October 29, 2025
Society Member, and winner of one of the Society’s 2023 Bicentennial Early Career Research and Service Citations, Dr Jacinta Martin of the University of Newcastle has just co-authored a study published recently in Communication Biology showing that short-term exposure to PFAS can significantly disrupt male fertility and embryonic development in mice. Her work featured in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 29 October 2025.
Dr Martin is a Lecturer in the College of Engineering, Science and Environment at the University of Newcastle and a member of the Infertility and Reproduction Research Program at the Hunter Medical Research Institute.
In the study, researchers exposed male mice to PFAS levels found in water samples from the Williamtown contamination site near Newcastle. Even at these environmentally relevant concentrations, the mice exhibited reduced levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, both of which are critical for sperm production. Although the sperm appeared normal, they carried molecular changes that altered gene expression in embryos fertilised with them, potentially affecting birth weights and long-term health.
The study found that some hormonal effects were more pronounced at lower PFAS doses, challenging assumptions that environmental dilution reduces risk. It also suggests that paternal exposure alone may impact offspring, even if the children are not directly exposed. These findings align with global research linking PFAS to fertility issues and raise concerns about broader ecological impacts. Separate research found high PFAS levels in possums and platypus, indicating widespread contamination of Australian ecosystems. Funded by the NHMRC, the study underscores the need for stricter regulation and further investigation into the generational effects of PFAS exposure.
The Society early congratulates Dr Martin and her colleagues on this study and wishes her every success in her future research. To read more, please see the SMH article.
