Superfund Research Program

October 2022

Paper of the Month or Year

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill SRP Center uncovered the biological mechanisms by which exposure to wildfire smoke harms the heart and lungs in mice. Wildfires are growing in intensity and frequency, posing a threat to public health worldwide. Although evidence links wildfire exposure with cardiopulmonary effects, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown.

According to the authors, this study highlights the potential role of circulating plasma EVs in communication between tissues, which may contribute to cardiopulmonary effects of wildfire smoke exposure.

Read more in the NIEHS Environmental Factor newsletter.