Silent Spring scientists share their latest research at the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Exposure Science

Silent Spring scientists made a dynamic impact at the 2024 International Society for Exposure Science (ISES) Annual Meeting in Montreal. The annual convening, which took place from October 20-24, brought together experts from academia, government, and nonprofit organizations from around the world to share emerging research aimed at protecting public health and the environment. 

This year’s theme was “Exposures that Impact Health in Vulnerable Populations.” 

“You have experts in exposure science, epidemiology, toxicology, and risk assessment all converging in one place. So, it’s a great opportunity for our scientists to showcase their innovative research, identify opportunities for collaboration, and advance solutions for creating a healthier world,” says Silent Spring Research Scientist Dr. Robin Dodson. 

Presentations by staff included:

• Robin Dodson, ScD: “Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in personal care products used by Black Women and Latinas”
• Kristin Knox, PhD: “Occupational exposures of nurses relative to office workers: a non-targeted analysis using biomonitoring”
• Elissia Franklin, PhD: “Identifying chemicals of health concern in hair extensions using non-targeted analysis and machine learning-assisted screening”
• Alina McIntyre, PhD: “Harnessing geospatial data for urban climate resilience: Insights from a fine scale ambient temperature analysis in an urban heat island”
• Laurel Schaider, PhD, Emily Heckel, MPH, and Yuting Wang, PhD (poster): “PFAS exposures from diet and consumer products in communities with historical drinking water contamination.”

Dr. Knox also shared findings from her latest study on the impact of California's Proposition 65 on people's exposures to toxic chemicals in the state and nationwide. The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, is a collaboration with University of California, Berkeley. 

Dr. Dodson, who leads Silent Spring’s exposure science research, chaired a plenary with community partners on community-engaged exposure studies, as well as two sessions on chemicals in consumer products: “Improving Consumer Product Exposure Assessment: New Tools, Models, and Analyses to Better Estimate Exposures and Potential Health Risks” and “The Cost of Beauty: Emerging Chemicals of Concern in Consumer Products and Their Health Effects.”

Learn more: ISES 2024