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The EDGE Center

The EDGE Center is committed to conducting and communicating cutting edge science that reduces the burden of environmentally-related diseases through science translation into policy and practice.

Stories from the blog

Three people pose with a certificate.

2025 EDGE Symposium brings together researchers and community

Over sixty people from across UW and Seattle participated in the one-day event.

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Three researchers sit at a table to recruit study participants

Protecting families from wildfire smoke

Team seeks to understand the perspectives of Yakima Valley families on the health risks of wildfire smoke

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Erica in the lab

Taking a metagenomic approach to antimicrobial resistance

Erica Fuhrmeister takes a comprehensive look at the role of environmental factors in the development of antimicrobial resistance

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In the News

How to prepare for wildfire season in WA
May 30, 2025 | The Seattle Times | Featured: Coralynn Sacks | View

Hurricanes, Fires, Floods: A Rising Threat to Cancer Care
May 20, 2025 | Medscape | Featured: Joan Casey | View

How dogs could help us track valley fever
May 5, 2025 | The Mercury News | Featured: Peter Rabinowitz | View

Pediatrician shares keys to reducing wildfire smoke exposure
May 1, 2025 | Environmental Factor | Featured: Catherine Karr | View

Kennedy Wants to Ban Some Food Dyes. Here’s What the Data Shows.
April 25, 2025 | The New York Times | Featured: Sheela Sathyanarayana | View

Washingtonians are buying chickens to get around high egg prices. Is it worth it?
April 25, 2025 | KNKX | Featured: Peter Rabinowitz | View

Graphic showing an overlap of environment, choices and genes, with health in the middle.

The EDGE Center is committed to conducting and communicating science that reduces the burden of environmentally-related diseases through science translation into policy and practice. We use cutting edge molecular and systems biology to explore how the interactions of genetics, epigenetics and environmental factors contribute to diseases of public health importance. In particular, we are at the forefront of research into molecular signatures (biomarkers) associated with toxicant exposure. Our work to uncover important genetic, epigenetic and environmental contributions to chronic diseases can help improve prevention, early diagnosis, and the development of effective treatments. Such developments will substantially reduce the social burden and health care costs associated with sickness and early death caused by diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, liver disease, kidney disease, metabolic disorders like diabetes, chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and developmental and reproductive disorders.