$3 million grant to study forever chemicals on child development
by January 20, 2025 6:20 pm 193 views
The National Institutes of Health has awarded Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) a $3 million grant to explore how forever chemicals impact infant and child development. The project will also look at whether a pregnant mom’s physical activity can offer some protection against those chemicals’ effects.
The work led by Aline Andres, PhD, RD, will build on her team’s earlier findings that indicate prenatal exposure to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can affect how genes are activated in the placenta.
PFAS are man-made chemicals, also called “forever chemicals” because they take a long time to degrade so they build up in the environment. They are often found in manufactured items ranging from carpets, clothing and personal care to cleaning products, cookware and food packaging.
Andres is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and associate director of the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC). One of six Human Nutrition Research Centers in the U.S., the ACNC is a partnership between Arkansas Children’s and the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, in collaboration with ACRI and UAMS.
Some PFAS have been associated with negative health effects, and because of their widespread use and persistence, they can build up in living organisms. The research team aims to understand how PFAS may impact maternal and child health during the prenatal and postnatal period.
“By working closely with experts from many fields, our team will find out how PFAS affect children as they grow,” Andres said. “Our goal is to find ways to protect children from any potential harm these chemicals could cause.”
The team will investigate how exercise during pregnancy impacts prenatal PFAS exposure, placental PFAS exposure and function, and postnatal health.
“We know that exercise is the key to improved health in many situations,” said Andres. “We’re excited to see if this may be one more way physical activity leads to healthier families.”