Robert Turesky BSc, PhD

Turesky is well known for his participation in the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer report linking processed and grilled meats to increased incidence of colorectal cancer. His research focuses on hazardous chemicals found in food, tobacco smoke, and medicinal herbs which metabolize in our bodies and cause genetic damage that can lead to cancer.

Specifically, his research focuses on what happens in the body when people ingest heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). HAAs are chemicals that form from the reaction of biochemicals in muscle tissue during high-temperature grilling and frying of meats. PAHs are chemicals that form when meat is smoked, charred, or cooked over an open flame. Some of these chemicals are also found in tobacco smoke. Turesky’s research shows that higher temperatures and longer cooking times lead to higher levels of HAAs and PAHs in meats. Upon ingestion, enzymes in our bodies then change these chemicals into reactive intermediates that can damage DNA.