With the rate of childhood diseases 鈥� such as autism, diabetes, obesity, and cancer 鈥� on the rise, , will discuss how chemicals found in our homes, schools, and communities could be playing a role in this troubling trend.

Landrigan, the Dean for Global Health at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, is the first guest lecturer brought to Rochester by the recently launched at UR Medicine鈥檚 . He will speak at the Child Care Council, 595 Blossom Rd., Suite 120, from 4 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 20.

Landrigan spent much of his career reducing child exposure to lead, pesticides, and other chemicals. He participated in the World Health Organization鈥檚 efforts to eradicate smallpox, helped to develop the National Children鈥檚 Study, and was on a team that helped create epidemiological studies following the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

During his visit to Rochester, Landrigan will also speak with groups of physicians at Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital and Rochester General Hospital.

鈥淒r. Landrigan is a tremendous advocate for children鈥檚 health, and his work to keep children safe from toxins embodies much of what our center is hoping to promote,鈥� said Richard K. Miller, Ph.D., professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UR Medicine and co-director of FLCEHC. 鈥淲e were thrilled with the opportunity to bring him to Rochester.鈥�

Last year, the state Department of Health selected Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital to host one of seven children鈥檚 environmental health center sites across the state. The FLCEHC, which launched in late 2014, services a 15-county area across central and western New York.

In addition to providing education to area physicians and promoting awareness with events such as Landrigan鈥檚 visit, the center has a toll-free call line through which anyone in the 15-county region can receive advice regarding a child鈥檚 exposure to harmful chemicals. Call line physicians have a wide array of expertise, starting with how exposure can affect a child before birth, continuing through breastfeeding and infancy, and extending until a child reaches the age of 21.

Landrigan鈥檚 visit to the Child Care Council is free and open to the public, though registration is required. To register, call (585) 654-1286 or email r.scholz@childcarecouncil.com.

To reach the FLCEHC call center, dial (585) 275-3638 or (844) 352-3420 or email flcehc@urmc.rochester.edu.