MaineHealth Awarded $1.1M NIH Grant to Study PFAS Exposure and Metabolic Health in Children
Key Insights
MaineHealth received a five-year, $1.1 million NIH grant to research how childhood PFAS (search) exposure influences obesity (search), diabetes (search) risk, and cardiovascular health later in life.
The grant supports mentorship of junior investigators pursuing careers in environmental health research, addressing Maine's disproportionate burden of PFAS (search) contamination.
Research will examine cumulative PFAS (search) exposure from the prenatal period through adolescence and whether healthy diet and physical activity may mitigate associated health effects.
MaineHealth has been awarded a five-year, $1.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate how childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS (search)) — commonly known as "forever chemicals" — may influence the development of obesity (search), diabetes (search), and cardiovascular disease (search) later in life. The award, announced Tuesday, will also fund a mentorship program designed to cultivate the next generation of clinician scientists focused on environmental health risks.
The grant is supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences under Award Number K24ES038632.
A Disproportionate Burden in Maine
Principal Investigator Dr. Abby Fleisch, a pediatric endocrinologist who directs the Environmental Exposures, Epidemiology & Health Lab at the MaineHealth Institute for Research, emphasized the particular relevance of this research for the state.
"I am excited about this grant because it will help to build the next generation of investigators ready to advance environmental health in our state," said Dr. Fleisch. "These studies are important because Maine bears a disproportionate burden of environmental health hazards, including PFAS (search) contamination, radon exposure, woodstove emissions and naturally occurring arsenic."
Maine's PFAS (search) crisis originated from a state-sanctioned program that spread sewage sludge-based fertilizer on farm fields decades ago, before the dangers of these chemicals were understood. PFAS have since been detected in water and food supplies across the United States, including communities throughout Maine, and are linked to numerous health risks including cancer, high cholesterol, and pregnancy complications.
Research Scope and Design
The research will examine how cumulative PFAS (search) exposure from the prenatal period through adolescence may affect body fat, cholesterol levels, and risk factors for diabetes (search) in young adulthood. A key component of the study will investigate whether healthy diet and physical activity may lessen some of the metabolic effects associated with PFAS exposure.
"This project will help to improve the clinical care of children from central Maine and other communities affected by PFAS (search) contamination," Dr. Fleisch said.
The project builds on several ongoing grant-supported studies led by Dr. Fleisch and will leverage long-standing collaborations with large national research cohorts. These partnerships are expected to create new opportunities for early-career investigators to gain experience conducting patient-oriented environmental health research.
Institutional Commitment
Jessica Chertow, Vice President of Research at MaineHealth, underscored the significance of the work: "This work reflects MaineHealth's growing leadership in environmental health research. The MaineHealth Institute for Research is focused on addressing health challenges affecting Maine communities, including environmental risks."
MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system serving 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire, includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, and an extensive behavioral health care network. The system employs more than 2,000 providers and approximately 23,000 care team members.