Dec 13, 2019: Fetal and neonatal effects of in utero exposure to perfluoroalkyl ether acids

Fall 2019 Seminar Series (Pharm 847-S/ENV 847-S)

Duke University Program in Environmental Health & Toxicology

Friday, December 13, 2019, 11:45 am – 1:00 pm, Grainger Hall Field Auditorium (rm 1112)

Justin Conley, Ph.D.JUSTIN CONLEY, PH.D.

US EPA: Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Branch

Fetal and neonatal effects of in utero exposure to perfluoroalkyl ether acids

Legacy, straight-chain perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA and PFOS, have been removed from commerce due to widespread environmental contamination, long environmental and biological half-lives, nearly ubiquitous exposure to humans and wildlife, and various adverse effects associated with exposure.  Perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids, such as GenX, and perfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acids, such as Nafion byproduct 2, are subclasses of PFAS that have recently been used as replacements for PFOA and PFOS.  However, GenX and Nafion byproduct 2, among many other replacement PFAS, have little or no published toxicity studies for comparison to the legacy PFAS.  Further, despite human biomonitoring data indicating widespread exposure to multiple PFAS, there is little to no in vivo toxicity data regarding mixture-based effects to inform cumulative risk assessment.  This seminar will cover recent data generated from laboratory rat studies on the adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal effects of in utero exposure to emerging PFAS compounds individually and as a mixture.

 

Speaker Biography:

Dr. Justin Conley is a Reproductive Systems Biologist in the Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Branch at the US EPA in Research Triangle Park, NC.  He received a BS in Biology and Environmental Chemistry from Warren Wilson College, MS in Environmental Science from UT-Chattanooga, and a PhD in Environmental Toxicology from North Carolina State University.  Currently, his research focuses on the reproductive and development toxicity of in utero exposure to individual chemicals and mixtures, primarily perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and endocrine disrupting chemicals including pesticides and plasticizers.  His work utilizes a range of in vitro and in vivo approaches to characterize mechanisms of action and dose response relationships, estimate chemical potency, and assess mixture-based responses in ways that are useful for developing Adverse Outcome Pathways and for direct application to chemical hazard and risk assessment.