PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 21, 2025
Two dozen Maine college students are investigating the public health effects of forever chemicals by using zebrafish as human stand-ins and water samples from private residential wells as part of a growing statewide biotech training program. Students attending a weeklong conference at MDI Bio Lab are finding zebrafish — a favorite among medical researchers because they share 70% of our genes — suffer a higher rate of developmental delays and birth defects when grown in contaminated well water. However, the training program that organized the student PFAS conference is now at risk from proposed federal funding cuts. The National Institutes for Health has announced grant administration changes that would result in a $900,000 cut in annual funding for Maine’s biotech training program.