SILENT SPRING INSTITUTE is a partnership of scientists, physicians, public health advocates, and community activists united around the common goal of identifying and changing the links between the environment and women's health, especially breast cancer. This collaboration began when activists from the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition recognized the need for a new type of research organization to find preventable causes of breast cancer.

Silent Spring Institute is named in recognition of Silent Spring, Rachel Carson's pioneering book that tied the use of pesticides to adverse effects on wildlife.

Our research projects investigate a number of issues key to determining how women are exposed to pollutants with potentially long-term health risks.

This research is funded by organizations and individuals who are committed to furthering research on issues that affect women's health, and, in particular, on potential environmental links to breast cancer.

A Collaborative Approach

Silent Spring Institute collaborates with researchers from Boston University School of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Tufts University Medical School, and Applied Geographics Inc. The collaborative spirit extends beyond the scientific community to include activists and others concerned about women's health.

Silent Spring Institute accepts funds from a variety of sources including corporations, governmental agencies, private foundations, and charitable contributions from individuals and organizations. Silent Spring is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service. All contributions to the Institute are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Integrated Scientific Capabilities

Our multidisciplinary staff brings together expertise in many fields:

- biology
- chemistry
- epidemiology
- geographic databases
- geology
- health communications
- information science
- risk assessment
- toxicology

Our Geographic Information System (GIS), a mapping database, integrates health outcomes with historical environmental data. Other scientific tools range from leading-edge chemical analyses to focus groups of concerned citizens.