The A to Z on Atrazine: Sex hormones and America’s most popular pesticide
January 15th, 2013
3 pm EST / 12 noon PST
Despite being banned in Europe due to health risks atrazine, a hormone-disrupting herbicide, is one of the world’s largest use pesticides -- hundreds of millions of pounds per year. It can be found in our lakes, streams rain and drinking water, at levels that make a difference to human health. Scientists link exposure to increased risk of birth defects, infertility and cancer, among other health impacts. It turns tadpoles into hermaphrodites.
Indiana neonatalogist Dr. Paul Winchester will discuss the science on atrazine exposure and birth defects in particular. Biologist Emily Marquez, PhD, discusses how communities are monitoring drinking water supplies for atrazine, and are pushing for health protections. She manages the Grassroots Science Program at Pesticide Action Network. Finally, we will discuss why this chemical remains on the market in the U.S. and dialogue about roles that health professionals can take in changing our pesticide and chemicals policies.
Emily Marquez, PhD, Staff Scientist at Pesticide Action Network (PAN), holds a PhD in Biology from Boston University. She began studying reptiles as an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, working on effects of sex steroids on sex determination and development in snakes, turtles, and lizards in the laboratory of Tyrone Hayes. Before joining PAN in 2012, Emily studied the impact of contaminated soil on the expression of genes that play a role in reproduction in turtles, then did postdoctoral research at UC Davis and UC Berkeley.
Dr. Paul Winchester is a Clinical Professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, Attending at Riley Children’s Hospital, and Director of Neonatology at St. Francis Hospital. His research interests focus on environmental exposures associated with epigenetic changes during fetal and infant development and life course diseases. He holds a B.A. in Phycology from Stanford University, an M.A. in Experimental Psychology from University of Michigan, an M.D. from the University of Colorado, and is board certified in the specialty of neonatology. His research investigating environmental associations with SIDS, birth defects, preterm birth, and infant mortality have been presented at numerous Universities, Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meetings, USGS, Indiana State Health Department, public health and environmental organization working forums, and numerous media interviews.
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