Tag: EaRTH Center

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

How will SCOTUS’ Chevron decision impact environmental health regulations?

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In an era where science and law often collide, the June 28, 2024, Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo overturning Chevron deference marks a pivotal shift that could reshape environmental regulation as we know it. The longstanding Chevron decision established the principle that federal courts must defer to an agency’s reasonable interpretation … Continue reading How will SCOTUS’ Chevron decision impact environmental health regulations?

Scientists tell Congress why environmental health research is critical

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As fossil fuels, plastics, and other pollutants drive an increase in chronic disease, scientists from around the U.S. who study how toxics impact health educated policymakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC about the importance of the work of the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) funded P30 centers. P30 research centers are the backbone of environmental … Continue reading Scientists tell Congress why environmental health research is critical

Exploring how the environment impacts breast cancer risk

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One of the first researchers supported by the EaRTH Center was Kimberly Badal, PhD, a scientist originally focused on infectious disease research, but after discovering the high burden of cancer in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago, she changed course. Part of her research now focuses on creating better models that can predict a … Continue reading Exploring how the environment impacts breast cancer risk

SCOTUS Chevron decision hamstrings regulators and favors polluters

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Statement from Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, Professor and Director of the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment and the UCSF EaRTH Center, on the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine: We are dismayed and appalled by today’s decision from the Supreme Court of the United States to ignore 40 years of … Continue reading SCOTUS Chevron decision hamstrings regulators and favors polluters

UC San Francisco scientists develop new method using yeast to find chemicals that cause infertility

UCSF researchers in the lab
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Using a new method to test chemical toxicity, UC San Francisco (UCSF) scientists have revealed a growing list of chemicals that could cause reproductive harm, including infertility. “With infertility a growing problem around the globe, it is important to find better strategies to discover the root causes,” said Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, director of the … Continue reading UC San Francisco scientists develop new method using yeast to find chemicals that cause infertility