Terumi Midoro-Horiuti, M.D., Ph.D.

We will investigate whether prenatal exposures to the environmental pollutant bisphenol A (BPA) increases the risk of developing asthma later in life. BPA is a chemical that is used to make clear plastic containers and as lining in canned foods. We have found feeding BPA to female mice promoted the development of asthma in their pups and in the next two generations of pups. We hope to identify which immune cells from the infant's cord blood are altered by exposure to higher BPA levels and whether such exposure leads to an increased risk of asthma in this and subsequent generations.