
Wendy J. Heiger-Bernays, PhD
Clinical Professor, Environmental Health - Boston University School of Public Health
Biography
Wendy Heiger-Bernays is a clinical professor in the Department of Environmental Health at the BU School of Public Health where she applies her training in molecular toxicology to practical questions about the impact of industrial chemicals, consumer products and pharmaceuticals in water and waste streams on people’s health. Her career objective is to decrease health risks to impacted populations from exposures to environmental stressors. Her recent work focuses on the toxicology and health risks of PFAS chemicals and polychlorinated biphenyls.
Dr. Heiger-Bernays' work focuses on technology and information transfer of the science to multiple audiences, including environmental regulatory and health agencies as well as with advocacy groups and community groups. Heiger-Bernays’ overall objective is to engage communities in their understanding and mitigation of environmental health risks.
She currently serves as a member of the Massachusetts DEP Waste Site Advisory Committee and the Science Advisory Board for the Toxics Use Reduction Institute and is Chair of her local board of health. In 2015-2016, she was a AAAS Science and Technology Fellow hosted in the Office of Science Coordination and Policy at the US EPA, working in the Endocrine Disrupting Screening Program. Dr. Heiger-Bernays serves as President of the International Society for Children's Health and Environment.
Education
- University of Nebraska, PhD Field of Study: Biochemistry
- University of Connecticut, BS Field of Study: Biology
Websites
Classes Taught
- SPHEH750
- SPHEH866
- SPHPH510
- SPHPH845
- SPHPH870
Publications
- Published on 1/12/2023
Woodruff TJ, Rayasam SDG, Axelrad DA, Koman PD, Chartres N, Bennett DH, Birnbaum LS, Brown P, Carignan CC, Cooper C, Cranor CF, Diamond ML, Franjevic S, Gartner EC, Hattis D, Hauser R, Heiger-Bernays W, Joglekar R, Lam J, Levy JI, MacRoy PM, Maffini MV, Marquez EC, Morello-Frosch R, Nachman KE, Nielsen GH, Oksas C, Abrahamsson DP, Patisaul HB, Patton S, Robinson JF, Rodgers KM, Rossi MS, Rudel RA, Sass JB, Sathyanarayana S, Schettler T, Shaffer RM, Shamasunder B, Shepard PM, Shrader-Frechette K, Solomon GM, Subra WA, Vandenberg LN, Varshavsky JR, White RF, Zarker K, Zeise L. A science-based agenda for health-protective chemical assessments and decisions: overview and consensus statement. Environ Health. 2023 Jan 12; 21(Suppl 1):132. PMID: 36635734.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 1/12/2023
Nielsen GH, Heiger-Bernays WJ, Levy JI, White RF, Axelrad DA, Lam J, Chartres N, Abrahamsson DP, Rayasam SDG, Shaffer RM, Zeise L, Woodruff TJ, Ginsberg GL. Application of probabilistic methods to address variability and uncertainty in estimating risks for non-cancer health effects. Environ Health. 2023 Jan 12; 21(Suppl 1):129. PMID: 36635712.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 8/13/2022
Post GB, Birnbaum LS, DeWitt JC, Goeden H, Heiger-Bernays WJ, Schlezinger JJ. Letter to the editors regarding "The conundrum of the PFOA human half-life, an international collaboration". Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2022 Oct; 134:105240. PMID: 35973622.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 4/21/2022
Carlson JM, Janulewicz PA, Kleinstreuer NC, Heiger-Bernays W. Impact of High-Throughput Model Parameterization and Data Uncertainty on Thyroid-Based Toxicological Estimates for Pesticide Chemicals. Environ Sci Technol. 2022 May 03; 56(9):5620-5631. PMID: 35446564.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 3/2/2022
Hammel E, Webster TF, Gurney R, Heiger-Bernays W. Implications of PFAS definitions using fluorinated pharmaceuticals. iScience. 2022 Apr 15; 25(4):104020. PMID: 35313699.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 11/8/2021
Friedman A, Bauer JA, Austin C, Downs TJ, Tripodis Y, Heiger-Bernays W, White RF, Arora M, Claus Henn B. Multiple metals in children's deciduous teeth: results from a community-initiated pilot study. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2022 May; 32(3):408-417. PMID: 34750512.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 11/4/2021
Nielsen G, Heiger-Bernays WJ, Schlezinger JJ, Webster TF. Predicting the effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance mixtures on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha activity in vitro. Toxicology. 2022 01 15; 465:153024. PMID: 34743024.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 7/10/2021
Schlezinger JJ, Hyötyläinen T, Sinioja T, Boston C, Puckett H, Oliver J, Heiger-Bernays W, Webster TF. Perfluorooctanoic acid induces liver and serum dyslipidemia in humanized PPARa mice fed an American diet. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2021 09 01; 426:115644. PMID: 34252412.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 5/1/2021
Cleary BM, Romano ME, Chen CY, Heiger-Bernays W, Crawford KA. Comparison of Recreational Fish Consumption Advisories Across the USA. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2021 06; 8(2):71-88. PMID: 33934293.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 1/29/2021
De Silva AO, Armitage JM, Bruton TA, Dassuncao C, Heiger-Bernays W, Hu XC, Kärrman A, Kelly B, Ng C, Robuck A, Sun M, Webster TF, Sunderland EM. PFAS Exposure Pathways for Humans and Wildlife: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge and Key Gaps in Understanding. Environ Toxicol Chem. 2021 03; 40(3):631-657. PMID: 33201517.
