MBCC Webinar Past Recordings

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

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

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.

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

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. (November 2023)

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

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. (September 2023)

An Update on Breast Pathology

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 2023)

Breast Cancer-Related Chemicals in Consumer Products

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 2023)

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

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 2022)

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

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. (November 2022)

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

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 2022)

Cell Phones and Cancer Risk by Dr. Devra Davis

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. (September 2022)

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)

  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)

      featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute (October 2020)

How PFAS Activism Has Shaped Public Health Policies in Massachusetts and Beyond

      featuring Dr. Jennie Liss Ohayon, Silent Spring Insitute (August 2020)

Disparities and Inequities in Breast Cancer Care

       featuring Hope White, Codman Square Health Center (July 2020)

PFAS in the Environment: The International Perspective

       featuring Dr. Rainer Lohmann, University of Rhode Island (July 2020)

The After-effects of Breast Cancer Treatments

        featuring Dr. Jill S. Oxley, MD, Cape Cod Hospital (May 2020)

Protecting Children from Drinking Water Contaminants

        featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute, and Dr. Phil Brown, Northeastern University (January 2020)

Breast Pathology 101

        featuring Dr. Michael Misialek, Newton-Wellesley Hospital (November 2019)

PFAS in MA Drinking Water: An Update on Research and Regulations

        featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute (October 2019)

Role of Affected Residents in Discovering and Acting on Environmental Contaminants

        featuring Dr. Phil Brown, Northeastern University (October 2019)

Crowdsourced Biomonitoring: Measuring Chemical Body Burdens in a Population of Concerned Consumers

        featuring Dr. Robin Dodson, Silent Spring Institute (September 2019)

Breast Cancer and Stress: The Role of Stress and How to Manage it

       featuring Dr. Jamie Jacobs, Massachusetts General Hospital (April 2019)

How Everyday Products Can Contribute to PFAS Exposure

       featuring Katie Boronow, Silent Spring Institute (March 2019)

PFAS in Drinking Water: An Update

       featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute, and Alyson McCann, University of Rhode Island (January 2019)

Following Your Specimen Through the Lab: Understanding Your Pathology Report

        featuring Dr. Michael Misialek, Newton-Wellesley Hospital (November 2018)

Finding Chemical Pollutants that Increase Breast Cancer Risk

        featuring Ruthann Rudel, Silent Spring Institute (October 2018)

The Health Impact of Cell Phone Radiation

        featuring Dr. Devra Lee Davis, Environmental Health Trust (September 2018)

Highly Fluorinated Chemicals in Drinking Water

        featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute, and Alyson McCann, University of Rhode Island (May 2018)

The Precautionary Principle: What’s in it for you?

        featuring Dr. Carlos Sonnenschein, Tufts Medical School (March 2018)

Toxic Legacy of Early Life Exposure To Tetrachloroethylene-contaminated Drinking Water

        featuring Dr. Ann Aschengrau, Boston University (January 2018)

Environmental Chemicals and Breast Cancer

        featuring Kathryn Rodgers, Silent Spring Institute (October 2017)

Update on Breast Cancer and the Environment: Xenoestrogens in the 21st Century 

featuring Dr. Devra Lee Davis, Environmental Health Trust (September 2017)

Emerging Contaminants in Massachusetts Drinking Water

featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute (April 2017)

Does Carcinogenesis Start in the Womb? Endocrine Disruptors and Breast Cancer

featuring Dr. Ana Soto, Tufts University School of Medicine (February 2017)

Personalized Decision Making in Breast Cancer. Why Prevention Matters More Than Ever

featuring Dr. John Erban, Tufts Cancer Center (November 2016)

Perchloroethylene, Breast Cancer, and Prevention

featuring Dr. Richard Clapp (May 2016)

Inside Detox Me – A New Mobile App from Silent Spring Institute

featuring Dr. Jessica Helm, Silent Spring Institute (March 2016)

Fluorinated Chemicals in Consumer Products and Drinking Water: Health Concerns and Tips for Reducing Your Exposure

featuring Dr. Laurel Schaider, Silent Spring Institute (February 2016)