Plastics, Microplastics, and Plastic Chemicals: Emerging Impacts on Human Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Health

This virtual workshop will be led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). It will bring together basic scientists, pediatricians, primary care physicians, maternal–fetal medicine experts, neonatologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, nurses, pharmacists, epidemiologists, environmentalists, toxicologists, implementation scientists, data scientists, and community representatives to discuss the role of exposures to micro-nanoplastics (MNPs) and forever chemicals (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS]) across the lifespan in heart, lung, and blood disorders to identify critical research gaps, challenges, and opportunities. The discussion will involve consideration of leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and multi-omics approaches in existing birth cohorts, animals, and organoids, as well as the potential for clinical trials to incorporate novel technology-based interventions (e.g., smartphone tracking apps, telehealth approaches, and exposure assessments) and implementation science. 

Academic Co-Chairs

Matthew Campen, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., University of New Mexico

Nikki Posnack, Ph.D., Children's National Hospital

NIH Co-Chairs

Daniel Frank, Ph.D., NHLBI   

May Montasser, Ph.D., NHLBI 

Martin Playford, Ph.D., NHLBI 

Beena Sood, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.P, NHLBI 

NIH Planning Committee

Diane Bild, M.D., M.P.H., NHLBI (former)

Ingrid Espinoza Grandon, Ph.D., NHLBI 

Marisol Espinoza-Pintucci, Ph.D., NHLBI

Cashell Jaquish, Ph.D., NHLBI

Marrah Lachowicz-Scroggins, Ph.D., NHLBI 

Sara Lin, Ph.D., NHLBI 

Lisa Postow, Ph.D., NHLBI 

Lingamanaidu Ravichandran, Ph.D., NIEHS

Roy Sutliff, Ph.D., NHLBI

Presenters

Nathan Alves, Ph.D., Perdue University 

Robert Bennett, Ph.D., University of Hull

Paulita Bennett-Martin, M.S., 5Gyres

Joseph Braun, RN, M.S.P.H., Ph.D., Brown University

Bethany Brown, Ph.D., American Red Cross

Lindsay Cahill, Ph.D., Memorial University of Newfoundland

Ross Clark, M.D., M.B.A., University of New Mexico

Marc Deller, D.Phil, Elora Therapeutics

Michelle Epstein, M.D., Medical University of Vienna

Lauren Jantzie, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University 

Zhenquan Jia, Ph.D., UNC Greensboro

Karl Jobst, Ph.D., University of Newfoundland and Labrador

Kurunthachalam Kannan, Ph.D., Wadsworth Center, New York State Dept. of Health, 

Juyong Brian Kim, M.D., Stanford Medicine

Jordan Kuiper, Ph.D., George Washington University 

Philip Landrigan, M.D., MSc, Boston College

Michaela Lucas, M.D., Dr Med, University of Western Australia Medical School

Somdat Mahabir, Ph.D., M.P.H., National Cancer Institute/NIH

Irene Maltigliati, MSc , University of Groningen

Barbro Melgert, Ph.D., University of Groningen, Netherlands 

Giuseppe Paolisso, M.D., University of Campania, Naples, Italy

Katie Pelch, Natural Resources Defense Council

Justin SA Perry, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering

Michael Petriello, Ph.D., Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University

Maria Jose Rosa, DrPH, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Jamie Ross, Ph.D., University of Rhode Island

Laura Sadofsky, Ph.D., Hull York Medical School

Celestino Sardu, M.D., MSc, Ph.D., University of Campania

Valerie Siroux, Ph.D., French Institute of Health and Medical Research

Phoebe Stapleton, Ph.D., Rutgers University 

Annemarie Stroustrup, M.D., M.P.H., Northwell Health, Cohen Childrens Medical Center

Leonardo Trasande, M.D., New York University 

Roel Vermeulen, MSc, Ph.D., Utrecht University

Imari Walker-Franklin, Ph.D., RTI International 

Mingyu Zhang , Ph.D., Harvard Medical School 

Changcheng  Zhou, Ph.D., U.C. Riverside

Event Details:

📅 Date: December 7-8, 2026

💻 Virtual Workshop: A link to join the virtual workshop will be sent closer to the date of the workshop. Registration for this workshop is free but required to attend.

Contact:

For questions or to request reasonable accommodations to participate in this event, please email Jessica Freer at jessica.mitchell@nih.gov.