PROTECT Researchers Discuss Progress and Collaboration at 2025 Annual Retreat

On January 10th and 11th, PROTECT hosted its 2025 Annual Retreat in Dorado, Puerto Rico. More than 80 investigators, staff, advisory committee members, university leaders, and trainees met over two days at the Embassy Suites Dorado to discuss the center’s past year of work, future plans, and potential collaborations to leverage PROTECT.

Throughout the retreat, project leaders highlighted noteworthy research developments from the past year. PROTECT PI Akram Alshawabkeh put the spotlight on a collaboration with 16 cohorts evaluating racial and ethnic disparities in phthalate exposure and preterm birth, which was distinguished as the ISEE’s Best Environmental Epidemiology Paper of 2024. Project 1 Lead John Meeker reported on his lab’s finding that there are significantly higher odds of PTB when exposed to a variety of phthalates and metals, as well as glyphosate. He also highlighted a paper led by trainee Haley Jenkins demonstrating potential associations between prenatal exposure to glyphosate and neurodevelopmental delays, which was recognized as a June 2024 NIEHS extramural paper of the month. Project 2’s Sean Harris provided insight into TCE placental toxicity mechanisms, presenting research showing that TCE metabolites caused cell death in three in vitro placental models and decreased fetal weight in exposed pregnant rats, though weight reduction was prevented by a reactive oxygen species scavenger. Project 3 Lead Ingrid Padilla showed that contaminant mixtures with ranges of CVOCs, phthalates, metals, pesticides, and pharmaceutical and personal care product micropollutants are present in a significant number of groundwater and tap water samples from the PROTECT study area. She also highlighted a collaborative PROTECT investigation into drinking water quality near Superfund sites and potential health risks post-Hurricane Maria, which was also recognized as an NIEHS extramural paper of the month. The Project 4 team spoke about their water remediation work that coupled adsorption with electrooxidation processes by using a composite cathode of granular activated carbon and stainless-steel mesh, reporting that this approach accelerated contaminant mixture removal and increased the service life of activated carbon filters. They highlighted further combined system work when describing the success of a merged EAOP-pyrite water remediation system, which was featured in an NIEHS Research Brief.

Core leads focused on steps they’ve taken to enhance the capacity, exposure, and interactivity of PROTECT research. HSSC Research Director Zaira Rosario-Pabón highlighted the core’s centralized REDCap project tracker that helps researchers and staff more easily see the different projects participants are enrolled in and samples that have been collected from them. Carmen Vélez-Vega talked about the events the CEC and HSSC hosted throughout 2024, including PROTECT Family Day and back-to-school activities, as well as the core’s participation in professional events like the Puerto Rican Public Health, ISEE, and APHA conferences. DMAC’s Dave Kaeli and Zlatan Feric gave a demo of progress they’ve made to leverage large language models to communicate collective knowledge from almost 400 publications produced by PROTECT. Training Core Lead Kelsey Pieper highlighted the team’s recent activities and trainee success, including that of former trainees Stephanie Eick and Max Aung, who joined Emory University and University of Southern California, respectively, as Assistant Professors and contributed to competing P42 SRP applications this past year. She also spoke about the experience of KC Donnelly recipient Kyla Drewry, who traveled to North Carolina in October to work with local nonprofits and experts on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.

Throughout discussions and presentations, the PROTECT team considered plans for future research. The Advisory Committee highlighted the importance of aligning with NIEHS priorities while examining how prenatal exposure to chemical mixtures affects children’s development, a focus PROTECT continues to pursue. Dr. Harris considered ideas to further collaboration between Michigan and Puerto Rico, leading to a discussion about working with the HSSC and UPR Medical Sciences Campus trainees to start placenta toxicology experiments in Puerto Rico.

PROTECT was excited to be joined by guests from Northeastern University, University of Michigan, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Silent Spring Institute to facilitate discussions about a variety of projects to leverage PROTECT. Northeastern’s Brie Reid talked about a potential collaboration with PROTECT to understand the combined impacts of prenatal stress and iron levels on child neurodevelopment. Joseph Allen, Director of Harvard’s Healthy Buildings program, presented with his postdoctoral researchers and considered utilizing his team’s air quality modeling and sensors in schools in Puerto Rico. University of Michigan’s Marie O’Neill shifted discussions to maternal health, talking about a project to investigate how extreme weather events in Puerto Rico impact maternal and mental health outcomes. Major university leaders were also guests, with Northeastern Bouvé College of Health Sciences Dean Carmen Sceppa and UPR Medical Sciences Campus Chancellor Myrna Quiñones Feliciano engaging with researchers throughout meetings and seeing how their support enhances PROTECT.