Howard E. Woodin ES Colloquium Series

“Environmental Health in the Arctic: Perfluoroalkyl contaminants and thyroid function in a remote population of Alaska Natives” by Sam Byrne, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, St. Lawrence University

While generally thought of as one of the last untouched areas on earth, the Arctic is widely contaminated with persistent pollutants. These chemicals build up in arctic food webs and pose a threat to arctic biota and the indigenous peoples who still rely on traditionally harvested food animals. This talk will discuss the exposure to perfluoralkyl substances in both humans and a sentinel fish species, as well as potential for disruption of thyroid function in humans.

Sponsored by the Environmental Studies Program, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Programs in Global Health and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.