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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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Your Environment. Your Health.

Person Details: Deborah J. Watkins

Superfund Research Program

Deborah J. Watkins

University of Michigan
6611C SPH I
1415 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029
Email: debjwat@umich.edu

Projects

Publications

2024

  • Jenkins H, Meeker JD, Zimmerman E, Cathey A, Fernandez J, Montanez G, Park S, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Watkins DJ. 2024. Gestational glyphosate exposure and early childhood neurodevelopment in a Puerto Rico birth cohort. Environ Res 246:doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.118114

2023

  • Cathey A, Tamayo-Ortiz M, Tamayo-Orozco J, Meeker JD, Peterson KE, Trejo-Valdivia B, Tellez-Rojo M, Watkins DJ. 2023. Calcium supplementation and body mass index modify associations between prenatal phthalate exposure and perinatal bone ultrasound measures among pregnant women. Environ Res 233:116513. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.116513 PMID:37385416
  • Kim C, Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez-Vega C, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2023. Adverse birth outcomes are associated with circulating matrix metalloproteinases among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. J Reprod Immunol 159:103991. doi:10.1016/j.jri.2023.103991 PMID:37454540
  • Park S, Cathey A, Hao W, Zeng L, Pennathur S, Aung MT, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez-Vega C, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Watkins DJ, Meeker JD. 2023. Associations of phthalates, phthalate replacements, and their mixtures with eicosanoid biomarkers during pregnancy. Environ Int 178:108101. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2023.108101 PMID:37487376
  • Park S, Zimmerman E, Huerta-Montanez G, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez-Vega C, Cordero JF, Alshwabekah A, Meeker JD, Watkins DJ. 2023. Gestational exposure to phthalates and phthalate replacements in relation to neurodevelopmental delays in early childhood. Toxics 11(1):65. doi:10.3390/toxics11010065 PMID:36668792 PMCID:PMC9863718
  • Welch BM, Keil AP, Buckley JP, Engel SM, James-Todd T, Zota AR, Alshawabkeh AN, Barrett ES, Bloom MS, Bush NR, Cordero JF, Dabelea D, Eskenazi B, Lanphear BP, Padmanabhan V, Sathyanarayana S, Swan SH, Aalborg J, Baird DD, Binder AM, Bradman A, Braun JM, Calafat AM, Cantonwine DE, Christenbury KE, Factor-Litvak P, Harley K, Hauser R, Herbstman JB, Hertz-Picciotto I, Holland NT, Jukic AM, McElrath TF, Meeker JD, Messerlian C, Michels KB, Newman RB, Nguyen RH, O'Brien KM, Rauh VA, Redmon B, Rich DQ, Rosen EM, Schmidt RJ, Sparks AE, Starling AP, Wang C, Watkins DJ, Weinberg CR, Weinberger B, Wenzel AG, Wilcox A, Yolton K, Zhang Y, Ferguson KK. 2023. Racial and ethnic disparities in phthalate exposure and preterm birth: A pooled study of sixteen U.S. cohorts. Environ Health Perspect 131(12):127015. doi:10.1289/ehp12831 PMID:38117586 PMCID:10732302