Read At: PubMed
View 48 more publications:View Full Profile at BUMC
News & In the Media
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Published on May 15, 2023
Study: Toxic Contamination at Joint Base Cape Cod Could Persist for Centuries
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Published on March 15, 2023
EPA Proposes Regulations on 6 Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
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Published on March 7, 2023
In 13 State Parks, Mass. Officials Issue Advisories for Fish Consumption Due to PFAS
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Published on February 14, 2023
Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Force Mass. Towns to Face ‘True Cost of Water’
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Published on January 14, 2023
SPH Researchers Recommend Regulatory Changes to EPA to Protect People from Hazardous Chemicals
- Published on December 12, 2022
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Published on August 28, 2022
Cambridge Finds Elevations of Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water, Will Switch to MWRA
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Published on June 15, 2022
Pesticides Are Spreading Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Scientists Warn
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Published on May 31, 2022
New Bedford’s $1 Billion Harbor Cleanup Is Nearly Complete, EPA Says
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Published on May 12, 2022
Faculty, Staff, and Students to Be Honored at 2022 Convocation
- Published on March 18, 2022
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Published on February 20, 2022
Threats and Outbursts Directed at Local Health Leaders Are Driving Many to Quit
- Published on January 13, 2022
- Published on January 7, 2022
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Published on July 12, 2021
The Infrastructure Bill Plans to Curb the Health Costs of Lead Exposure
- Published on March 26, 2021
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Published on May 27, 2020
Some of the Hardest-Working Frontline Employees in New Orleans Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck
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Published on May 19, 2020
Reevaluating Fish Consumption Advisories during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis
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Published on March 17, 2020
How to Social Distance: What Experts Say Is Safe—and Not Safe—during the Coronavirus Outbreak
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Published on December 16, 2019
New Research Identifies New Bedford Harbor as Major Source of Airborne PCBs
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Published on December 5, 2019
Potentially Harmful Air Contamination from New Bedford Harbor
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Published on December 5, 2019
Airborne PCBs near New Bedford Harbor Pose Health Risks, Study Finds
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Published on December 5, 2019
Airborne PCBs near New Bedford Harbor Said Bad for Public Health
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Published on June 13, 2019
What Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ and How Are They Getting in Your Food?
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Published on June 13, 2019
What Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ and How Are They Getting in Your Food?
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Published on June 3, 2019
States Aren’t Waiting for the Trump Administration on Environmental Protections
- Published on March 6, 2019
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Published on February 7, 2019
Comments in for US Draft Assessments of GenX and PFBS Chemicals
- Published on February 6, 2019
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Published on February 4, 2019
Medical Campus Volunteers Brave Polar Vortex to Help Boston’s Homeless
- Published on October 26, 2018
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Published on September 26, 2018
Recent Massachusetts Explosions Can Happen in Any Gas System
- Published on August 29, 2018
- Published on July 30, 2018
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Published on April 23, 2018
A New Study Found Toxic Chemicals in Kitchen Cabinets, and Here’s What You Need to Know
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Published on April 4, 2017
High Levels of Lead Detected in Turmeric Purchased from Boston Stores
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Published on March 9, 2017
New Bedford Harbor Identified as Major Source of Airborne PCBs
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Published on December 15, 2016
Another Assault on Responsible Environmental Policy and Climate Change Control
- Published on July 26, 2016
- Published on February 17, 2016
- Published on October 6, 2015
- Published on November 19, 2014
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Published on November 13, 2013
BU Study Finds Gymnasts Face High Exposure to Flame Retardants