Julia Varshavsky

About

Julia Varshavsky, MPH, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Health at Northeastern University, with a joint appointment in the Department of Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering. Julia studies modifiable environmental exposures, with a focus on endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) mixtures and maternal-child health outcomes in susceptible and highly exposed populations. Julia’s research also includes advancing systematic review and risk assessment to inform decision-making, strengthening report-back and community-engaged research, and bridging the gap between health and sustainability, including a focus on green chemistry/engineering, and plastics.

Before Northeastern, Julia served as a research scientist for the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to evaluate the effectiveness of air pollution control measures in California’s most highly exposed environmental justice communities, and as a postdoctoral scholar for UCSF’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE). At PRHE, she conducted biologically-based population-level studies on exposure and health risks associated with endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substance (PFAS), and organophosphate flame retardant (OPFR) compounds. Recent work highlighted maternal-fetal PBDE, PFAS, and OPFR exposures during mid-gestation in relation to biomarkers of placental development associated with pregnancy complications.

Julia earned her MPH and PhD in environmental health sciences at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. Her dissertation research focused on developing methods for; characterizing disparities in; and evaluating dietary sources of; cumulative phthalates exposure. Prior to graduate school, Julia facilitated scientific dialogue and research translation for environmental reproductive health science at the Collaborative for Health and Environment (CHE). With diverse experiences across academia, non-profits, and regulatory agencies, Julia is committed to conducting science with a real-world impact and to translating environmental health science for diverse stakeholders.

