Toxic Exposure Linked to Epigenetic Risks Across Generations

WSU study finds single exposure to fungicide can increase disease risk for 20 subsequent generations

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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A new Washington State University study has found that a single exposure to a toxic fungicide during pregnancy can increase the risk of disease for 20 subsequent generations, with inherited health problems worsening many generations after exposure. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by WSU biologist Michael Skinner and expands the understanding of how long the intergenerational effects of toxic exposure may last, as they are passed down through alterations in reproductive cells.

Why it matters

The findings have implications for deciphering rising disease rates among humans, suggesting that someone's cancer today may be rooted in an ancestor's exposure to toxins decades earlier. However, the research has also uncovered potential treatments by identifying measurable biomarkers for diseases that could eventually spur preventative treatments, moving medicine away from a reactionary approach toward more proactive prevention.

The details

Skinner's team looked at 10 generations of rats following an initial exposure to the fungicide vinclozolin, and found the heightened prevalence of disease persisted through those generations. The current study doubled the number of generations studied, showing a similar persistence of disease in the kidneys, prostate, testes and ovaries, as well as other health effects. Starting in later generations, mothers and offspring began to die in large numbers during the birth process.

  • The study was published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  • Skinner first identified the epigenetic inheritance of disease in 2005 and has published scores of papers since.

The players

Michael Skinner

A professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University and founding director of the Center for Reproductive Biology, who has been studying "epigenetic transgenerational inheritance" of disease for two decades.

Eric Nilsson

A research professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University and co-author of the study.

Alexandra A. Korolenko

A previous graduate student at Washington State University who was the lead author of the study, and is now a postdoctoral researcher at Texas Tech University.

Sarah De Santos

An undergraduate research assistant in the Skinner laboratory at Washington State University and co-author of the study.

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What they’re saying

“This study really does say that this is not going to go away. We need to do something about it. We can use epigenetics to move us away from reactionary medicine and toward preventative medicine.”

— Michael Skinner, Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University (Mirage News)

What’s next

Skinner said developing the use of epigenetic biomarkers to drive preventative treatments in humans could offer a valuable strategy for offsetting the long-term effects of toxic exposure.

The takeaway

This research highlights the alarming persistence of health risks that can be passed down for generations due to toxic exposures, underscoring the critical need for proactive prevention and treatment strategies informed by epigenetic science.