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Emily Riseberg

School: School of Medicine

Department: Public Health

Research Interests: Public Health

TIE Affiliation

Environmental Research Fellowship

Research

Tungsten is a transitional metal found naturally in soil, water, food, air, and particulate matter.  Currently there is no standard for tungsten levels in water, but tungsten has been listed as an emerging metal of concern by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Toxicology Program. The use of tungsten in industrial settings has increased due to its high melting point, flexibility, and strength. Several cross-sectional studies have found an association between tungsten and diabetes mellitus; however, to our knowledge, no study has examined this association longitudinally. In this independent research project, Emily will assess the longitudinal association between urinary tungsten and diabetes mellitus as well as biomarkers for diabetes through linear mixed effect models and Fine and Gray competing risk regression using data from the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study.

Experience

Emily is a MPH candidate at the School of Medicine in the department of Public Health. She expects to complete her studies in May 2021. Emily earned her B.S. at Tufts in Community Health and Mathematics. She had a summer internship at the National Cancer Institute where she researched estrogen and DNA methylation. Emily also interned at the Tufts School of Medicine where she researched environmental metals and cardiometabolic outcomes.

Current Studies and Future Goals

When asked what she found most meaningful about her field of study, Emily responded with the following: “Epidemiology is meaningful because the results can apply to large populations, so the work has a big impact. Especially within environmental epidemiology, the exposures are typically not by choice and are shared by many people, so it is important to identify the different diseases associated with these environmental exposures.”

When asked what interested her in becoming a TIE Fellow, Emily responded with the following: “I thought my past research with environmental exposure to metals and health outcomes was relevant to the work done at TIE. I also appreciated the collaborative nature of TIE and wanted to get involved with faculty from different departments.”

After Tufts, Emily hopes to get her PhD in Environmental Epidemiology.

Fun Facts!

When not doing school work, Emily likes to cook and run.

Favorite food/drink: Shrimp and coffee

Favorite place you've visited: Italy

Favorite course taken at Tufts: Epidemiological methods