P30 Center Member, Dr. Landrigan, shares his insight in the December CBS news piece “Children suffer from lead poisoning in 3,000 U.S. neighborhoods.” A new study of public health records has discovered 3,000 neighborhoods in America where children suffer from lead poisoning. The study, by the Reuters news agency, found lead poisoning twice and even four times higher than what was seen in the recent contaminated water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Landrigan weighs in “It’s a very pervasive toxic chemical and there’s absolutely no level of lead in the human body which is safe.” To read the full article click here.
Dr. Ruth Loos featured in Tucson.Com Article about Genes and Obesity
P30 Center Member, Dr. Ruth Loos, shares her insight about genes and obesity in Tucson.Com’s article “Some Kids’ Genes Might Make Food Ads More Tempting.” Children with a genetic trait linked to obesity may be more likely than other kids to respond to fast-food commercials on TV, a new study suggests. The research, based on brain scans, isn’t definitive. Dr. Loos states “Genetic studies have shown that willpower might be controlled by people’s genetic make-up. The current study shows that, potentially, the reason why people with this genetic trait gain weight is because it is hard for them to resist food when they see it, compared to people who do not have the variant.” To read the full article click here.
Shanna Swan Interviewed by Environmental Health News “Are plastic chemicals in dads hurting embryos?”
On December 7, 2016, P30 Center Member, Shanna Swan, was interviewed by Environmental Health News to discuss a new study examining dads’ exposure to phthalates and embryo quality through five days of in vitro fertilization (IVF). To read the full article click here.
Dr. Landrigan Discusses Toxic Turf with The Huffington Post
As years have passed, there has been greater concern about artificial turf—as often happens with the introduction of an industrial product made of problematic chemicals. On November 14, 2016, P30 Center Memeber Dr. Landrigan weighed in on the debate over “Toxic Turf” and its potential health effects with the Huffington Post. To read the full article click here.
MOUNT SINAI RESEARCHER AWARDED 2016 BRAIN INITIATIVE GRANT
Paul Slesinger, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and P30 Center Member, has been awarded a 2016 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative grant to devise new tools and methods for rapidly identifying cells and genes that control certain brain circuits. “This award is an important and well-deserved honor for Dr. Slesinger, who is playing a key role in understanding mechanisms of alcoholism and other neuropsychiatric disorders so that the lives of people with these disorders can be improved,” says Paul Kenney, PhD, Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “We are thrilled to play a part in this transformative initiative, which promises to make a huge impact on the lives of so many.” Congratulations to Dr. Slesinger! To read the complete Mount Sinai Press Release click here.
Dr. Galvez featured in Momtastic article about tricks to keep your kids healthy
P30 Center Member, Dr. Maida Galvez, shares her insight in a September Momtastic article about “Tricks Pediatricians Use to Keep Their Own Kids Healthy.” Dr. Galvez talks about a couple tricks of her own to keep her kid healthy. “We all know it isn’t easy to get our picky eaters the daily requirement of fruits and veggies, so why not get it out of the way early? “I try to give my son one of his favorite fruits or vegetables with breakfast so I know he’s off to a good start,” she adds. Dr. Galvez also says spending time outdoors is essential “spending time outside in nature is a great way to stay healthy. It’s a great way to burn off excess energy, get exercise, feel balanced, and stimulate creativity. “It’s also the best defense against screen time,” she adds. To read the full Momtastic article click here.
Dr. Robert Wright featured in Article “Zika or DEET: Pregnant women mull which is lesser of two evils”
P30 Center Director Dr. Robert Wright was featured in a Market Watch News article on August 13, 2016 about the potential long-term risks of regular DEET use on pregnant women. The first cases of locally transmitted Zika virus in the U.S. this past month present a clear concern for pregnant women, with the virus’s connection to birth defects now well-established. For those Zika-affected areas, he recommends staying indoors as much as possible and using repellents with lower concentrations of DEET, which is effective for shorter periods of time. Please click here to view the full article.
Drs. Arora and Wright Featured in Washington Post on Early Exposures Research
P30 Center Director Dr. Robert Wright and P30 Center Investigator Dr. Manish Arora were featured in a Washington Post article on July 11, 2016 about their research exploring the role of biomarkers, such as baby teeth, in identifying environmental exposures that occur early in life. This approach has the potential to reveal the impact of thousands of chemicals on child neurodevelopment. “No one is exposed to one chemical at a time. Everybody is exposed to clusters of chemicals at a time,” said Robert Wright, director of the Lautenberg Laboratory for Environmental Health at the Icahn School of Medicine. “Very few, if any, studies have actually addressed that.” Please click here to view the full article.
Dr. Dudley Receives Faculty Council Award for Academic Excellence
Please join us in congratulating P30 Center member Dr. Joel Dudley on receiving Mount Sinai’s Faculty Council Award for Academic Excellence. Dr. Dudley was one of three junior faculty members selected for this award. An Associate Professor in the Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences as well as Population Health Science and Policy, Dr. Dudley is the PI of Dudley Lab, focusing on translational and biomedical informatics.
Pediatricians Demand National Action to Address Childhood Lead Poisoning
The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement in June, 2016, urging federal, state and local governments to fund and implement programs to reduce lead exposure in homes, soil, water and consumer products. “A child should not be “a canary in a coal mine,” signaling the presence of lead in a home or community, said Jennifer Lowry, a pediatrician who chaired the policy committee and is chief of toxicology at Children’s Mercy, Kansas City.” To read more, please click here. To learn about ways you can reduce lead exposure in your home, please visit our Lead Resource Page.