exposure

Studies on emerging environmental toxicants are listed below:

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PFAS, microRNA/Epigenetics: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and microRNA: an epigenome-wide association study in firefighters
- Conducted metabolomics analysis on 22 urine samples from prostate cancer patients who were disgnozed with prostate cancer
- Developed and validated statistical models to compare metabolic profiles across high vs. low PCa risk group
- Co-author for a manuscript published on Environmental Research (Furlong et al., 2025)
Extreme Heat, systematic review: Extreme Heat Exposure During Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes: A Review of Epidemiological Evidence and Policy Implications
- Assisted development of the original draft; review & edits
- Co-author a manuscript currently under internal review (Ramos et al., 2025)

References

2025

EnvRes

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and microRNA: an epigenome-wide association study in firefighters

Melissa A Furlong, Tuo Liu, Alesia Jung, and 4 more authors

Environmental Research, 2025

Abs DOI

The occupation of firefighting is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. Increased cancer risk among firefighters may be partly attributable to increased occupational exposure to a range of chemicals, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Some PFAS are known and suspect human carcinogens. Investigating epigenetic response to these PFAS exposures in firefighters may help to identify biological pathways of specific cancers, and previously unidentified health outcomes that are associated with PFAS. We therefore investigated the associations of serum PFAS concentrations with miRNA expression in firefighters. Sera collected from 303 firefighters from 6 sites across the USA were analyzed for 9 PFAS along with miRNA expression. Linear regression was used to estimate associations between log PFAS and miRNA expression, with false discovery rate (FDR) set to 0.05 for significance, and an exploratory cutoff of FDR q<0.20. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed using miRTarBase’s miRWalk pathways. Age, race-ethnicity, BMI, fire department, and sex were controlled for in all models. At FDR<0.05, the linear isomer of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was inversely associated with hsa-miR-128-15p expression (Beta = -0.146, 95% CI -0.216, -0.076). At a relaxed FDR of 0.20, we observed inverse associations for the sum of branched isomers of PFOS with 5 miRNAs (hsa-let-7d-5p, hsa-let-7a-5p, hsa-miR-423-5p, hsa-let-7b-5p, has-mir-629-5p). Several pathways were enriched for multiple PFAS, including those correlated with certain cancers, blood diseases, thyroid disorders, autoimmune disorders, and neurological outcomes. Some PFAS in firefighters were found to be associated with alteration of miRNA consistent with increased risk for a range of chronic diseases.
TBD

Extreme Heat Exposure During Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes: A Review of Epidemiological Evidence and Policy Implications

Rebecca Ramos, Paulina L. Ramirez, Rietta S. Wagoner, and 7 more authors

in prep, 2025

Abs DOI

Extreme heat events are on the rise, raising concerns about their impact on public health. Pregnant individuals are particularly vulnerable to heat exposure, which has been linked to adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and stillbirth. This literature review synthesizes current epidemiological evidence on the relationship between maternal heat exposure and low birth weight. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Peer-reviewed epidemiological studies published in English that assessed maternal exposure to extreme heat and associations with birth outcomes were included. Studies were evaluated for heat exposure characterization, birth outcome measures, statistical modeling approaches, and potential confounders. The review identified 15 studies from various geographical regions, with cohort and case-control study designs being the most common. Despite differences in heat exposure definitions (absolute temperature thresholds, percentiles, or heat waves), 13 studies reported a significant association between high temperatures and lower birth weights, mainly when exposure occurred during critical gestational windows. Some studies found no association, potentially highlighting the need for standardized exposure assessment methods. The evidence suggests that maternal heat exposure increases the risk of low birth weight, emphasizing the need for targeted public health interventions. Policy recommendations include integrating heat risk education into prenatal care, strengthening workplace protections for pregnant individuals in high-heat environments, and expanding access to cooling resources in vulnerable communities. Further research is needed to standardize heat exposure metrics and explore the long-term health effects of prenatal heat exposure on offspring.