Silent Spring Institute

Silent Spring Institute The only scientific research organization specifically dedicated to uncovering the environmental causes of breast cancer

The Institute’s research agenda is defined by these priorities:

* Focus on the environment, an under-studied area that can lead to the discovery of preventable causes of cancer, particularly in communities with higher risk;

* Make women’s health, especially breast cancer, a central rather than peripheral research priority;

* Support innovation, including new research methods and pilot studies t

o test new hypotheses;

* Foster multidisciplinary teams of researchers to integrate their strengths;

* Foster true collaboration among scientists, physicians, and community members. Silent Spring Institute began in 1994, after members of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition called for a scientifically sound investigation into elevated breast cancer rates on Cape Cod. They founded “a laboratory of their own” and named it Silent Spring Institute in tribute to Rachel Carson, whose landmark book, Silent Spring, launched the modern environmental movement. Carson died of breast cancer just two years after the book was published. Be part of the movement http://silentspring.org/.

Time is running out! Only one week left to reserve your seat.Did you know that cancer rates are rising worldwide in peop...
09/03/2026

Time is running out! Only one week left to reserve your seat.

Did you know that cancer rates are rising worldwide in people under age 50, and experts predict another 30% increase in the next decade? Don't miss the opportunity to support groundbreaking research to reverse this alarming trend.

Join us on Thursday October 1, 2026, at the Museum of Science, Boston for our 2026 Gala Celebration. It will be an unforgettable evening celebrating Silent Spring’s cancer prevention science and shining a light on the urgent need to address the rise in early-onset cancers disproportionately impacting young women.

Secure your seat through the link in our bio or visit: silentspring.org/gala. RSVP before September 10th.

Congratulations to Silent Spring's Executive Director, Dr. Mary Beth Terry, on this incredible recognition!This award wi...
09/02/2026

Congratulations to Silent Spring's Executive Director, Dr. Mary Beth Terry, on this incredible recognition!

This award will support her research on the environmental and early-life factors driving the rise in breast cancer among young women, refine risk assessment tools that integrate genetic and environmental information, and expand education, mentorship, and community-based programs aimed at reducing breast cancer risk and translating prevention science into practice.

ACS's highest grant award recognizes distinguished scientific achievement and provides support for future innovation in cancer research.

We are proud to honor Dr. Monica Bertagnolli with the 2026 Rachel Carson Advocacy Award.Monica Bertagnolli, MD, is a sur...
08/31/2026

We are proud to honor Dr. Monica Bertagnolli with the 2026 Rachel Carson Advocacy Award.

Monica Bertagnolli, MD, is a surgical oncologist with a distinguished career in cancer research, clinical care, and national health leadership. Throughout her career, Dr. Bertagnolli has been at the forefront of the field of translational oncology, working to advance cancer prevention and treatment. She was elected president of the National Academy of Medicine, a position she assumed in July 2026, becoming its first woman leader.

Join us as we celebrate her remarkable leadership and achievements on October 1.

RSVP by September 10 by visiting silentspring.org/gala.

This year we are honored to recognize Tatiana Schlossberg with the Susan S. Bailis Champion Award.An environmental journ...
08/25/2026

This year we are honored to recognize Tatiana Schlossberg with the Susan S. Bailis Champion Award.

An environmental journalist and author, Tatiana helped countless readers better understand the connections between our environment and human health. Her book, Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have, revealed how the choices we make in our everyday lives impact our planet, no matter how small. The book won the Rachel Carson Environment Book Award in 2020.

In her final piece of writing, a widely shared New Yorker essay titled “A Battle with My Blood,” Schlossberg offered a deeply personal account of her experience with cancer, inviting readers to witness the unthinkable—and increasingly common—experience of early-onset cancer from the inside.

Please join us as we celebrate her legacy on October 1.

RSVP by September 10 by visiting silentspring.org/gala.

Love your morning coffee? Take a closer look at how you brew it. ☕When hot water runs through your coffee maker, the pla...
08/24/2026

Love your morning coffee? Take a closer look at how you brew it. ☕

When hot water runs through your coffee maker, the plastic parts can leach endocrine disrupting chemicals like BPA into your coffee. BPA is an estrogenic chemical that's been linked with effects on fertility and child development, as well as reproductive cancers.

