News Archives - Institute for Exposomic Research

Mount Sinai Study Uses Baby Teeth and Brain Imaging to Reveal How Early-Life Metal Exposures Shape Brain Development and Behavior

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report that early-life exposure to common environmental metals may influence brain development and behavioral health more than a decade later. The study, published in Science Advances, is the first to combine naturally shed baby teeth with advanced brain imaging to pinpoint specific weeks during pregnancy and infancy when the developing brain appears most vulnerable to environmental exposures.

HEALS News

Grant Awarded to Study the Effects of Exposures during Pregnancy on Risk of Postpartum Depression

A $2.1 million R01 grant has been awarded to Mount Sinai to study the effects of environmental exposures during pregnancy on the risk of postpartum depression.

HEALS News

Mauro Martinez, PhD, Receives National Award for Advancing Early-Life Fluoride Exposure Research

The poster presentation titled “Reconstructing Early Life Fluoride Exposure Using a Novel High-Resolution Dentine Biomarker” introduces a groundbreaking method that reconstructs fluoride exposure during pregnancy and early childhood with unprecedented precision—offering new insights into how environmental factors shape health across the lifespan.

Air Pollution & Environmental Extremes HEALS News

Indoor Air Pollution Findings Offer Hope for Asthma Prevention

Sonali Bose, MD, MPH, ATSF, Associate Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is helping to improve the lives of vulnerable women and babies while pushing the boundaries of indoor air pollution research.

News

Mount Sinai Received $4.5 Million NIH Award to Launch a Pioneering Women’s Environmental Health Research Training Program

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has received a prestigious $4.5 million, five-year K12 award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a pioneering program that will train the next generation of leaders in women’s health research.

News PFAS

“Forever Chemicals” Linked to Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Exposure to a class of synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—often called “forever chemicals”—may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study led by Mount Sinai researchers.

Child Health News

Prenatal and Childhood Lead Exposure Linked to Faster Memory Decay in Children

A study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai shows that exposure to lead during pregnancy and early childhood may accelerate the rate at which children forget information—a critical marker of memory impairment that may have implications for learning and development.

News

Dr. Manasi Agrawal Named Director of Environmental Gastroenterology at Mount Sinai

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has announced the appointment of Dr. Manasi Agrawal as the inaugural Director of Environmental Gastroenterology in the Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology.

Brain Health News

Gut Microbiome and Food Insecurity Linked to Cognitive Impairment

A new study led in part by Mount Sinai researchers has found a compelling link between the composition of the gut microbiome and the risk of cognitive impairment in adults, underscoring the role biology and social determinants—such as food insecurity— in brain health.

Events News

Santiago Exposome Symposium: September 25-27, 2025

The Second Latin American Exposome Symposium will be held in Santiago, Chile, September 25-27, 2025, focusing on the theme “Integrating Environmental Exposures into Aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, and ADRD Research.”

Air Pollution Air Pollution & Environmental Extremes News

Cardiorespiratory Effects of Wildfire Smoke Particles Can Persist for Months, Even After a Fire Has Ended

Exposure to lingering fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke can have health effects up to three months afterwards, well beyond the couple of days that previous studies have identified. The exposure can occur even after the fires have ended.

News

Dr. Dania Valvi Appointed to Newly Created Public Health Role

The Department of Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is pleased to announce the appointment of Damaskini (Dania) Valvi, MD, MPH, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and member of the Mount Sinai Institute for Exposomic Research, as Vice Chair for Research and Education and Director of Graduate Education in Public Health.

Community HEALS News

Community-Led Air Quality Monitoring in the Lower East Side

The kickoff meeting, held at the Sixth Street Community Center, brought together approximately 20 attendees. It served to introduce the project team, build local interest, and begin identifying priority areas for monitoring and community action.

Community HEALS News

Community Mapping Workshop Series

Community mapping in environmental health science aims to empower communities by integrating local knowledge with scientific methods to gather and analyze data. This process enables the discovery of actionable insights, making it a valuable resource for advocacy, strategic planning, and implementing solutions specific to a community’s needs.

Community HEALS News

Educating Policymakers on Health Impacts of Adverse Environmental Exposures

Environmental health scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have a long history of supporting evidence-based protective policies and practices. For this reason, they are frequently called upon by community organizations and concerned residents for expert guidance on the health effects of environmental exposures and strategies to create safer environments.

News

From New York City to Guaynabo, Puerto Rico: Environmental Medicine Collaborations

Mount Sinai’s Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) collaborated with local organizations in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico to support the reopening of La Marquesa Forest Park, a lush forest reserve of approximately 600 acres.

News Pregnancy

Early-Life Lead Exposure Weakens Immune Responses to Vaccinations, New Study Finds

A recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology has identified critical periods during early life when lead exposure can significantly diminish children’s antibody responses to routine vaccinations. The research found that increased lead levels in the first three weeks after birth are associated with a notable decrease in anti-tetanus antibody levels, while exposure around the time of birth (one week before to one week after) correlates with reduced anti-diphtheria antibody levels.

Featured Studies News Pregnancy

New Study: Metabolism-Disrupting Chemical Mixtures, Folic Acid Supplementation, and Liver Injury and Steatosis in Mother-Child Pairs

A new study by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reveals that prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals and endocrine disruptors may pose significant risks to liver health for both mothers and their newborns. Additionally, the researchers found that treating folic acid and other B vitamin deficiencies in pregnancy may help counter some of the adverse effects of prenatal exposures on the livers of children.

Featured Studies News

New Study: The World Trade Center Exposome and Health Effects in 9/11 Rescue and Recovery Workers

A new study published in Communications Medicine – Nature sheds light on the profound health effects of environmental and chemical exposures experienced by rescue and recovery workers after the 9/11 World Trade Center (WTC) attacks.

Air Pollution Cardiovascular Health Featured Studies News

New Study: Machine Learning Reveals Link Between Specific Sources of Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Risk

Researchers found an increase in the risk of ASCVD death, with notable associations with oil combustion sources and coal and biomass burning