2022

  • Ashrap P, Aung MT, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez-Vega C, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Maternal urinary phthalate metabolites are associated with lipidomic signatures among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 8:doi:10.1038/s41370-022-00410-3 PMID:35075242
  • Cathey A, Aung MT, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez-Vega C, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Mukherjee B, Meeker JD. 2022. Mediation by hormone concentrations on the associations between repeated measures of phthalate mixture exposure and timing of delivery. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol doi:10.1038/s41370-021-00408-3 PMID:34987188
  • Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez-Vega C, Mukherjee B, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Biomarkers of exposure to phthalate mixtures and adverse birth outcomes in a Puerto Rico birth cohort. Environ Health Perspect 130(3):doi:10.1289/EHP8990 PMID:35333099 PMCID:PMC8953418
  • Eaton JL, Cathey A, Fernandez J, Watkins DJ, Silver MK, Milne GL, Velez-Vega C, Rosario Z, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2022. The association between urinary glyphosate and aminomethyl phosphonic acid with biomarkers of oxidative stress among pregnant women in the PROTECT birth cohort study. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 233:7. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113300 PMID:35158254 PMCID:PMC8920761
  • Kim C, Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Maternal metals/metalloid blood levels are associated with lipidomic profiles among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Front Public Health 9:doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.754706 PMID:35096734 PMCID:PMC8790322
  • Kim C, Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Maternal blood metal concentrations are associated with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Environ Res 209:doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.112874 PMID:35123972
  • Kim C, Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez-Vega C, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Maternal blood metal concentrations are associated with C-reactive protein and cell adhesion molecules among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Environ Epidemiol 6(4):e214. doi:10.1097/EE9.0000000000000214
  • Lee CW, Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez-Vega C, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2022. Associations of urinary phthalate metabolites and inflammatory biomarkers among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Sci Total Environ 854:158773. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158773 PMID:36113809
  • Previdi IL, Welton M, Rivera JD, Watkins DJ, Diaz Z, Torres H, Galan C, Guilloty NI, Agosto LD, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Velez Vega CM. 2022. The impact of natural disasters on maternal health: Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. Children (Basel) 9(7):940. doi:10.3390/children9070940 PMID:35883924 PMCID:PMC9315789
  • Rivera-Nunez Z, Ashrap P, Barrett ES, Llanos AA, Watkins DJ, Cathey A, Velez-Vega C, Rosario Z, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2022. Personal care products: Demographic characteristics and maternal hormones in pregnant women from Puerto Rico. Environ Res 206:doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.112376 PMID:34798118 PMCID:PMC8810700
  • Welch BM, Keil AP, Buckley JP, Calafat AM, Christenbury KE, Engel SM, O'Brien KM, Rosen EM, James-Todd T, Zota AR, Ferguson KK, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Barrett ES, Bush NR, Nguyen RH, Sathyanarayana S, Swan SH, Cantonwine DE, Aalborg J, Dabelea D, Starling AP, Hauser R, Messerlian C, Zhang Y, Bradman A, Eskenazi B, Charley PH, Holland NT, Bloom MS, Newman RB, Wenzel AG, Braun JM, Lanphear BP, Yolton K, Factor-Litvak P, Herbstman JB, Rauh VA, Drobnis EZ, Sparks AE, Redmon JB, Wang C, Binder AM, Michels KB, Baird DD, Jukic AM, Weinberg CR, Wilcox AJ, Rich DQ, Weinberger B, Padmanabhan V, Watkins DJ, Hertz-Picciotto I, Schmidt RJ. 2022. Associations between prenatal urinary biomarkers of phthalate exposure and preterm birth: A pooled study at 16 US cohorts. JAMA Pediatr doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.2252 PMID:35816333 PMCID:PMC9274448
  • Zamora AN, Watkins DJ, Peterson K, Tellez-Rojo M, Hu H, Meeker JD, Cantoral A, Mercado-Garcia A, Jansen EC. 2022. Prenatal maternal pesticide exposure in relation to sleep health of offspring during adolescence. Environ Res 204:doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.111977 PMID:34469742

2021

  • Ashrap P, Aker AM, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Psychosocial status modifies the effect of maternal blood metal and metalloid concentrations on birth outcomes. Environ Int 149:106418. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.106418 PMID:33548848 PMCID:PMC7897320
  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Milne GL, Ferguson KK, Loch-Caruso R, Fernandez J, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Maternal Urinary Metal and Metalloid Concentrations in Association with Oxidative Stress Biomarkers. Antioxidants (Basel) 10:114. doi:10.3390/antiox10010114 PMID:33467519
  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario-Pabon Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Performance of urine, blood, and integrated metal biomarkers in relation to birth outcomes in a mixture setting. Environ Res 200:111435. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.111435 PMID:34097892 PMCID:PMC8403638
  • Aung MT, Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Maternal lipidomic signatures in relation to spontaneous preterm birth and large-for-gestational age neonates. Sci Rep 11:8115. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-87472-9 PMID:33854141 PMCID:PMC8046995
  • Cathey A, Eaton JL, Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez-Vega C, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Mukherjee B, Meeker JD. 2021. Individual and joint effects of phthalate metabolites on biomarkers of oxidative stress among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Environ Int 154:doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.106565 PMID:33882432
  • Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Mukherjee B, O'Neill MS, Loch-Caruso R, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2021. Gestational hormone concentrations are associated with timing of delivery in a fetal sex-dependent manner. Front. Endocrinol 12(10):doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.742145 PMID:34603214 PMCID:PMC8479114
  • Feric Z, Agostini NB, Beene D, Signes-Pastor AJ, Halchenko Y, Watkins DJ, MacKenzie D, Karagas MR, Manjourides J, Alshawabkeh AN, Kaeli D. 2021. A secure and reusable software architecture for supporting online data harmonization. IEEE Access 2801-2812. doi:10.1109/BigData52589.2021.9671538
  • Rivera-Nunez Z, Ashrap P, Barrett ES, Watkins DJ, Cathey A, Velez-Vega C, Rosario Z, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2021. Association of biomarkers of exposure to metals and metalloids with maternal hormones in pregnant women from Puerto Rico. Environ Int 147:106310. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.106310 PMID:33321388 PMCID:PMC7856269

