs
Prematurity is the second leading cause of death among infants in the United States and exposure to PFAS and PBDEs (chemicals in non-stick pans, water-repellent fabric, and furniture foam) during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. But while there is extensive research on some of these chemicals, the effects of other, … Continue reading Prenatal exposure to PFAS and PBDE chemicals linked to greater risk of preterm birth
How do environmental chemicals and pollutants increase cancer risk for pregnant women and their children? And what are the environmental causes of endometriosis? We are proud to announce that PRHE’s scientists are part of two new major initiatives that hope to unlock mysteries to cancer and endometriosis. UCSF Discovering cancer Risks from Environmental contaminants And … Continue reading Unlocking environmental mysteries to cancer and endometriosis
We know that all humans are exposed to some mixture of contaminants through consumer products and contaminated food, air, and water, but how do we determine which ones interfere with our metabolism and compromise our health? Scientists develop analytical methods to identify and measure the quantities of chemical compounds in people and in the environment. … Continue reading Environmental contaminants interfere with our metabolism
As wildfires blaze in the U.S., Canada, and other places around the globe this summer, millions of people are gearing up yet again to protect themselves and their families from the health risks of wildfire smoke. And as wildfires have become more intense over the years—quadrupling in size over the last four decades—researchers have begun … Continue reading How does wildfire smoke affect pregnancy outcomes?
Every day we are exposed to hundreds of chemicals in the food we eat, the water we drink, and products we use in our homes. But what makes some chemicals more problematic than others and what does that mean for our health? Our new study sheds light on what PFAS and PBDEs are doing to … Continue reading How do PFAS and PBDEs affect telomeres and what does that mean for our health?
Growing up in urban poverty with working-class parents subjected to occupational exposures taught me that where you live and work affects your health. I was raised with the conviction that one should not have to choose between work and health. So, when I learned about the dangers that methylene chloride posed to human health (e.g., … Continue reading New study unveils more worker deaths from methylene chloride than previously reported
Everyone in the United States is exposed to hundreds of environmental chemicals every day. One class of chemicals has recently become more concerning, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are chemicals found in nonstick cookware and food packaging materials, such as pizza boxes and microwave popcorn bags. Historically, chemical companies dumped PFAS into lakes and … Continue reading Double jeopardy: exposure to PFAS and social stress leads to elevated CRH, a biomarker leading to preterm birth
The 30-year story of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attempting to regulate formaldehyde reads like a tragic relationship that may finally be changing. Formaldehyde is a chemical commonly found in building materials, insulation, furniture, and clothing, and shown to have negative health effects related to asthma and fertility. EPA’s doomed attempts to regulate formaldehyde … Continue reading Formaldehyde and EPA – time for a change
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