Science & Society Distinguished Public Talk set for Wednesday, Feb. 19
The University of New Mexico Department of Physics, Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science hosts the next Science & Society Distinguished Public Talk on Wednesday, Feb. 19, featuring researcher Eliane El Hayek.
Eliane El Hayek
The free public lecture, titled “When Innovative Science Intersects with the Needs of Public Health and Communities,” begins at 5:30 p.m. in Room 1100 in the Physics, Astronomy, and Interdisciplinary Science (PAĺS) building, 210 Yale Blvd. NE. A meet-and-greet with refreshments will take place at 5 p.m. The lecture will also be available via Zoom.
El Hayek is a research assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the UNM College of Pharmacy whose work examines how environmental toxicants affect human health. Her research focuses on the biochemical interactions of micro- and nanoplastics, metals and other environmentally relevant contaminants, as well as the physiological mechanisms that drive their toxicity.
Through a multidisciplinary approach that combines biochemistry, toxicology, environmental science, spectroscopy and polymer chemistry, El Hayek’s laboratory develops new methods to detect and analyze microplastics in both environmental and human samples. These collaborations aim to improve scientific understanding of how plastic pollution accumulates in biological systems and affects long-term health outcomes.
Her team’s preliminary findings suggest microscopic plastic particles may accumulate more significantly in the brain than in organs such as the liver or kidneys, raising questions about potential neurological effects and the broader implications of plastic waste contamination.
The Science & Society Distinguished Public Talks series is co-sponsored by the UNM chapter of Sigma Xi, the Albuquerque section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the UNM Department of Physics and Astronomy, and interdisciplinary science partners.
The event is free and open to the public. To join the lecture via Zoom, visit unm.zoom.us for access information.