Overview
Professor Heather Stapleton is an environmental chemist and exposure scientist in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. Her research interests focus on identification of halogenated and organophosphate chemicals in building materials, furnishings and consumer products, and estimation of human exposure, particularly in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children. Her laboratory utilizes mass spectrometry, including targeted and nontargeted approaches, to characterize chemical burdens in both environmental samples and biological tissues to support environmental health research. Currently she serves as the Director for the Duke Superfund Research Center, and Director of the Duke Environmental Analysis Laboratory, which is part of NIH’s Human Health Environmental Analysis Resource.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
In the News
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Recent Publications
Developmental PBDE exposure persistently impairs mast cell function in vivo and drives sex-specific morphological and transcriptional changes in bone marrow-derived mast cells.
Journal Article Environmental research · January 2026 Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are synthetic flame retardants once widely used in furniture, electronics, and other consumer products. Although phased out in the early 2000s, their persistence and recycling into new materials have led to continued ... Full text CitePer- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) in Firefighter Turnout Gear: Two Chemical Classes of Concern to Consider
Journal Article Environmental Science & Technology Letters · December 16, 2025 Full text CiteAssessing Nondietary Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Firefighters Using Silicone Wristbands
Journal Article Environment & Health · December 3, 2025 Full text CiteRecent Grants
Duke University Program in Environmental Health
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2019 - 2029Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Exposures, Effects, and Interventions: A Collaborative Research-to-Action Partnership with Firefighters".
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Arizona · 2024 - 2028An integrated and diverse genomic medicine program for undiagnosed diseases
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2014 - 2028View All Grants