MBCC Webinar Past Recordings – Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition

Please visit the links below for recordings from the MBCC Webinar Series. View the Webinar List to view our schedule of upcoming speakers.

Past Recordings

Moving Towards Solutions: Partnering with Communities to Make Homes Healthier

Dr. Robin Dodson is Associate Director of Research Operations at Silent Spring Institute and a research scientist with expertise in exposure assessment, particularly in the indoor environment. Dr. Dodson is an adjunct assistant professor of environmental health at Boston University School of Public Health and also holds an appointment as a visiting scientist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (November 2024)

An update on PFAS in Massachusetts and Across the US

Dr. Laurel Schaider is a Senior Scientist at Silent Spring Institute where she leads the Institute’s water quality research on PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern. She studies PFAS chemicals in drinking water, consumer products, and food, drinking water contamination from septic systems, and environmental justice disparities in drinking water quality. (October 2024)

The Pathologist’s Role in Breast Cancer Treatment

Dr. Misialek currently serves as Associate Chair of Pathology at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA. He is the Medical Director of the Vernon Cancer Center, Chemistry Laboratory, and Point of Care Testing. He practices in all areas of pathology in a busy community hospital. Holding an academic appointment at Tufts University School of Medicine, he regularly instructs medical students and pathology residents. Dr. Misialek also serves as MBCC’s Medical Advisor. (May 2024)

Breast Cancer-Related Chemicals in Products Used by Black Women

Dr. Elissia Franklin is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Silent Spring Institute whose work focuses on chemical exposure assessment. She has expertise in mass spectrometric analysis and lipidomics, a subset of metabolomics, which she is applying to exposomics (the study of environmental exposures that an individual experiences) and biomonitoring work. She also is involved in epidemiological and community-based research, intervention studies, and exposome evaluation. (April 2024)

Documentary Screening – “The Poison In Us All”

“The Poison In Us All” is a Bloomberg Original Series by Bloomberg Investigates. Following the documentary screening will be Q&A with Dr. Laurel Schaider, who is featured in the documentary.

The Chemical Class Approach towards Healthier Products and People

Dr. Arlene Blum is the Executive Director of the Green Science Policy Institute and a Research Associate in Chemistry at UC Berkeley. The Institute’s scientific research and policy work with government and business has reduced the use of classes of harmful chemicals including flame retardents and fluorinated chemicals in consumer products world-wide. (March 2024)

One Woman’s Journey in Cancer Research

Dr. Linda Malkas is the Associate Chair and professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. Her major research focus is the relationship between DNA replication and cancer. Her laboratory’s recent work has led to the opportunity to develop truly selective, therapeutic agents that will inhibit proteins uniquely expressed by cancer cells. (February 2024)

Third Annual Margo Simon Golden Memorial: An Update on Metastatic Breast Cancer

MBCC is pleased to announce that Dr. Seth Wander will join Dr. Misialek as a panelist. Dr. Wander is currently a breast oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is active in both the clinic and laboratory, where his research interests involve genomic mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies in metastatic breast cancer. (January 2024)

The FDA’s Missed Opportunity on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Food and Food Packaging

Dr. Maricel V. Maffini is an Independent Consultant based in Maryland, US. She has more than 25 years of research experience in the fields of carcinogenesis and breast cancer, in particular, reproductive biology and endocrine disruption. For the past 10 years, her work has focused on the safety and regulation of chemicals in food and the decision-making process behind them. Before becoming a consultant, she was a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, a senior science officer at The Pew Charitable Trust, and a Research Assistant Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. (December 2023)

PFAS Exposure and Health Outcomes

Breast Cancer Trends and the Importance of Prevention

Dr. Jill S. Oxley, MD, FACS, is a breast surgeon with Cape Cod Hospital and the director of the Hospital’s breast program. Her clinical interests include high-risk breast cancer screening and nipple-sparing mastectomy and oncoplastic breast surgery. Dr. Oxley is a member of MBCC’s Board of Directors. (October 2023)

Personal Care Product Use Among Women of Diverse Backgrounds

An Update on Breast Pathology

Breast Cancer-Related Chemicals in Consumer Products

An Update on Wireless Radiation and Cancer Risk: A Case for Prevention

Dr. Devra Davis is the founder and President of the Environmental Health Trust, providing research and education about environmental health hazards and promoting constructive policies locally, nationally, and internationally. (March 2023)

Environmental Justice and Women’s Health

Dr. Tamarra James-Todd is an environmental reproductive epidemiologist at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Director of the Environmental Reproductive Justice Lab. Her work focuses on the importance of pregnancy as a sensitive window of consumer product and environmental chemical exposures. (February 2023)

PFAS in Food Packaging and Consumer Products – What Do We Know and What Can You Do?

This webinar featured Dr. Arlene Blum, Ph.D., Executive Director of Green Science Policy Institute, Dr. Maricel Maffini, Ph.D., Environmental Health Scientist and Independent Consultant, and Dr. Laurel Schaider, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Silent Spring Institute. Dr. Barbara Malkas, MBCC Board President, served as moderator.

