2007_0802Jan-March060041 Welcome to the website of Dr. Kathleen Arcaro, Associate Professor of Environmental Toxicology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. 

Dr. Arcaro's current research focuses on the use of breastmilk to assess breast cancer risk.  Her findings may lead to new early detection methods and new therapies for breast cancer.

  • Watch a news segment about one of Dr. Arcaro's studies! 

  • Learn about epigenetics - the changes the functioning of our genes which Dr. Arcaro studies - in this NOVA segment.

Dr. Arcaro is currently looking for breastfeeding women who are possible participants in two University of Massachusetts studies:

Study #1:  Participants must 1) have had and breastfed a child in their mid-20's or earlier, and 2) now be in their mid-30's or older and nursing another child. Please note that we are currently only able to collect samples within a 50 mile radius of Amherst, Massachusetts for this study.

Study #2:  Participants must 1) have had a biopsy in the past, or be expecting to have one soon, and 2) be nursing or pumping.  We are able to collect samples from anywhere in the U.S. for this study.

If you qualify to participate in a study you will be asked to complete a consent form and a questionnaire, and to donate a breastmilk sample from each breast.  

For more information about this study, see the "Donate breastmilk for a study" page.  You can also download a copy of the study brochure and flyer for study #2.