Everyday plastic chemicals and women's reproductive and metabolic health
Official title: Impact of Epidemiologically Based Phthalate Exposures on Female Reproduction and Metabolism
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11360109 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether common phthalates—chemicals in cosmetics, food packaging, and some medical products—can harm reproductive and metabolic health in women of reproductive age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | June 24, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $400,633 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES037265-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360109 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women of reproductive age—especially those who use many personal care products, have known occupational exposure, or who have unexplained reproductive or metabolic problems—are the group most likely to benefit from findings of this research.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the target group—such as postmenopausal women, men, or those without relevant phthalate exposure—are less likely to gain direct benefit from this project in the near term.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are exposing laboratory mice to phthalate levels similar to what people experience and then studying the affected ovarian follicles and liver-related tissues to learn how those chemicals change cells and fats. The team uses detailed protein and lipid analyses (toxicoproteomics and lipidomics) to find which biological pathways are altered. By comparing treated mice to untreated controls, they hope to map specific molecular changes that match patterns seen in human biomonitoring and clinical data. Those findings will be used to point toward possible ways to prevent or treat phthalate-related reproductive and metabolic problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological pathways that explain how phthalate exposure leads to infertility and metabolic disease, guiding prevention strategies or new treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Epidemiological studies and some animal work have linked phthalates to reproductive and metabolic issues, but many mechanistic details remain novel and unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Craig, Zelieann Rivera — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Craig, Zelieann Rivera
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.