Following the panel discussion, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition and the Golden Family presented the Margo Simon Golden Distinguished Service Award to recipients Maria Vetrano and Helen Privett. (January 2023)

Looking Back to Look Forward: Environmental Chemical Exposure and Breast Cancer by Dr. Maricel V. Raffini

What’s New with PFAS in Massachusetts and Across the US by Dr Laurel Schaider

Breast Cancer in Younger Women from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds by Dr. Jill S. Oxley

Cell Phones and Cancer Risk by Dr. Devra Davis

View Presentation Slides Here

These slides are available with permission from Dr. Devra Davis and the Environmental Health Trust

An Update on Breast Pathology by Dr. Michael Misialek

Dr. Michael Misialek currently serves as Associate Chair of Pathology at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA. He is the Medical Director of the Vernon Cancer Center, Chemistry Laboratory, and Point of Care Testing. He practices in all areas of pathology in a busy community hospital. Holding an academic appointment at Tufts University School of Medicine, he regularly instructs medical students and pathology residents. Dr. Misialek also serves as MBCC’s Medical Advisor. (May 2022)

Breast Cancer-Related Chemicals in Products Used by Black Women

Dr. Elissia Franklin is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Silent Spring Institute whose work focuses on chemical exposure assessment. Dr. Franklin has expertise in mass spectrometric analysis and lipidomics, a subset of metabolomics, which she is applying to exposomics (the study of environmental exposures that an individual experiences) and biomonitoring work. She also is involved in epidemiological and community-based research, intervention studies, and exposome evaluation. (April 2022)

How Does Climate Change Impact Women and Their Health?

Dr. Gwen Collman is the Acting Deputy Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), where she helps to drive the formulation and implementation of plans and policies necessary to carry out the NIEHS mission. (March 2022)

Impacts of Community – Engaged Research and Advocacy on Action around PFAS in Diverse Populations

featuring June Jiao, Research Study Coordinator at Silent Spring Institute and Dr. Jennie Liss Ohayon, Research Scientist at Silent Spring Institute (February 2022)

“An Update on PFAS in Food Packaging” followed by The Margo Simon Golden Award Ceremony

featuring Dr. Arlene Blum, Ph.D., Executive Director of Green Science Policy Institute, Dr. Maricel Maffini, Ph.D., Environmental Health Scientist and Independent Consultant, and Dr. Laurel Schaider, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Silent Spring Institute. Following the panel discussion, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition and the Golden Family presented the Margo Simon Golden Distinguished Service Award to the inaugural recipient, Dr. Gwen Collman, Ph.D. (January 2022)

An Update on Breast Cancer Pathology

featuring Dr. Michael Misialek, Associate Chair of Pathology at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and MBCC Medical Advisor. (December 2021)

PFAS and Health Effects: Scientists and Activists Working Together

featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Senior Scientist, Silent Spring Institute (November 2021)

Breast Cancer Trends: The Importance of Prevention

featuring Dr. Jill Oxley, MD, FACS, the Director of Cape Cod Hospitals’ breast program. (October 2021)

Environmental Chemicals in Breast Developmental Timing

featuring Dr. Sue Fenton, the Group Leader for Reproductive Endocrinology in the National Toxicology Program Laboratory (September 2021)

featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute, State Senator Michael Moore, Mark Ells, Barnstable Town Manager, and Mia Caldwell, Student (August 2021)

Sixty Years of Failure on Food Chemical Safety and the Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases

featuring Dr. Maricel Maffini, Independent Consultant (August 2021)

The Health Impacts of Cell Phone Radiation

featuring Theodora Scarato MSW, Environmental Health Trust (July 2021)

An Update on STEEP (Sources, Transport, Exposures & Effects of PFAS) Superfund

featuring Dr. Rainer Lohmann, University of Rhode Island (June 2021)

Working with Diverse Communities to Explore Environmental Health

featuring Dr. Courtney Carignan, Michigan State University (May 2021)

Changing Public Policy, Protecting Public Health

featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute, State Representative Jack Patrick Lewis, and State Senator Michael Moore (May 2021)

Breast Cancer Care in Communities of Color

featuring MBCC Board Member Hope White, Codman Square Health Center (April 2021)

The BCERP Legacy: Windows of Susceptibility to Environmental Risks of Breast Cancer

featuring Dr. Gwen Collman, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (April 2021)

Does Carcinogenesis Start in the Womb?

featuring Dr. Ana Soto, Tufts University School of Medicine (March 2021)

Personal Care Product Use Among Women of Diverse Communities

featuring Dr. Robin Dodson, Silent Spring Institute (January 2021)

PFAS in Food Packaging: What you should know and what you can do

featuring Dr. Arlene Blum, Green Science Policy Institute, Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute, and Dr. Maricel Maffini, Environmental Scientist and Independent Consultant (December 2020)