Miembros de SWEHSC Jeffrey Burgess, MD, MS, MPH y Kate Ellingson, PhD, junto con su equipo, han encontrado una relación entre exposición a PFAS y la disminución de la efectividad de las vacunas COVID-19 en niños.    Más información aquí:

SWEHSC members Jeffrey Burgess, MD, MS, MPH; Kate Ellingson, PhD; and their team have found a significant relationship between PFAS “forever chemical” exposure and decreased COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in children.    Learn more at

Our latest newsletter is out! Check out what's going on in our Center here:

Did you miss the NIH Health and Extreme Weather Program webinar with SWEHSC members Kacey Ernst, PhD, and Melissa Furlong, PhD? You can now watch the recording here:

Overwhelmed by all the PFAS news? SWESHC member Melissa Furlong, PhD, shares practical tips for reducing exposure at home:

It was a whirlwind week last week with the National PFAS Conference! Thanks to everyone who made the event possible. We appreciate all the individuals who gathered to discuss this important topic:

The PFAS Conference is finally here! We're so happy to welcome attendees from all over the country. We will be discussing all things PFAS from both research and community perspectives. Thanks to everyone who made this event possible!

Don't forget that we're hosting a free PFAS CME workshop during the conference next week! Learn about how to discuss PFAS with your patients. Please share with your networks!

The 2026 National PFAS Conference is coming up! The UA Communications team put together this nice write up about the event:

One of the breakout sessions during the National PFAS Conference is open to the public and counts for CME credit! Learn about PFAS and how it relates to your patients with Dr. Rachel Criswell. Please pass this along to your networks, it's relevant to MDs, DOs, RNs, and others. Zoom option available!

Check out this blog highlighting a Cooling Center Toolkit developed by SWEHSC member Mona Arora, PhD, and her team, as well as the Pima County Health Department, a valuable resource for cooling centers:

Congratulations to Detlef Knappe, PhD, for being selected for a 2026 Trailblazer Award by the National PFAS Conference! We look forward to celebrating his achievement at the conference in June 🎉

Congratulations to Arlene Blum, PhD, for being selected for a 2026 Trailblazer Award by the National PFAS Conference! We look forward to celebrating her achievement at the conference in June 🎉

Congratulations to Phil Brown, PhD, for being selected for a 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award by the National PFAS Conference! We look forward to celebrating his achievement at the conference in June 🎉

Congratulations to Chris Lau, PhD, for being selected for a 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award by the National PFAS Conference! We look forward to celebrating his achievement at the conference in June 🎉

Congratulations to Dr. Burgess and his team for their new publication in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine! They look at how changes in workplace behavior and policy possibly reduce PFAS exposure in firefighters. Read the article here:

We have some great tours scheduled for the 2026 National PFAS Conference! You need to register for them in addition to the main conference - check out our website for more info and to register. Link in our bio!

Check out the latest updates on the Hermosa Mine in Patagonia, AZ:

Do your allergies feel worse? SWEHSC researcher Dr. Tara Carr shares what might be making them so bad:

You've been hearing us talk about it and now it's finally open! Register for the National PFAS Conference before it sells out! https://research.arizona.edu/pfas-2026/national-pfas-conference-registration

Last weekend we had a great time at the Tucson Children's Museum Desert Discovery Day! Kids got to test a vinegar and baking soda drain cleaner on a dummy drain while we gave guardians handouts on toxic ingredients to avoid in every day household cleaners. Thanks for having us!

Tucson community: your voice matters! Pima County is accepting public comments on a proposed air quality permit for Pratt & Whitney Engine Services on S. Alvernon Way. Attend the virtual hearing on April 29 at 3pm or submit written comments by May 24. Draft permit & full documents at pima.gov/454

Our Toxic Detectives summer camp has a few slots still open! Register your middle school child today to make sure they have a spot. Register here: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e9csHkdkSPnSyt8

Did you hear we're co-hosting the National PFAS Conference? We're grateful for all the on-campus support to get the event together, such as from the Udall Center. Check it out:

The AZ Poison Control Center provides an essential service to our community:

Interested in reducing household pesticide exposure? We developed these infographics with Melissa Furlong, PhD, for both urban and agricultural environments: https://swehsc.pharmacy.arizona.edu/community/environmental-health-literacy/environmental-health-education/pesticides-and-human-health

The New York Times released a write up on the pesticide exposure research done by SWEHSC member Melissa Furlong, PhD. Read it here:

SWEHSC member Dr. Mona Arora and Sofia Forier-Montes of the CEC were grateful to be part of the AZ Convening for Advancing Sustainability Education. Thanks to the team from ASU for such an interactive event! We learned a lot from AZ educators and hope to continue collaborating.

