Presented on October 31, 2019, by Carla Ng - Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh and secondary appointment in Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health

Abstract: Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a global environmental and public health problem, now known to contaminate drinking water, food, wildlife and humans. Their unique physicochemical properties and extreme persistence have made them incredibly challenging to study and difficult to remove from contaminated sites. As more is discovered about their toxicological impacts, diverse chemistries, and widespread use, there is an urgent need to develop better methods to track their impacts and remove them from the environment. In this talk Dr. Ng discussed her group’s strategies to investigate PFAS fate and effects through the lens of their interactions with proteins in biological systems, and how these interactions may be exploited in the design of biologically inspired remediation techniques.