How blood proteins make PFAS stay in the body and affect the liver
Official title: The role of albumin and other serum factors in Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) accumulation and toxicity
Funded at University of Rhode Island · NIH-11330274 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers explore how common blood proteins like albumin cause PFAS chemicals to remain in people exposed to them and potentially harm the liver.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rhode Island NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kingston, United States) |
| Project start | May 13, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $384,818 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES037367-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330274 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with known PFAS exposure or elevated blood PFAS levels, especially those with fatty liver disease or abnormal blood lipids, would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without PFAS exposure or whose liver disease is clearly caused by other factors may not receive direct benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
The team uses laboratory tests and mouse models that lack albumin to see how PFAS chemicals bind to blood proteins and persist in the body. They compare PFAS levels in normal and albumin-deficient mice and run in vitro binding experiments to test other serum proteins such as immunoglobulins. Findings will be compared to known human PFAS half-lives and liver effects to connect the lab results to human health. The goal is to identify the protein interactions that keep PFAS in the bloodstream and contribute to liver injury and lipid problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to speed PFAS removal from the body or prevent PFAS-related liver damage.
How similar studies have gone: Previous lab studies showed albumin binds PFAS and preliminary mouse data support a role for albumin, but the full in-body mechanisms and other binding proteins remain unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Slitt, Angela L — University of Rhode Island
- Study coordinator: Slitt, Angela L
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.