Reducing PFAS pollution in water and protecting liver health
Southern California Superfund Research and Training Program for PFAS Assessment, Remediation, and Prevention (ShARP)
Researchers at USC are developing ways to find and clean up PFAS in the environment while learning how PFAS exposure can harm people's livers, especially those at risk for fatty liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11324189 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This Center brings together lab and field teams to tackle PFAS contamination and its links to liver disease from a patient perspective. Scientists will use human 3D liver spheroid models in the lab and follow people over time in human studies to connect PFAS exposure with liver changes. Environmental teams will test new methods to detect PFAS in water, soil, and air and build models to predict how PFAS move through groundwater. The program will also develop and test technologies to help clean or prevent PFAS contamination and share findings with communities near affected sites.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would include people living near known PFAS-contaminated sites or those with known PFAS exposure who are willing to provide health information and biological samples for longitudinal follow-up.
Not a fit: People without any PFAS exposure concerns or whose liver conditions are unrelated to environmental exposures are unlikely to get direct health benefits from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve screening for PFAS exposure, reduce contaminated drinking water, and help prevent or mitigate PFAS-related liver disease.
How similar studies have performed: Some observational studies have linked PFAS to liver problems, but combining human 3D liver models, longitudinal patient studies, and environmental remediation tools is a novel and relatively untested integrated approach.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chatzi, Vaia Lida — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Chatzi, Vaia Lida
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 below.