Dr. Perinaaz Wadia

Research Associate at Tufts University School of Medicine, Dept. of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Boston, MA

Education:

• Bachelor of Science, 1994, Majoring in Life Sciences, University of Mumbai, India
• Masters in Science, 1996, majoring in Life Sciences with specialization in Biological Macromolecules, University of Mumbai, India
• Ph.D. in Applied Biology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, University of Mumbai, India
• Postdoctoral Research Associate at Tufts University School of Medicine, Dept. of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Boston, MA

Since she started a new job as medical researcher six years ago, Doctor Perinaaz Wadia has started to view all the plastics in her house with suspicion. She’s stopped microwaving leftovers in plastic containers and eats out of glass dishes whenever possible.

That’s because many of the plastics in our homes contain a chemical called Bisphenol A, a new-age material that’s great for sealing the inside of tin cans and making sturdy plastic bottles, but it could also be responsible for many otherwise-unexplained cases of breast cancer in the United States.

“We need to do a little more work before we are absolutely sure,” said Wadia, a Brookline resident and research associate at Tufts University. “But looking at the data, I feel there seems to be a link between this chemical and breast cancer.”

Scientists have been looking at the possible hazards of Bisphenol A, or BPA, since the late 1980s, when Wadia’s boss, Dr. Ana Soto, and fellow researches noticed that plastic lab equipment was affecting the reproduction of certain cells.