Abby Fleisch, MD, MPH

Clinical Faculty & Pediatric Endocrinologist

Research Interests

  • Pediatric environmental health
  • Pediatric endocrinology

Abby Fleisch, MD, MPH, is an environmental health researcher at MaineHealth Institute for Research, Attending Physician in pediatric endocrinology and diabetes at Maine Medical Center, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Adjunct Associate Professor of Environmental Health at Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Fleisch completed residency in pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital/Boston Medical Center and fellowship in endocrinology at Boston Children’s Hospital. She participated in the Harvard-wide pediatric health services research fellowship and received a Masters of Public Health from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Fleisch’s research is focused on the extent to which exposure to environmental toxicants prenatally and across the lifespan impact cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal health. Dr. Fleisch has demonstrated an impact of chemicals such as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates on fat distribution and bone health. Her studies include careful attention to vulnerable exposure windows, dietary confounding, potential mitigating effects of diet/lifestyle, and the health impact of multi-chemical exposure. Dr. Fleisch leads or co-leads 2 R01 awards, including an Outstanding New Environmental Scientist R01, and an R21 award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Complete list of published work in MyNCBI Bibliography: My Bibliography – NCBI (nih.gov)

Rokoff, LB, Rifas-Shiman SL, Switkowski KM, Young JG, Rosen CJ, Oken E, Fleisch AF. Body composition and bone mineral density in childhood. Bone 2019; 121:9-15. PMCID: 6391186.

Cluett R*, Seshasayee SM*, Rokoff LB, Rifas-Shiman SL, Ye X, Calafat AM, Gold DR, Coull B, Gordon CM, Rosen CJ, Oken E, Sagiv SK, Fleisch AF. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Plasma Concentrations and Bone Mineral Density in Mid-Childhood: A Cross-Sectional Study (Project Viva, USA). Environ Health Perspect 2019; 127(8):87006. PMID: 31433236.  * co-first authors

Seshasayee SM, Rifas-Shiman SL, Chavarro JE, Carwile JL, Lin PD, Calafat AM, Sagiv SK, Oken E, Fleisch AF. Dietary Patterns and PFAS Plasma Concentrations in Childhood: Project Viva, USA. Environment International; 2021. 151:106415. PMID: 33706127.

Janis JA, Rifas-Shiman SL, Seshasayee SM, Sagiv S, Calafat AM, Gold DR, Coull BA, Rosen CJ, Oken E, Fleisch AF. Plasma Concentrations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Body Composition From Mid-Childhood to Early Adolescence. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Aug 18;106(9):e3760-e3770. PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8372642.

Carwile JL, Seshasayee SM, Ahrens KA, Hauser R, Driban JB, Rosen CJ, Gordon CM, Fleisch AF. Serum PFAS and urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations and bone mineral density in 12-19 year olds: 2011-2016 NHANES. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022; 107(8):e3343-e3352. PMID: 35511700