Our theme is the understanding and assessment of risk to human health from exposure to hazardous substances. We approach this theme from the perspective of an interdisciplinary team that integrates exposure assessment, biologic pathogenesis, and epidemiologic studies. Our biomedical studies revolve around three classes of illness: reproductive health, cardio-respiratory health, and cancer. Our non-biomedical studies relate to health of the ecosystem and to factors that affect aquatic organisms. These studies encompass specific exposures to metals and to organo-chlorine compounds. Reproductive health is being evaluated in relation to environmental exposure to lead, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and related compounds; cardio-respiratory health is being evaluated in relation to occupational exposure to fuel oil ash, which contains a high level of vanadium and other metals; the occurrence of cancer and its precursors are being evaluated in relation to arsenic in drinking water supplies; the health of the ecosystem, specifically of aquatic organisms, is being evaluated in relation to the presence of metals, PCBs, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Our general goal is to evaluate the relation between chemicals in the environment and their relation to human ill health. Our objectives include the following: - to assess the use of calcium supplements to minimize the adverse effects of lead on the fetus - to assess uncertainties in development effects in children related to multiple environmental exposure to metals and organic compounds - to evaluate the effects of in utero exposure to ambient levels of PCBs on growth and development of the child and on female reproductive health. - to evaluate the cardiac and respiratory effects of fuel-ash oil on the human lung and to determine the mechanism through which vanadium and other metallic components of fuel-ash adversely effect the heart and the lung - to evaluate the nature of the association between arsenic and skin and skin bladder cancers and their precursors and to assess the epigenetic mechanisms through which arsenic may affect human health - to evaluate the effects of these and related chemicals on the aquatic ecosystem so that a comprehensive approach can be developed to assess the health of the ecosystem - to develop an approach for exposure assessment and health evaluation in the community that will enable enlightened interaction between scientists and the community.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Type
Hazardous Substances Basic Research Grants Program (NIEHS) (P42)
Project #
5P42ES005947-12
Application #
6635454
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZES1-DPB-D (G4))
Program Officer
Suk, William
Project Start
1992-04-01
Project End
2005-03-31
Budget Start
2003-04-01
Budget End
2004-03-31
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$3,322,462
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
149617367
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Jansen, E C; Zhou, L; Song, P X K et al. (2018) Prenatal lead exposure in relation to age at menarche: results from a longitudinal study in Mexico City. J Dev Orig Health Dis 9:467-472
Lin, Pi-I D; Bromage, Sabri; Mostofa, Md Golam et al. (2017) Associations between Diet and Toenail Arsenic Concentration among Pregnant Women in Bangladesh: A Prospective Study. Nutrients 9:
Bashash, Morteza; Thomas, Deena; Hu, Howard et al. (2017) Prenatal Fluoride Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes in Children at 4 and 6-12 Years of Age in Mexico. Environ Health Perspect 125:097017
Vieira, Verónica M; Fabian, M Patricia; Webster, Thomas F et al. (2017) Spatial Variability in ADHD-Related Behaviors Among Children Born to Mothers Residing Near the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site. Am J Epidemiol 185:924-932
Sánchez, Brisa N; Kim, Sehee; Sammel, Mary D (2017) Estimators for longitudinal latent exposure models: examining measurement model assumptions. Stat Med 36:2048-2066
Zota, Ami R; Riederer, Anne M; Ettinger, Adrienne S et al. (2016) Associations between metals in residential environmental media and exposure biomarkers over time in infants living near a mining-impacted site. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 26:510-9
Kile, Molly L; Faraj, Joycelyn M; Ronnenberg, Alayne G et al. (2016) A cross sectional study of anemia and iron deficiency as risk factors for arsenic-induced skin lesions in Bangladeshi women. BMC Public Health 16:158
Tamayo y Ortiz, Marcela; Téllez-Rojo, Martha María; Hu, Howard et al. (2016) Lead in candy consumed and blood lead levels of children living in Mexico City. Environ Res 147:497-502
Cantoral, A; Téllez-Rojo, M M; Ettinger, A S et al. (2016) Early introduction and cumulative consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages during the pre-school period and risk of obesity at 8-14 years of age. Pediatr Obes 11:68-74
Kim, Daniel; Kubzansky, Laura D; Baccarelli, Andrea et al. (2016) Psychological factors and DNA methylation of genes related to immune/inflammatory system markers: the VA Normative Aging Study. BMJ Open 6:e009790

Showing the most recent 10 out of 308 publications