About

Simone Charles, PhD, MS, is a Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Michigan, School of Public Health, where she also serves as the Associate Chair of the Curriculum Committee. Her research began in exposure science, focusing on risk assessment modeling for environmental contaminants in soils, air contaminant exposure assessments in indoor settings, and chemical tracer identification and efficacy determination of tobacco smoke in urban households with asthmatic children. Her work has transitioned to public health practice and research translation, working with academic-community partnerships to address health impacts of environmental hazard exposures on underserved rural and urban communities. Her practice has informed contributions to state and local partnerships, including work with the Georgia Department of Public Health to develop a statewide strategic plan for reducing lead exposures through healthy housing and prevention strategies. Her focus includes curriculum development, environmental health literacy, and workforce development to address health disparities in underserved communities. Her adolescent-focused research aims to develop culturally appropriate, place-based strategies for youth engagement in environmental health, increasing health literacy, and promoting policy change. She has been invited to serve as the Associate Editor for the Environmental Justice journal and was a 2013 NIH NIMHD Translational Health Disparities scholar and a 2012 Health Equity Leadership Institute fellow.

Research topics

• Business
• Finance
• Environmental chemistry
• Chemistry
• Financial system
• Physiology
• Marketing
• Internal medicine
• Medicine
• Advertising
• Economics

Selected publications

• Exploring the Influence of Chemical Exposures in Breast Cancer Disparities: High-Throughput Transcriptomic Analysis in Normal Breast Cells from Diverse Donors

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2026-02-24

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Racial disparities in the incidence of, and mortality from, aggressive breast cancers are a pressing public health issue. Many factors have been investigated in these inequities; however, the role of toxicant exposures is not well characterized. We and others have identified substantial inequities in chemical biomarker concentrations by race. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that exposure to these chemicals is linked to biological changes relevant to aggressive breast cancers, such as dysregulation of the Hallmarks of Cancer. We used high throughput transcriptomic profiling of normal primary human breast epithelial cells from diverse donors ( n=6 ) to test effects of 8 chemicals (cadmium, lead, arsenic, copper, PFNA, BPA, BPS, p,p’-DDE) with documented exposure disparities by race/ethnicity across 3 concentrations (100nM, 1µM, 10µM). Across chemicals, we identified that pathways related to cell cycle regulation and protein secretion were commonly affected. Through bioinformatic estimation of cell type proportions, we found that metals like lead and cadmium induced cell-type shifts, consistent with the dysregulated cellular plasticity cancer hallmark. Lead and arsenic response genes were enriched for genes associated with poor breast cancer survival in the Cancer Genome Atlas. Integrating concentration-response modeling and chemical biomonitoring data, BPA, p,p’-DDE, copper, and lead elicited expression changes at concentrations relevant to the US population. Finally, we identified substantial interindividual heterogeneity in response to organic compounds, but less so in metals. These findings highlight the value of high-throughput transcriptomics as a New Approach Methodology (NAM) in quantifying how common exposures may impact aggressive breast cancer associated biological processes.

  PublisherDOI

• Increasing community capacity to address local environmental health concerns using a community grant program in Atlanta, Georgia

  Research Square · 2026-01-14

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Energy-Efficient Upgrades in Urban Low-Income Multifamily Housing: Energy Burdens and Lessons Learned for Best Sustainability Practices

  Sustainability · 2025-06-13 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Residents in low-income multifamily housing often struggle to afford energy for essential needs such as heating, cooking, and electronics. Climate change may increase these energy demands, and high energy bills can reflect inefficiencies in a home's systems or envelope. Improving the energy efficiency in low-income housing benefits both social justice and sustainability. However, there is limited information on the impact of energy upgrades in multifamily settings. This study examined the energy-related experiences of low-income families in public housing in Detroit, Michigan, who received energy-conserving measures (ECMs) such as efficient light bulbs, faucets, thermostats, and refrigerators in 2022. Thirty-nine residents completed surveys and provided energy usage data before and after the upgrades; twelve residents provided their hourly energy usage. Over 90% of residents reporting income information had an energy burden exceeding 6%, with higher energy expenses during colder months. While many residents appreciated the upgrades, quantitative evidence of reduced energy burdens was insufficient. Existing utility programs for multifamily residents typically offer minor upgrades but do not include larger appliance replacements or improvements to home insulation. To maximize energy efficiency for low-income families, thus promoting sustainability, more comprehensive programs and retrofits are necessary.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Exposure to the global rice trade: A comparative study of arsenic and cadmium in rice consumed in Haiti

  Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · 2024-02-02 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Rice makes up nearly a quarter of dietary intake in Haiti. Rice consumption began to rapidly increase during the mid-1980s and 1990s, corresponding to policy interventions that promoted the importation and consumption of U.S.-grown rice, soon making Haiti the second largest export market for Ameri­can rice worldwide. Haitian growers also cultivate and sell local rice. Rice consumption can be a significant source of exposure to toxic metals since rice plants accumulate arsenic and cadmium from their envi­ronment. In August 2020, we collected samples of local (n=48) and imported (n=50) rice from vendor sites in the Lower Artibonite Valley region of Haiti. Cadmium and arsenic concentrat­ions were meas­ured via inductively coupled plasma mass spec­trom­e­try. Levels were compared between local versus imported commercial rice samples. For arsenic, we conducted a simulation study to esti­mate the intake of arsenic from varied quantities of local or imported rice samples on a per-body weight basis for adults and young children. We found that median concentrations were nearly two-fold higher for both arsenic and cadmium in im­ported rice (0.15 µg/g and 0.007 µg/g) compared to local rice (0.07 µg/g and 0.003 µg/g). Our simu­lation of arsenic intake through rice consumption suggests that adults of varying weights consuming 3 or more cups of imported rice per day would exceed a daily minimum risk level for toxicity. The simulation also suggests that most children con­suming 1 or more cups of local or imported rice per day would exceed a health-based arsenic intake limit. In Haiti, imported rice had an average level of arsenic twice that of locally grown product, with some imported sources exceeding the international limits recommended to protect human health. Cur­rent consumption patterns of imported rice over the long-term for children and adults may adversely impact health in Haiti. Strengthening community food systems can promote better health.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Associations between mercury exposure with blood pressure and lipid levels: A cross-sectional study of dental professionals

  Environmental Research · 2023 · 13 citations

  • Medicine
  • Chemistry
  • Physiology
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Collaborative Approach to Address Racism in a Community–Academic Partnership

  Preventing Chronic Disease · 2023-05-31 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  The HERCULES Exposome Research Center at Emory University uses an exposome approach to study the environment's effect on health and community well-being. HERCULES is guided by a Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) that includes representatives of neighborhoods, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions in the Atlanta metropolitan region. This region (and the SAB) has a large proportion of Black residents, many of whom live in areas experiencing environmental injustices. Historic and current racial injustices in Atlanta and public health research made it imperative to initiate dialogue and implement actions to address racism and power dynamics that may impact research and partnerships between affected communities and our institution.After initial discussion, the HERCULES Community Engagement Core and SAB members formed a workgroup to develop an internal anti-racism process. The workgroup drafted an Anti-Racism Commitment, hosted a Racism and Equity Dialogue Series, and initiated a strategic planning process to implement the resulting recommendations, which fell into the following categories: anti-racist guidance/policies and recommendations for research, community engagement, and the department. Center leadership and the SAB were engaged throughout the iterative process.This deliberate and ongoing process allows HERCULES to identify and begin implementing action items that go beyond a written proclamation to address racialized power imbalances and systemic inequities. HERCULES is committed to working collaboratively to earn community trust while addressing systemic issues, recognizing that these are essential to forming research partnerships that address health inequities.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• <i>Call for Special Issue Papers:</i> The Road to Water Justice—From Local to Global

  Environmental Justice · 2022-04-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Parenting and Lead Mitigation at Home: A Multifaceted Community Partnership Model Promoting Parent Engagement in Lead Exposure Prevention

