The BU Superfund Basic Research Program will be featuring comparative toxicologist Dr. Mark Hahn of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in the current edition of the "Ask the Researcher" column. Dr. Hahn's research investigates mechanisms of adaptation and evolved resistance to PCBs in fish inhabiting a Superfund site in southeastern Massachusetts. Clickhere to ask him a question or to read his answers.

Organized by the Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, consensus conferences are a mechanism for citizen input into science and technology policy. This is a unique opportunity to provide public input on the topic of biomonitoring studies and surveillance to public officials, policymakers, researchers, advocacy groups, and others.

In this Consensus Conference, a panel of 14 lay people from Boston is meeting over two weekends to learn about human biomonitoring – the practice of measuring chemicals in people’s bodies. They are considering policy, ethical, and social issues. The panel’s deliberations will culminate in this public conference, which will include questioning of experts and presentation of findings by the lay panel.

Following on the heels of the National Academy of Sciences report on biomonitoring and the passage of the first state-wide biomonitoring program in California, the conference will provide a distinct and important perspective to the discussion – the voice of the lay public – which to this date has been unheard.