Try a French press or manual drip maker made with glass or ceramic—or a stainless steel percolator instead.

Small changes to everyday routines can help reduce unnecessary chemical exposures.

For more healthy living tips, download Silent Spring's free Detox Me app (detoxmeapp.org).

Great post by the National Center for Healthy Housing on why TSCA matters for healthy housing. "Housing professionals re...
08/23/2026

Great post by the National Center for Healthy Housing on why TSCA matters for healthy housing. "Housing professionals regularly make decisions about flooring, paints, adhesives, furnishing, renovation materials... The standards governing chemical safety can directly influence what ends up in those products and, ultimately, in people’s homes. If healthy housing is about creating environments that support health, then the policies that determine which chemicals are allowed in those environments deserve our attention."

To learn more about chemical exposures in the home, check out Silent Spring's research: https://silentspring.org/our-science/household-air-and-dust

https://nchh.org/2026/08/looking-beyond-lead_what-we-learned-about-tsca-and-healthy-housing/

The National Center for Healthy Housing

Early bird pricing ends tomorrow! 🐦Just one day left to secure your tickets at the early bird rate for Silent Spring Ins...
08/21/2026

Early bird pricing ends tomorrow! 🐦

Just one day left to secure your tickets at the early bird rate for Silent Spring Institute’s Gala Celebration on Thursday October 1, 2026, at the Museum of Science in Boston.

Join us for an evening celebrating advances in cancer prevention science—and the urgent need to address the troubling rise in early-onset cancers that disproportionately impact young women.

Early bird ticket pricing ends tomorrow, August 21.

Learn more and reserve your tickets at silentspring.org/gala.

Thank you to our individual sponsors for supporting Silent Spring Institute’s 2026 Gala Celebration on October 1. 💙Our m...
08/17/2026

Thank you to our individual sponsors for supporting Silent Spring Institute’s 2026 Gala Celebration on October 1. 💙

Our most innovative research is made possible thanks to dedicated supporters like you. Your partnership helps accelerate bold scientific breakthroughs for a healthier, safer world, and we are truly grateful for your commitment.

We look forward to celebrating with you at the Gala. Together, we can change the trajectory of cancer risk and protect future generations.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Please visit silentspring.org/gala to learn more.

Thank you to our community of corporate sponsors for supporting Silent Spring Institute’s Gala Celebration on October 1....
08/13/2026

Thank you to our community of corporate sponsors for supporting Silent Spring Institute’s Gala Celebration on October 1. Corporate sponsors make it possible for Silent Spring to advance groundbreaking environmental health research, educate communities, inform policies, and ultimately reduce exposures to cancer-causing chemicals.
When businesses invest in cancer prevention research, they invest in healthier communities for generations to come.

To learn more and become a corporate sponsor, please visit silentspring.org/gala.

Too young. Too many. Time to act.Join us for Silent Spring Institute’s Gala Celebration on Thursday October 1, 2026, at ...
08/11/2026

Too young. Too many. Time to act.

Join us for Silent Spring Institute’s Gala Celebration on Thursday October 1, 2026, at the Museum of Science, Boston. It will be an unforgettable evening celebrating our prevention science and shining a light on the rise in early-onset cancers disproportionately impacting young women.

We will come together to honor two extraordinary individuals whose compassion, courage, and unwavering commitment have made a lasting impact on the cancer community and beyond:
• Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, President of the National Academy of Medicine, 2026 Rachel Carson Advocacy Award
• Tatiana Schlossberg (in memory of), Environmental Journalist and Author, 2026 Susan S. Bailis Champion Award

Hosted by Katie Martell, the evening will also feature remarks from Silent Spring Executive Director Dr. Mary Beth Terry and a special performance by Manuela Sánchez-Goubert, a vocalist and producer who blends Jazz with Latin American folk music.

Together, we can change the trajectory of cancer risk and protect future generations. Join us in creating a healthier world where fewer people face cancer.

To learn more and buy tickets visit: silentspring.org/gala. The deadline to purchase early bird tickets is August 21.

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320 Nevada Street, Ste 302
Newton, MA
02460

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