What do Teflon, Scotch Guard and the inside of microwave popcorn bags have in common?

Besides repelling oil and water, all three may be linked to estrogen-like compounds that in high concentrations may alter reproductive functions and could increase cancer risk, according to Oregon State University scientists.

"Some of the chemicals we're exposed to in the environment can interfere with the function of your natural hormones by mimicking them or blocking them," said Abby Benninghoff, a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences postdoctoral fellow working in the environmental and molecular toxicology department at OSU.

She primarily studies PFOA, an endocrine disruptor derived from the manufacture and use of nonstick products.

But don't go throwing out those pots and pans just yet.

It is unclear whether the levels of these compounds found in common household products pose any threat to people, and that's what Benninghoff is investigating. She's also looking at the effects these chemicals have on non-mammalian animals, such as rainbow trout.

Benninghoff was recently named one of 10 science communication fellows by the nonprofit organization Environmental Health Sciences.

"The goal of this program is to foster a bridge between scientists and the media and the public, to establish a communication link," she said.

During her year of service, Benninghoff will receive a $5,000 stipend. She will review scientific articles for news agencies, helping journalists understand hot-button scientific issues so they can inform readers.

The goal of the fellowship is to help scientists and nonscientists find a common language so important concepts don't got lost behind the jargon of the "ivory tower," she said.

Benninghoff's appointment is a tribute to her solid research and a point of pride for OSU, according to David Williams, a professor of environmental and molecular toxicology and adviser to Benninghoff.

"She will be an ambassador for OSU to the rest of the nation on existing and emerging threats to health from exposure to environmental chemicals," Williams said. "This is a well-earned and prestigious recognition of her accomplishments to date and her potential to become a leader in the field of impacts of environmental chemicals on human health."

Mary Ann Albright reports on higher education for the Gazette-Times.

Abby Benninghoff

Age: 32.

Residence: Corvallis (hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.).

Occupation: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences postdoctoral fellow at Oregon State University.

Education: Bachelor's degree in biochemistry and biology from the University of Tennessee, 1997, and Ph.D. in marine science from the University of Texas, 2004.

Family: Parents Linda and Henry Benninghoff, sister Karen Barnett.

Hobbies: Playing with her two German shepherd-black Lab mixes; reading.

Misc.: Sings with the Jubilate! Women's Choir.