Alvarez-Cohen, Lisa

Lisa Alvarez-Cohen discovered that widely used flame retardants (poly brominated diphenyl ethers - PBDEs) are converted by naturally occurring microorganisms to highly toxic endocrine-disrupting products, resulting in potentially significant human health threats. She was the first to deduce the biochemical pathway for the breakdown of two important emerging water contaminants - N-nitrosodimethyamine (NDMA) and 1,4 dioxane. These two compounds, a product of rocket fuel that is also generated by the chlorination of wastewater, and a solvent stabilizer, respectively, have been recently responsible for the shut-down of wells involved in water-reuse systems. She has partnered with Environmental Microbiologists at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories to design and apply whole-genome microarrays to understand the growth and function of microorganisms crucial to the in situ bioremediation of chlorinated solvents such as those used in dry-cleaning and chip manufacturing. She is partnering with researchers at Nanyang Technical University to collaborate on studies using advanced aerobic granules for the treatment of a wide variety of water contaminants including pharmaceuticals and nitroaromatic compounds.