Microplastics and PFAS – an Emerging Threat to Lung Health? (with live Q&A)

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) can arise from a variety of sources, including by design, as in the case of microbeads used in cosmetic and personal care products. or inadvertently, as the result of degradation of larger plastic products. MNPs are found everywhere on the planet, including the oceans, air and food supply.¹ Microplastics mainly enter our bodies from food, drinking water, respiration or via our skin barrier.²

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a diverse group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment.³ The widespread use of PFAS has led to global dispersion within the atmosphere and regionally via soil and water systems, with increasing evidence of impacts on humans and wildlife.³

Microplastics and PFAS are everywhere – so a question arises ‘What impact do they both have on human health?’

Chiesi are proud to welcome Dr Laura Sadofsky to talk about microplastics including some background research regarding particulate matter and air quality. She will also present data on the detection of microplastics in human lung tissue using μFTIR spectroscopy and why it is important to recognise the impact of microplastics on human respiratory health.

Dr Sadofsky is joined by Dr Mark Wade who will talk about Poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), where they come from and how these are linked to microplastics. He will also delve into the research behind PFAS and links to human health such as lung health and breast cancer.

Please join us on Wednesday 21st May 2025 1-2pm for the live webinar and Q&A session.

References

1. Microplastics are everywhere – we need to understand how they affect human health. Nat Med 30, 913 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02968-x

2. Breast Cancer UK. Microplastics and the human health impact. https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/microplastics-and-the-human-health-impact/

3. UK Government. Future Research Approved work: Regulation and remediation of ‘forever’ chemicals https://post.parliament.uk/approved-work-regulation-and-remediation-of-forever-chemicals/

If you are experiencing any issues viewing the webinar please click here to view the webinar through the Zoom platform.

• Dr Laura Sadofsky

  Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine

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  Dr Laura Sadofsky

  Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine Hull York Medical School

  Role and Location
  Dr Laura Sadofsky is a Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine in the Centre for Biomedicine. She is the programme director for the MSc in Pharmacology and Education and Chair of the Hull York Medical School Athena SWAN committee.

  Research Interests
  Dr Laura Sadofsky’s group is interested in the role of ion channels, specifically the thermo-TRPs (Transient Receptor Potential ion channels) and the purinoceptors, in cough and airways inflammation. Her laboratory is currently using human cells and tissue to develop models of the human airways. Using these models, they hope to better understand the changes which occur in the airways in response to viruses as well as environmental stimuli and pharmaceuticals.

• Dr Mark Wade

  Senior Lecturer in Molecular Genetics

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  Dr Mark Wade

  Senior Lecturer in Molecular Genetics Hull York Medical School

  Role and Location
  Dr Mark Wade is a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Genetics in the Hull York Medical School Centre for Biomedicine (Hull) where he leads the Cancer Epigenetics Team.

  Education
  – BSc (University of Nottingham)
  – MSc (Newcastle University)
  – PhD / DPhil (Newcastle University)

  Research Interests
  His research interests are mainly focused on epigenetic mechanisms in cancer, in particular breast and prostate cancer and glioblastoma. He is also interested in enzymes which regulate the chemical modification of histones to control chromatin structure and gene expression, and their potential as therapeutic targets to treat cancer.

  Memberships
  Dr Wade is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the European Association for Cancer Research.