Forbes Online Editorial Recognizes ITRC for Providing Needed Educational Resources on Environmental Molecular Diagnostics

In a Forbes online guest post titled, "Breaking The Code: Using Personalized Medicine For Environmental Cleanups," Dr. Aaron Peacock of Haley and Aldrich, Inc. summarizes how environmental molecular diagnostics (EMDs) are having a profound impact on environmental management and clean up. EMDs are analytical tools that provide a deep understanding, often through a genetic analysis, of the types of microbes at a contaminated site, their metabolic processes, and how they contribute to the cleanup process. Noting the parallel to using the genetic code of individuals to prevent and treat disease, the article states that EMD's bring the power of "personalized medicine" to environmental cleanup and provide in-depth information not otherwise available from standard tests. The article concludes that knowledge about EMDs and their use by practitioners is not widespread and that ITRC is providing fact sheets, guidance documents, and training to help remediation professionals and others understand EMDs and how to use them to improve the cleanup process. Dr. Peacock is an active member of ITRC's Environmental Molecular Diagnostics (EMD) Team.