The Harvard School of Public Health Superfund Research Program |

Toxic Metals and Childhood Neurological Development

Child development and cognitive function are among the most important outcomes in public health. In developing countries and in poor communities in the United States, exposure to metals before birth or during childhood can alter both the development and organization of the...
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Site Characterization

Site Characterization is an essential and complex first step in characterizing the extent of contamination and human health risk at a toxic waste sites. It helps provide information through field sampling and laboratory analyses of soil, water and air samples; it is essential to...
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Mixed Metal Exposures

Mixed metal exposures reflect real world exposures scenarios and are of particular importance to our program. Mixtures pose unique challenges to researchers and little is yet known of their health effects for nearly all combinations of chemicals. Contamination by mixtures of...
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Gene-Environment Interaction

Genetic and environmental factors of disease are sometimes thought to be mutually exclusive. Yet, the interplay between our genes and the metals we encounter is actually what concerns human health. Genes can affect a person’s susceptibility to toxic environmental effects by...
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Metals in the Environment Over Time

The relationship between metals in the environment and exposure is further complicated by biological, chemical and physical processes constantly occurring in the earth and its waterways. Over time metals can become more or less bioaccessible, or readily taken up into the human...
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Explore Our Projects

Our six research projects can be grouped into two subsets:

“Pre-Exposure & “Post-Exposure”

This is important because there are many factors that play into environmental health

Where We Work

Our fieldwork takes place at three sites, meant to represent a range of populations and exposure levels from different parts of the world.

Who We Are

Our program operates through the coming together of a diverse team of scientific and administrative leaders. As individuals our investigators provide many analytic insights, skills, and training for the next generation of environmental health scholars. Yet the

Photos & Videos

The Tar Creek Superfund Story Featuring Rebecca Jim

Learn from L.E.A.D. Agency Director, Rebecca Jim, about how the Tar Creek community...

HCRA Methods for Research Synthesis Workshop Video

Methods for research synthesis, including systematic review, meta-analysis, and expert...

Trailer for the Documentary Feature Film, MisLEAD: America’s Secret Epidemic

This is the May 2013 version of trailer for the film MisLEAD: America’s Secret...

In the spring and summer of 2011, a fishpond with a dam in Bangladesh was constructed....

Watch the Tar Creek story about the 40 square-mile site contaminated with remains from...

These images depict the long history of mining practices in Ottawa County. Special thanks...

HSPH Researchers Dr. David Christiani and Dr. Maitrey Mazumdar recently traveled to...

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Toxic Metals and Childhood Neurological Development

Site Characterization

Mixed Metal Exposures

Gene-Environment Interaction

Metals in the Environment Over Time

Explore Our Projects

Where We Work

Who We Are

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