Tag: EaRTH Center

Surviving extreme heat: expanding access in a warming world

~ PRHE

Extreme heat is now one of the deadliest weather-related public health threats in the United States, contributing to thousands of emergency department visits and preventable deaths each year. Longer heat waves, higher temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events are placing growing strain on individuals, healthcare systems, and community infrastructure. Some communities face greater risks … Continue reading Surviving extreme heat: expanding access in a warming world

Common pesticides may disrupt placental health

~ PRHE

Pregnancy depends on a healthy placenta, but how environmental chemicals affect placental development is still poorly understood. Growing evidence suggests that exposure to common pesticides may increase the risk of pregnancy complications. In our new study examining pregnancy risks from pesticides, one pesticide stood out: naled. You might not have heard of naled - an … Continue reading Common pesticides may disrupt placental health

Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people

~ PRHE

Hundreds of plastic-related chemicals were identified in pregnant women by scientists at UC San Francisco in a study published today in Environment & Health Journal. Alarmingly, many of these chemicals have little to no current exposure data, which means little is known about how much they are impacting people and their health. “It is extremely … Continue reading Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people

UCSF EaRTH Center furthers environmental health at NIEHS annual meeting

~ PRHE

NIH-funded environmental health centers from 18 states are gathered in Lexington, Kentucky this week for their annual meeting to further science and public health research. The Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers, a consortium of 26 centers including the UCSF EaRTH Center, are collaborating with colleagues and sharing the latest science despite the government shutdown that … Continue reading UCSF EaRTH Center furthers environmental health at NIEHS annual meeting

Rising waters and rising risks in Richmond

Photo credit: Richmond Shoreline Alliance. Source: https://www.richmondshorelinealliance.org/
~ PRHE

Main takeaways: Sea level rise is raising risks of harmful chemical exposures in shoreline communities like Richmond, CA These risks are falling disproportionately on communities already hard hit by contamination and pollution  One of those risks is increase in exposure to VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which enter buildings and can increase cancer risk  The Richmond … Continue reading Rising waters and rising risks in Richmond

Chemicals used in firefighting and pesticides linked to most common and deadly brain tumors

~ PRHE

Causes of gliomas, the most common type of deadly brain tumor, remain a mystery despite improvements in understanding glioma risks. Firefighters have a higher rate of these cancerous tumors, so we explored how exposure to haloalkanes, chemicals present in a number of widely used products including flame retardants, some fire extinguishants, solvents and pesticides, might … Continue reading Chemicals used in firefighting and pesticides linked to most common and deadly brain tumors

Environmental health research is essential to tackle skyrocketing chronic disease

~ PRHE

Have you heard of a P30 Environmental Health Center? There are 26 of them in the U.S. funded by the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences to investigate the health impacts of air and water pollution, chemicals in everyday products, microplastics, and other ways contaminants put into our environment affect people. These centers have been … Continue reading Environmental health research is essential to tackle skyrocketing chronic disease

Statement on RFK Jr Confirmation to HHS Secretary

~ PRHE

Dr. Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, professor and director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment and the EaRTH Center at UCSF issued the following statement today upon Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services. We face an epidemic of chronic disease fueled by industrial polluters including the chemical, … Continue reading Statement on RFK Jr Confirmation to HHS Secretary