A team of scientists from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering has been awarded an $8 million, five-year grant from the the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, to launch the Southern California Superfund Research and Training Program for PFAS Assessment, Remediation and Prevention, or ShARP Center.

Scientists of the center will study environmental contamination from “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, which are used to make multiple household items from cookware to furniture. They will also investigate how these chemicals impact liver health, and how to detect and remove them from public water sources.

Known as “forever chemicals” because they take so long to break down, PFAS are estimated to be present in the blood of more than 99% of U.S. adults. Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine have found that these chemicals can affect nearly every organ in the body, including the kidneys and liver, and are linked to a range of rare cancers. Still, much work remains to better understand how PFAS affect health.

To continue reading, click here.