The Effects of Plastic Contamination on Reproductive Health

• Grant number: 25/01941-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Embryology
• Principal Investigator: Wellerson Rodrigo Scarano
• Grantee: Wellerson Rodrigo Scarano
• Principal researcher abroad: Jodi Flaws
• Institution abroad: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dr. Wellerson Scarano (São Paulo State University in Brazil) and Dr. Jodi Flaws (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States) propose to develop a collaboration in which they work together to examine the effects of perinatal exposure to plastic contamination (micro/nanoparticles and phthalates) on reproductive health in female and male offspring. Drs. Scarano and Flaws have successfully collaborated on a previous project that examined the effects of phthalates on the transcriptome in the prostate and the ovary. As a result of their collaboration, they published 6 manuscripts together and edited a special issue of the journal Reproductive Toxicology together. In addition, one of Dr. Flaws' previous graduate students visited Dr. Scarano's lab in Brazil and Dr. Scarano visited Dr. Flaws' lab so they could design experiments and collect data for their previous collaboration. Drs. Flaws and Scarano would now like to extend their collaboration by working together on a new research project. The hypothesis for the proposed novel research project is that perinatal exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of plastic contaminants (micro/nanoparticles and phthalates) adversely impacts the development and function of the testes in male offspring and the ovary in female offspring. Drs. Scarano and Flaws as well as their students will spend time in each other's laboratories conducting experiments and discussing results. Dr. Scarano's laboratory will take the lead in dosing the required rats and collecting tissues. In addition, Dr. Scarano's laboratory will take the lead in conducting the proposed analysis of testes. Dr. Flaws' laboratory will take the lead in conducting the proposed analyses of ovaries and the proposed in vitro experiments. Both Drs. Scarano and Flaws will take the lead in designing experiments, analyzing data, and preparation of manuscripts. It is anticipated that the proposed collaboration will result in the training of students, publication of joint manuscripts, joint seminars/lectures, and the submission of additional research grants. The proposed research project fits into two research themes in the Brasillinois Call for Applications. The proposed project fits into the Public Health and Medicine Theme because it focuses on the effects of environmental plastic contaminants on female and male reproductive health. The proposed project also fits into the Climate and Sustainability Theme because climate change is leading to the degradation of plastics in the environment. This plastic degradation leads to an increase in the amount of known toxicants such as micro/nanoplastics and phthalates that leach from plastics. In turn, this increases human exposure to toxicants and increases risk of adverse health outcomes, including adverse reproductive outcomes. (AU)