Maria Averina

Maria Averina is an Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø. She is actively engaged in environmental health research with a focus on human exposure to contaminants and their health implications in Arctic and Northern Norwegian populations.

Her research interests center on environmental pollutants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and heavy metals. Dr. Averina investigates how these contaminants affect metabolic health, cardiovascular outcomes, endocrine function, and child development through population-based studies. Her work bridges toxicology, epidemiology, and clinical medicine to understand exposure pathways and health consequences in vulnerable populations.

Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on PFAS exposure across multiple life stages, from prenatal development to adulthood. Her research employs sophisticated analytical methods for biomonitoring while connecting contaminant levels with clinical outcomes, particularly in metabolic and cardiovascular health. The Tromsø Study serves as a key platform for much of her population-based research.

Dr. Averina is an active member of several research groups including:

• High North Population Studies
• Epidemiology of chronic diseases
• Tromsø Endocrine Research Group

She leads significant projects including 'Environmental pollutants and risk for cardiovascular diseases' and 'Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Endocrine Health Outcomes in the Fit Futures Cohort.' Her work with the Environmental Pollutant Laboratory demonstrates her commitment to developing advanced analytical methods for clinical diagnostics and biomonitoring of environmental contaminants.