Thanks to CHET-SE for inviting us to speak to their students! Doug Cromey of the SWEHSC Microscopy Core and Sofia Forier-Montes of the CEC spoke on EH research. Are you looking for a speaker for an educational youth event? Let us know and we'll connect you with someone knowledgeable from our Center!

Pima County is doing its annual update to local air pollution rules to keep them in line with federal EPA regulations. The public comment period is now open, which means you have a chance to have your say before it's finalized.

Whew, what a weekend! We had about 950 visitors to our slime table at The Festival of Books! It was a great way to teach families about epigenetics, and we shared info on PFAS, pesticides, and healthy homes. Thanks to everyone who stopped by 🌞#TFOB

Did you hear that the Superfund Center was renewed under the leadership of SWEHSC member Xinxin Ding, PhD? They'll be focusing on researching the impacts of dust effects from mines:

New research is out by center member Melissa Furlong, PhD. She focuses on the impact of pesticide usage on newborn health. Check out the press release here:

SWEHSC members Kacey Ernst, PhD, Mona Arora, PhD, and Ladd Keith, PhD, are part of the Heat and Health Resilience Innovation Consortium, studying how heat impacts the most vulnerable in our community:

SWEHSC member Rick Schnellmann, PhD, investigated the role of HTR1F in kidney recovery after moderate to severe acute kidney injury, as well as a potential drug therapy:

We need volunteers for the Festival of Books! We'll be using slime to teach kids about epigenetics :) If you have 2 hours to spare this weekend, please sign up using the form in our bio!

We are hiring! Our current student science writer is amazing but she is also graduating :( Which is great for her, but we need someone new to step in! We are a fun and relaxed team. You will meet a lot of cool researchers and learn about community engagement. Apply through Handshake (Job 10802035)

There's a lot of really cool organizations planning to attend the Tucson Festival of Books - us included! Come see us along with everyone else at Science City next weekend:

SWEHSC member Stephanie Russo Carroll, DrPH, MPH, leads the process to codify the first global standard on Indigenous Peoples' data:

Registration for Toxic Detectives is now open! If you have a middle school student in Tucson who is interested in environmental health or science, this one-week camp is for you. Open until filled, so submit your registration today! https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e9csHkdkSPnSyt8

SWEHSC members Tara Carr, PhD, Julie Ledford, PhD, and Stefano Guerra, MD investigate whether lower circulating levels of a biomarker for fetal airway growth explain the impact of preterm birth and asthma:

Center member Monica Ramirez-Andreotta is co-leading a special issue of the Environmental Justice Journal. Are you a researcher? Submit manuscripts by May 31:

Check out this highlight on research about the impacts of heat on farm worker health! Completed by Rietta Wagoner, PhD, a post-doc in the lab of Melissa Furlong, PhD:

Congratulations to our CEC director Paloma Beamer, PhD, for being awarded the 2026 Society of Toxicology Public Communications award!

SWEHSC member Mona Arora, PhD, will be the co-principal investigator in the Health Impact Assessment of the South32 mine in southern AZ:

There is great work happening in our Center thanks to graduate students. Here's a highlight of some of their work:

More info on firefighters! Check out this video highlighting the work of the Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research Center:

Check out this NPR interview with Melissa Furlong, PhD, regarding the latest PFAS and Firefighters research:

There is interesting research linking PFAS exposure to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Read more about it here:

The Arizona Heat Standards Coalition (Coalición de estándares de calor de AZ) would like folks to testify at the Feb 4 ADOSH Advisory Committee in Phoenix on heat protections for workers. They are offering trainings to prepare your testimony. Reach out to us for details and we'll connect you!