Selected Publications

• Varshavsky J.R., Rayasam S.D.G., Sass J.B., Axelrad D.A., Cranor C.F., Hattis D., Hauser R., Koman P.D., Marquez E.C., Morello-Frosch R., Oksas C., Patton S., Robinson J.F., Sathyanarayana S., Shepard P.M., Woodruff T.J., Current practice and recommendations for advancing how human variability and susceptibility are considered in chemical risk assessment. Environmental Health, January 12, 2023, 21 (Suppl 1), 133. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-022-00940-1
• Woodruff, T.J., Rayasam, S.D.G., Axelrad, D.A., Koman, P. D., Chartres, N., Bennett, D. H., Birnbaum, L. S., Brown, P., Carignan, C. C., Cooper, C., Cranor, C. F., Diamond, M. L., Franjevic, S., Gartner, E. C., Hattis, D., Hauser, R., Heiger-Bernays, W., Joglekar, R., Lam, J., Levy, J.I., MacRoy, P.M., Maffini, M.V., Marquez, E.C., Morello-Frosch, R., Nachman, K.E., Nielsen, G.., Oksas, C., Abrahamsson, D.P., Patisaul, H.B., Patton, S., Robingon, J.F., Rodgers, K.M., Rossi, M.S., Rudel, R.A., Sass, J.B., Sathyanarayana, S., Schettler, T., Shaffer, R.M., Shamasunder, B., Shepard, P.M., Shrader-Frechette, K., Solomon, G.M., Subra, W.A.,  Vandenberg, L.N., Varshavsky, J.R., White, R.F., Zarker, K., Zeise, L., A science-based agenda for health-protective chemical assessments and decisions: overview and consensus statement. Environmental Health, January 12, 2023, 21 (1), 132. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-022-00930-3
• Garrett K.K., Brown P.B., Varshavsky J.R., Cordner A., Challenges and opportunities in a world of “forever chemicals”, One Earth, October 21, 2022, 5(10):1075-1079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.10.003
• Salvatore D., Mok K., Garrett K., Poudrier G., Brown P., Birnbaum L., Goldenman G., Miller M., Patton S., Poehlein M., Varshavsky J.R., Cordner A., Presumptive Contamination: A New Approach to PFAS Contamination Based on Likely Sources. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, October 12, 2022, 9(11), 983-990. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00502
• Pelch K.E., Reade A., Kwiatkowski C.F., Merced-Nieves F.M., Cavalier H.; Schultz K.; Wolffe T., Varshavsky J.R., The PFAS-Tox Database: A systematic evidence map of health studies on 29 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Environment International, July 28, 2022, 167:107408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107408.
• Varshavsky J.R., Robinson J.F., Zhou Y., Puckett K.A., Kwan E., Buarpung S., Aburajab R., Gaw S., Sen S., Gao S., Smith S.C., Park J.S., Zakharevich I., Gerona R.G., Fisher S.J., Woodruff T.J., Organophosphate flame retardants, highly fluorinated chemicals, and biomarkers of placental development and disease during mid-gestation. Toxicological Sciences, March 2, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfab028.
• Varshavsky J.R., Sen S., Robinson J.F., Smith S.C., Frankenfield J., Wang Y., Yeh G., Park J.S., Fisher S.J., Woodruff T.J., Racial/ethnic and geographic differences in polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels across maternal, placental, and fetal tissues during mid-gestation, Scientific Reports, July 22, 2020, 10:12247. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69067-y.
• Varshavsky J.R., Robinson J.F., Zhou Y., Puckett K.A., Kwan E., Buarpung S., Aburajab R., Gaw S., Sen S., Smith S.C., Frankenfield J., Park J.S., Fisher S.J., Woodruff T.J., Association of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels with biomarkers of placental development and disease during mid-gestation. Environmental Health, June 3, 2020; 19(1):61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-020-00617-7.
• Varshavsky J.R., Morello-Frosch R., Harwani S., Snider M., Petropoulou Syrago-Styliani E., Park J., Petreas M., Reynolds P., Nguyen T., Quach T., A pilot biomonitoring study of cumulative phthalates exposure among Vietnamese American nail salon workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, January 2, 2020, 17(1), 325. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010325.
• Varshavsky J.R., Smith A., Wang A., Hom E., Izano M., Huang H., Padula A., Woodruff T.J., Heightened susceptibility: A review of how pregnancy and chemical exposures influence maternal health. Reproductive Toxicology, March 2020; 92, 14–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.04.004. (Listed as top two most cited research articles on Reproductive Toxicology website since 2018).
• Padula A.M., Monk C., Brennan P.A., Borders A., Barrett E.S., McEvoy C.T., Foss S., Desai P., Alshawabkeh A., Wurth R., Salafia C., Fichorova R., Varshavsky J.R., Kress A., Woodruff T.J., Morello-Frosch R., A review of maternal prenatal exposures to environmental chemicals and psychosocial stressors-implications for research on perinatal outcomes in the ECHO program, Journal of Perinatology, October 15, 2019; 40, 10–24. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0510-y.
• Varshavsky J.R., Morello-Frosch R., Woodruff T.J., Zota A.R., Dietary sources of cumulative phthalates exposure among the U.S. General population in NHANES 2005–2014. Environment International, 2018; 115, 417–429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.02.029.
  • Covered in “Dining out is bad for your health, according to a new study”, by Justin Phillips, San Francisco Chronicle, March 29, 2018: https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Dining-out-is-bad-for-your-health-according-to-a-12789378.php
  • Covered in “Eating out increases exposure to harmful phthalates”. By Brett Israel, Berkeley News, March 29, 2018. https://news.berkeley.edu/story_jump/eating-out-increases-exposure-to-harmful-phthalates/
  • Covered in “Eating out linked to potentially harmful chemicals used in plastic packaging, study finds”, by Charley Ross, Huffington Post, March 29, 2018: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/eating-out-linked-to-potentially-harmful-chemicals-used-in-plastic-packaging-study-finds_uk_5abc99c3e4b03e2a5c794fda
  • Covered in “Eating out increases levels of phthalates in the body, study finds”, by Patrick Greenfield, The Guardian, March 28, 2018: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/29/eating-out-increases-levels-of-phthalates-in-the-body-study-finds
  • Covered in “The science about eating out that will scare you into cooking your own dinners”, by Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Mother Jones, March 28, 2018: https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/03/the-science-about-eating-out-that-will-scare-you-into-cooking-your-own-dinners/
  • Covered in “Restaurant link to potentially harmful food packaging chemicals”, The Argus, March 28, 2018: https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/national/16124306.restaurant-link-potentially-harmful-food-packaging-chemicals/
  • Referenced in “Feinstein to Introduce Bill to Remove Harmful Chemicals from Food Packaging”, Press Release, March 29, 2018: https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C2AA1BB5-E857-4722-BDE3-5F93605FAE29
• Varshavsky J.R., Zota A., Woodruff T.J., A novel method for calculating potency-weighted cumulative phthalates exposure with implications for identifying racial/ethnic disparities among U.S. reproductive-aged women in NHANES 2001–2012. Environmental Science and Technology, 2016; 50(19):10616-10624.
• Morello-Frosch R., Varshavsky J.R., Liboiron M., Brown P., Brody J.G., Communicating results in post-Belmont era biomonitoring studies: Lessons from genetics and neuroimaging Research. Environmental Research, 2015; 136: 363–372.
• Quach T., Varshavsky J.R., Von Behren J., Garcia E., Tong M., Nguyen T., Tran A., Gunier R., Reynolds P. Reducing chemical exposures in nail salons through owner and worker trainings: An exploratory intervention study. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2012; 9999: 1–12.
• Garcia-Reyero N., Poynton H.C., Kennedy A.J., Guan X., Escalon B.L., Chang B., Varshavsky J.R., Loguinov A.V., Vulpe C.D., Perkins E.J., Biomarker discovery and transcriptomic responses in Daphnia magna exposed to munitions constituents. Environmental Science and Technology, 2009; 43: 4188–4193.
• Poynton H.C., Loguinov A.V., Varshavsky J.R., Chan S., Perkins E.J., Vulpe C.D., Gene expression profiling in Daphnia magna part I: concentration-dependent profiles provide support for the no observed transcriptional effect level. Environmental Science and Technology, 2008; 42: 6250–6256.
• Poynton H.C., Varshavsky J.R., Chang B., Cavigiolio G., Chan S., Holman P.S., Loguinov A.V., Bauer D.J., Komachi K., Theil E.C., Perkins E.J., Hughes O., Vulpe C.D., Daphnia magna ecotoxicogenomics provides mechanistic insights into metal toxicity. Environmental Science and Technology, 2007; 41: 1044–1050.

In the Media

Jul 10, 2023

A New Law Is Supposed to Protect Pregnant Workers — But What If We Don’t Know How?

Bouve/CEE Assistant Professor Julia Varshavsky was featured in the KFF Health News article “A New Law Is Supposed to Protect Pregnant Workers — But What If We Don’t Know How?“

Faculty

Sep 26, 2022

Impact Engines Spur Multidisciplinary Research Innovation to Solve Global Challenges

Northeastern University has selected its first cohort of Impact Engines to ignite measurable change in problem-solving, three of the five of which are led by engineering faculty.

Faculty

Dec 03, 2021

Varshavsky to Manage the New PFAS-Tox Database at Northeastern

Northeastern University is the home of the newly launched PFAS-Tox Database, a collection of over 1000 different studies examining the effects of PFAS on health outcomes, dating up to January 25, 2021. The database will allow users to filter based on specific chemicals studied and whether the research focuses on humans, animals, or in-vitro. Assistant […]

Faculty

Jul 09, 2021

New Faculty Spotlight: Julia Varshavsky

Julia Varshavsky joins the Civil and Environmental Engineering in July 2021 as an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in Bouvé College of Health Sciences.

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