  Health Promotion Practice · 2022-05-09 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Young children are at high risk of lead poisoning, which can damage early cognitive and behavioral development and have long-lasting impacts. Home environments are persistent sources of exposure for children in urban, low-income settings. Community-academic partnerships are essential for public health intervention strategies addressing residential household lead exposure, yet community organization staff and home visitors often experience strain and burnout. We describe Parenting and Lead Mitigation at Home, a multifaceted partnership project to (a) develop and implement a community-based, peer-delivered education program for parents of young children in neighborhoods at risk for home lead exposure and (b) support the home visitors delivering programming. We developed, delivered, and initially evaluated Lead 101, a lead-exposure prevention curriculum informed by the Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI) model. The goals were to educate parents around lead exposure risks and empower parents to reduce their child's risk. We developed a novel Reflective Practice pilot curriculum designed to provide emotional support to peer educators and community organization staff who delivered home-based programming. We trained 11 peer educators who delivered Lead 101 to 62 families. We pilot-tested the Reflective Practice curriculum with five community organization staff. The implementation process and pilot evaluation data suggest increased parent knowledge and self-efficacy regarding mitigation of home-based lead hazards, and high satisfaction with reflective practice. Using this model to develop multifaceted partnerships among universities, community-based organizations, and focal communities may facilitate community-engaged program development for families and systematic support for individuals working directly with families, thereby indirectly promoting child health and well-being.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Financial well-being of sportswomen

  International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics · 2021 · 28 citations

  • Business
  • Finance
  • Financial system

  Despite efforts to increase female participation and representation in sport, there has been little scholarly focus on sportswomen’s financial wel–being. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature and to contribute to broadening theoretical understanding of subjective financial well-being. The study presents the results of the thematic analysis of interviews with 27 UK sportswomen to understand their experience of financial well-being, which is the ability to sustain current and anticipated desired living standards and financial freedom. Our analysis identified sportswomen’s subjective financial well-being, the personal and contextual factors influencing their perceptions of well-being and the consequences of their financial well–being on quality of life and general well–being. This study yields implications for a range of stakeholders, including governing bodies, policymakers, sports media, team and talent managers and financial institutions, and highlights the need to advance gender equity policies and practices that can positively impact on sportswomen’s financial well-being.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• To build my career or build my brand? Exploring the prospects, challenges and opportunities for sportswomen as human brand

  European Sport Management Quarterly · 2020 · 54 citations

  • Business
  • Marketing
  • Advertising

  Research question: There are growing concerns about the commercial viability of sportswomen as they are seldom featured as brand ambassadors. There are challenges for sportswomen in building and making their brands appealing to advertisers and marketers. This study seeks to understand the human brand concept in the context of sportswomen. Specifically, exploring the challenges, prospects and opportunities, sportswomen face in building their brand.Research methods: Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 24 sportswomen in the UK were thematically analysed.Results and Findings: Sportswomen seldom recognise themselves as brands and therefore make little effort to build their brand. They identified known issues such as limited media coverage, gendered perceptions of women’s sport, as well as emergent issues such as the challenges of balancing the need to develop their brand with the need to build their career. We develop a human brand pyramid to highlight how sportswomen can progress from human brands to brand endorsers and boost their earning potential. The present findings contribute to a better understanding of human brands, sportswomen and celebrity endorsement.Implications: It offers practical implications for sportswomen who want to build their brand. Governing bodies, media and brands also need to change the representation of sportswomen across advertisements through tactics that promote gender equity and decrease differences. Sportswomen’s athletic abilities should be given more visibility over their aesthetics. Talent managers also need to be mindful of trends in gender relations to better support their female clients in developing their brands.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Stuart Batterman

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  14 shared

• Christopher Godwin

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  10 shared

• Chunrong Jia

  University of Memphis

  10 shared

• Sergei M. Chernyak

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  8 shared

• Stuart H. Tedders

  6 shared

• Lynn D. Woodhouse

  6 shared

• William C. Livingood

  5 shared

• Christina H. Fuller

  Georgia College & State University

  4 shared

Labs

• Simone Charles LaboratoryPI

Awards & honors

• 2013 NIH NIMHD Translational Health Disparities scholar
• 2012 Health Equity Leadership Institute fellow
• invited to serve as the Associate Editor for Environmental J…