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Heather M. Stapleton

Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson Distinguished Professor
Environmental Natural Science
Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708-0328
9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, LSRC Room A207, Durham, NC 27710

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 Duke Appointments & Affiliations


Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson Distinguished Professor · 2020 - Present Environmental Natural Science, Nicholas School of the Environment
Professor in the Division of Environmental Natural Sciences · 2024 - Present Environmental Natural Science, Nicholas School of the Environment
Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering · 2024 - Present Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2015 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

Recent News Items


Published December 16, 2025
PFAS Are Being Phased Out of Firefighter Gear. But Other Chemical Concerns Arise.
Published April 8, 2025
‘Forever Chemicals’ Are Everywhere. Most of Their Health Effects Are Unknown
Published March 17, 2025
What’s the Cancer Risk for Firefighters? A Study Seeks to Find Out.

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Recent Scholarly Works


Associations of serum PFAS with COVID-19 antibody levels among fully vaccinated adults.

Journal article Environmental research · June 2026 Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS have been observed to alter immune function. The most sensitive effect is suppressed antibody response following vaccination, particularly for tetanus and diphtheria in children. To ... Full text Cite

Polyurethane Foam Wristbands as Personal Passive Samplers of Ambient Particulate Exposures to Lead and Other Metals.

Journal article Environmental science & technology · June 2026 Wearable wristband passive samplers are a tool for evaluating personal exposures to chemical mixtures such as semivolatile organic compounds. However, these samplers are ineffective for particulate-bound chemicals such as metals because they do not accumul ... Full text Cite

Triphenyl phosphate promotes lipid accumulation in human mesenchymal stem cells through metabolic stress pathways.

Journal article Archives of toxicology · June 2026 Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used as both plasticizers and flame retardants, are increasingly recognized for their potential to disrupt cellular homeostasis and emerging evidence indicates their ability to induce metabolic stress in diverse biological sy ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


Duke University Program in Environmental Health

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2019 - 2029

An integrated and diverse genomic medicine program for undiagnosed diseases

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2014 - 2028

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Education


University of Maryland, College Park · 2003 Ph.D.
University of Maryland, College Park · 2000 M.S.
Long Island University, Southhampton College · 1997 B.S.