2020

  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Boss J, Richards M, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2020. Maternal blood metal and metalloid concentrations in association with birth outcomes in Northern Puerto Rico. Environ Int 138:doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.105606 PMID:32179314 PMCID:PMC719823
  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Mukherjee B, Boss J, Richards M, Rosario Z, Velez-Vega C, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2020. Predictors of urinary and blood metal(loid) concentrations among pregnant women in Northern Puerto Rico. Environ Res 183:109178. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2020.109178 (ahead of print)
  • Buckley JP, Barrett ES, Beamer P, Bennett DH, Bloom MS, Fennell TR, Fry RC, Funk WE, Hamra GB, Hecht SS, Kannan K, Iyer R, Karagas MR, Lyall K, Parsons PJ, Pellizzari ED, Signes-Pastor AJ, Starling AP, Wang A, Watkins DJ, Zhang M, Woodruff TJ. 2020. Opportunities for evaluating chemical exposures and child health in the United States: the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 30:doi:10.1038/s41370-020-0211-9 PMID:32066883 PMCID:PMC7183426
  • Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez-Vega C, Loch-Caruso R, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2020. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure results in altered CRH, reproductive, and thyroid hormone concentrations during human pregnancy. Sci Total Environ 749:10. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141581 PMID:32829279
  • Ingle ME, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Calafat AM, Ospina M, Ferguson KK, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2020. An exploratory analysis of urinary organophosphate ester metabolites and oxidative stress among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Sci Total Environ 703:134798. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134798 PMID:31726298 PMCID:PMC6954949
  • Manjourides J, Zimmerman E, Watkins DJ, Carpenito T, Velez Vega CM, Huerta-Montanez G, Rosario-Pabon Z, Ayala I, Vergara C, Feric Z, Ondras M, Suh H, Gu AZ, Brown P, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh AN. 2020. Cohort profile: Center for Research on Early Childhood Exposure and Development in Puerto Rico. BMJ Open 10(7):e036389. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036389 PMID:32690520 PMCID:PMC7371225
  • Rodriguez-Carmona Y, Ashrap P, Calafat AM, Ye X, Rosario Z, Bedrosian LD, Huerta-Montanez G, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Watkins DJ. 2020. Determinants and characterization of exposure to phthalates, DEHTP and DINCH among pregnant women in the PROTECT birth cohort in Puerto Rico. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 30:56-69. doi:10.1038/s41370-019-0168-8 PMID:31481681 PMCID:PMC6917904
  • Schantz SL, Eskenazi B, Buckley JP, Braun JM, Sprowles JN, Bennett DH, Cordero JF, Frazier JA, Lewis JL, Hertz-Picciotto I, Lyall K, Nozadi S, Sagiv SK, Stroustrup A, Watkins DJ. 2020. A framework for assessing the impact of chemical exposures on neurodevelopment in ECHO: opportunities and challenges. Environ Res 188:109709. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2020.109709 PMID:32526495
  • Torres-Olascoaga LA, Watkins DJ, Schnaas L, Meeker JD, Solano-Gonzalez M, Osorio-Valencia E, Peterson K, Tellez-Rojo M, Tamayo-Ortiz M. 2020. Early gestational exposure to high-molecular-weight phthalates and its association with 48-month-old children's motor and cognitive scores. Int J Environ Res Public Health 17(21):8150. doi:10.3390/ijerph17218150 PMID:33158190 PMCID:PMC7662459
  • Watkins DJ, Zayas H, Velez Vega CM, Rosario Z, Welton M, Arroyo L, Cardona-Cordero NR, Reguero Z, Rivera A, Huerta-Montanez G, Brown P, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2020. Investigating the impact of Hurricane Maria on an ongoing birth cohort in Puerto Rico. Popul Env 42:95-111. doi:10.1007/s11111-020-00345-7
  • Welton M, Velez Vega CM, Murphy C, Rosario Z, Torres H, Russell E, Brown P, Huerta-Montanez G, Watkins DJ, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF. 2020. Impact of hurricanes irma and maria on puerto rico maternal and child health research programs. Matern Child Health J 24(1):22-29. doi:10.1007/s10995-019-02824-2 PMID:31728717 PMCID:PMC7059554

