PFAS exposure: how the body absorbs, distributes, and clears these chemicals
Official title: Mechanisms of Exposure
Funded at University of Rhode Island · NIH-11389407 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how PFAS chemicals get into and leave the body and what roles transport proteins play, with the goal of understanding why these substances stay in people and tissues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rhode Island NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kingston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $194,529 |
| NIH project number | 5P42ES027706-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389407 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with PFAS exposure histories or interest in how these chemicals behave in the body, though the study uses animal models and cell systems rather to inform human health implications.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit may be limited to future risk assessment and policy implications rather than immediate clinical treatments.
What this research studies
PFAS exposure is widespread and the project will use mouse models and cell-based tests to explore whether specific transporters and protein binding influence PFAS absorption and elimination. Researchers will study transporter proteins like OATP2B1 and ABCG2 to see how they affect PFAS uptake and tissue distribution. By combining chemistry, pharmacology, and animal models, the work seeks to map the mechanisms that govern PFAS ADE in living organisms. This knowledge could help inform safer exposure limits and future interventions to reduce PFAS impact on health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better risk assessments and strategies to reduce PFAS accumulation in people.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies suggest transporter proteins influence PFAS behavior, but this project aims to clarify their roles with targeted animal and cell-based experiments.
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.