Recent studies have found small fragments of plastics known as microplastics in the human brain and heart arteries. These studies have also shown a link between the presence of microplastics and adverse health outcomes. How do these tiny bits of plastic enter our bodies and make their way into our brains and our hearts? And what happens when they lodge there? Join Beyond Plastics, Physicians for Social Responsibility - NYS, and Environmental Advocates of New York for a free educational webinar on these questions with Dr. Sanjay Rajagopalan, a physician scientist whose work has helped transform global perceptions and understanding of the impact of environmental risk factors on cardiovascular disease and Marcus Garcia, PharmD, RPh, University of New Mexico Medical School, co-authors of two ground-breaking recent studies on the presence of microplastics in the human heart and brain.
Register now to join us via Zoom on May 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM ET.
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Sanjay Rajagopalan is the Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chief Academic and Scientific Officer, University Hospitals Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, Herman Hellerstein, MD Professor of Cardiovascular Research and Director of the Case Cardiovascular Research Institute at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH. Dr. Rajagopalan is among an elite group of physician scientists whose work has helped transform global perceptions and understanding of the impact of environmental risk factors on cardiovascular disease. He has additionally made seminal contributions towards the development of next generation therapeutic modalities for cardiovascular disease and is a leading authority in advancing innovative approaches for the imaging of complex cardiovascular disorders. Dr. Rajagopalan’s laboratory has been continually funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Rajagopalan is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI), American Association of Physicians (AAP), Association of University Cardiologists (AUC) and the Association of Professors of Cardiology (APC). He won the 2021 Distinguished Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Rajagopalan has published over 300 original peer reviewed research publications in journals such as JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Circulation, Journal of Clinical Investigation and Circulation Research in addition to more than 300 invited editorials and reviews. He has served as an editor for at least two textbooks and several monographs on vascular disease and atherosclerosis.
Marcus Garcia is a PhRMA Foundation postdoctoral fellow at the University of New Mexico’s (UNM) College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, specializing in toxicology and pharmacology. Dr. Garcia is dedicated to advancing our understanding of microplastics and their implications for human health, reproduction/development, and the environment. Through rigorous research and innovative methodologies, Dr. Garcia seeks to shed light on the potential risks these ubiquitous pollutants pose and ultimately pave the way for informed decisions and sustainable solutions. Dr. Garcia received his doctorate in Pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy in 2020 and pursued a one-year Clinical Research Fellowship with TriCore Reference Laboratories/Rhodes Group from June 2020 to June 2021, then became a postdoctoral scholar at UNM in September 2021. Dr. Garcia has made significant contributions to the field of toxicology and pharmacology through his pursuit of excellence in both research and teaching and has currently developed a novel technique in the quantification of microplastics in biological tissues. Dr. Garcia’s research portfolio spans various groundbreaking projects on microplastics in the human placenta and other biological tissues, woodsmoke exposure, maternal cardiac dysfunction during pregnancy, and renal allograft longevity. His work encompasses a wide range of topics, from environmental implications to direct clinical applications, strongly emphasizing improving patient care and advancing scientific knowledge.
Kathleen Nolan, MD Board Chair, Physicians for Social Responsibility - New York State
Dr. Kathleen Nolan is a pediatrician and researcher from Mount Tremper NY who has focused her work over the past two decades on addressing toxic contaminations in our environment that cause or risk harm to humans. Dr. Nolan is on the Board of Concerned Health Professionals of New York, serves as President of the New York Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, and is an author and editor of the Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking and Associated Gas and Oil Infrastructure.
Judith Enck, President, Beyond Plastics and former EPA Regional Administrator
A dynamic community leader who has spent her expansive career working to protect public health and the environment, Judith began as an environmental advocate and has held top influential positions in state and federal government. Appointed by President Obama, Judith served as the Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency overseeing environmental protection in NY, NJ, 8 Indian Nations, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Judith is a professor at Bennington College, where she teaches classes on plastic pollution and was a Visiting Scholar at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.