2019

  • Cathey A, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2019. Associations of phthalates and phthalate replacements with CRH and other hormones among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. J Endocr Soc 3(6):1127-1149. doi:10.1210/js.2019-00010 PMID:31093596 PMCID:PMC6510018
  • Ingle ME, Watkins DJ, Rosario Z, Velez-Vega C, Huerta-Montanez G, Calafat AM, Ospina M, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2019. The association of urinary organophosphate ester metabolites and self-reported personal care and household product use among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Environ Res 179:108756. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.108756 PMID:31574449 PMCID:PMC6905189
  • Perng W, Tamayo-Ortiz M, Tang L, Sanchez BN, Cantoral A, Meeker JD, Dolinoy DC, Roberts E, Martinez-Mier E, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Song PX, Ettinger AS, Wright RO, Arora M, Schnaas L, Watkins DJ, Goodrich JM, Garcia RC, Solano-Gonzalez M, Bautista-Arredondo L, Mercado-Garcia A, Hu H, Hernandez-Avila M, Tellez-Rojo M, Peterson K. 2019. Early life exposure in Mexico to environmental toxicants (ELEMENT) project. BMJ Open 9:doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030427 PMID:31455712 PMCID:PMC6720157
  • Watkins DJ, Velez Vega CM, Rosario Z, Cordero JF, Alshawabkeh AN, Meeker JD. 2019. Preliminary assessment of exposure to persistent organic pollutants among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Int J Hyg Environ Health 222:327-331. doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.02.001 PMID:30738742 PMCID:PMC6408968

2018

  • Ashrap P, Watkins DJ, Calafat AM, Ye X, Rosario Z, Brown P, Velez Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2018. Elevated concentrations of urinary triclocarban, phenol and paraben among pregnant women in Northern Puerto Rico: predictors and trends. Environ Int 121:990-1002. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.020 PMID:30316544

2016

  • Aker AM, Watkins DJ, Johns LE, Ferguson KK, Soldin OP, Anzalota del Toro LV, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2016. Phenols and parabens in relation to reproductive and thyroid hormones in pregnant women. Environ Res 151:30-37. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2016.07.002 PMID:27448730 PMCID:PMC5071140
  • Watkins DJ, Fortenberry GZ, Sanchez BN, Barr DB, Panuwet P, Schnaas L, Osorio-Valencia E, Solano-Gonzalez M, Ettinger AS, Hernandez-Avila M, Hu H, Tellez-Rojo MM, Meeker JD. 2016. Urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) levels among pregnant women in Mexico City: Distribution and relationships with child neurodevelopment. Environ Res 147:307-313. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2016.02.025 PMID:26922411 PMCID:PMC4821665

2015

  • Watkins DJ, Ferguson KK, Anzalota del Toro LV, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD. 2015. Associations between urinary phenol and paraben concentrations and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Int J Hyg Environ Health 218(2):212-219. doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2014.11.001 PMID:25435060 PMCID:PMC4323928

2014

  • Watkins DJ, Téllez-Rojo MM, Ferguson KK, Lee JM, Solano-Gonzalez M, Blank-Goldenberg C, Peterson KE, Meeker JD. 2014. In utero and peripubertal exposure to phthalates and BPA in relation to female sexual maturation. Environ Res 134:233-241. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2014.08.010 PMID:25173057 PMCID:PMC4262586

2012

  • Springer C, Dere E, Hall SJ, McDonnell EV, Roberts SC, Butt CM, Stapleton HM, Watkins DJ, McClean MD, Webster TF, Schlezinger JJ, Boekelheide K. 2012. Rodent thyroid, liver, and fatal testis toxicity of the monoester metabolite of Bis-(2-ethylhexyl) Tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), a novel brominated flame retardant present in indoor dust. Environ Health Perspect 120:1711-1719. doi:10.1289/ehp.1204932 PMID:23014847 PMCID:PMC3548273
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