Forever chemicals, long-term Impact: Insights into the link between early-life PFAS and childhood metabolic health with Dr. Nikos Stratakis (ISGlobal, ATHLETE project) Short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS are also called "forever chemicals" because they can take up to 1,000 years to break down in the environment with some not breaking down at all. These chemicals can be found in many consumer products, such as non-stick frying pans, food packaging, and cosmetics. Scientific evidence has linked PFAS exposure to numerous serious health impacts, including different types of cancer, immune dysfunction and hormone disruption. The EU is currently working to restrict the use of PFAS. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) is organising a webinar on 14 November 2024, with a focus on the impacts of PFAS exposure in early life. This webinar is the second in a series of HEAL webinars focusing on different health impacts of PFAS, with an objective to raise awareness and to facilitate access to the latest scientific information on the subject. To discuss the impacts of PFAS exposure in early life, HEAL will be joined by Nikos Stratakis, MSc, PhD, ISGlobal, partner in ATHLETE (an EU-funded project aiming to better understand and prevent the effects of environmental hazards on human health from preconception until adolescence). HEAL is a partner in the ATHLETE project. Dr. Stratakis will provide insights into the link between early-life PFAS exposure and childhood metabolic health. Nikolaos (Nikos) Stratakis, PhD, MSc is a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in exposome science and its role in childhood metabolic health. Holding a PhD in Epidemiology from Maastricht University and an MSc in Nutritional Medicine from the University of Surrey, Dr. Stratakis focuses on the complex interactions between environmental exposures and biological pathways that contribute to metabolic diseases, such as metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease.