Courtney
Carignan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology
Michigan State University
Speaker Bio
Courtney Carignan is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University with a joint appointment in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology who investigates exposure to contaminants in food, water and consumer products along with effects on reproductive, immune and child health. Her expertise spans a range of environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, industrial solvents, and persistent organic pollutants. For the past decade, she has focused primarily on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a large class of chemicals used widely in products from food packaging to firefighting foam that have become a common contaminant in drinking water.
Tracing PFAS and Other Persistent Contaminants from Source to Diet
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and other
persistent chemical contaminants pose growing challenges to the safety and
sustainability of modern food systems. This seminar will explore the diverse
pathways by which these chemicals migrate from industrial sources into the
environment, agriculture, and human diet. By integrating perspectives from
environmental health, toxicology, and food systems science, the seminar aims to
advance understanding of chemical contaminant toxicity, points of vulnerability
in the food supply chain as well as strategies for detection, mitigation, and
intervention.