Kris Hansen, PhD

Kris has been a practicing analytical chemist for many years. Starting at Williams College (Williamstown, MA), Kris completed her undergraduate honors research thesis in Chemistry by developing and utilizing a new approach for characterizing PCBs in the Hoosic River. Along with research advisor Susan Kegley, the work conducted in support of Kris’s thesis was used by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to pinpoint active sources of PCBs into the Hoosic River and subsequently target clean up efforts to this source. The experience of using science to bring about actions consistent with environmental protection motivated Kris to continue pursuing chemistry applied to the environment.

Kris earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she focused on characterizing organic compounds present in aerosol particles in the lower atmosphere that can be associated with impaired air quality (PM2.5). Kris was awarded a post-doctoral research fellowship by the National Research Council to continue this work through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the Pacific Marine Environment Lab in Seattle, WA.

In 1996, Kris joined the 3M Environmental Lab in St. Paul MN, applying her expertise in trace level characterization, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and next generation sample preparation techniques to a variety of studies. Just over a year after joining 3M, Kris worked with others to identify, characterize and scope the extent of PFAS contamination of the environment. She published pioneering articles on PFAS in the environment and provided technical leadership and support in PFAS characterization for several years before leaving 3M’s Environmental Lab for another position in 3M in 2001. Kris worked at 3M for an additional 20 years, providing technical leadership in several divisions of 3M including 3M Drug Delivery Systems and 3M Food Safety. Kris has many peer reviewed contributions to the technical literature which have been cited, collectively, >7000 times.

Kris left 3M in 2022 to return to her scientific roots and apply her knowledge of and experience with industrial chemical contamination to contribute to the dialogue around cause, effect and mitigation of global chemical contamination. Kris serves on the board of Belwin Conservancy in Afton, MN. She lives in Afton, MN with her husband, Peter, where they enjoy being active in the wilderness of the northern Midwest.

How 3M Discovered and then Concealed the Dangers of Forever Chemicals; The New Yorker, May 20, 2024 by Sharon Lerner

Toxic Gaslighting: How 3M Executives Convinced a Scientist the Forever Chemicals she found in Human Blood were Safe; ProPublica, May 20, 2024 by Sharon Lerner

Profits over Public Health - The Story of Forever Chemicals; ABC Radio National - Rear Vision, Presented by Jennifer Leake, 29 June 2024 (podcast)

Select Publications and Presentations

PFAS/PCBs/PM2.5

K.J. Hansen; At the Bench Inside 3M 1997-2001; National PFAS Conference, Ann Arbor, MI.; 11 June 2024

K.J. Hansen ; Discovering & Rediscovering Global PFAS Contamination at 3M: “Strategic Science” in Action; International Society of Exposure Science; Chicago, IL USA; Aug 2023.

Hansen KJ, Clemen LA, Ellefson ME, Johnson HO. ; Compound-Specific, Quantitative Characterization of Organic Fluorochemicals in Biological Matrices;  Environ, Sci & Technology, 2001, 35, 766-770.

K.J. Hansen, H.O. Johnson , J.S. Eldridge , J.L. Butenhoff, L.A. Dick; Quantitative Characterization of Trace Levels of PFOS and PFOA in the Tennessee River; Environ. Sci. &Tech, 36, 2002, pp. 1681-1685.

Olsen GW , Huang HY, Helzlsourer KJ, Hansen KJ, Butenhoff J., Mandel JH; Historical Comparison of PFOS, PFOA and other Fluorochemicals in Human Blood; Environmental Health Perspectives, 113, 5, 2005, pp 539-545

Luebker, D.J.; Hansen, K.J.; Clemens, L.A.; Butenhoff, J.L.; Case, M.T.; Background PFOS in Experimental Rats; Toxicologist, 60, 232, 2001

Luebker, D.J., Hansen, K.J., Bass, N., Butenhoff, J.L.., Seacat, A.M.; Interactions of fluorochemicals with rat liver fatty acid-binding protein; Toxicology, 176, 2002, pp. 175-185

Seacat AM, Thomford PJ, Hansen KJ, Olsen GW, Case MT, Butenhoff JL.; Toxicological Sciences, 68, 2002, pp 249-264

Butenhoff, J., Costa, G., Elcombe, C., Farrar, D., Hansen, K., Iwai, H., Kennedy, G., Lieder, P., Olsen, G., Thonford, P.; Toxicological Sciences, 69, 2002, pp. 244-257

Kannan, K., Hansen, S.P., Franson, C.J., Bowerman, W.W., Hansen, K.J., Jones, P.D., Giesy, J.P. ; Environ. Sci. and Technol.; 35, 2001, pp. 3065-3070

Kannan, K., Koistinen, J., Beckmen, K., Evans, T., Gorzelany, J., Hansen, K.J., Jones, P.D., Giesy, J.P. ; Environ. Sci & Tech. 35, 2001, pp. 1593-1598

Kannan K, Hansen KJ, Wade TL, Giesy JP; Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicolcoy; 42, 2002, pp. 313-318

Olsen GW, Hansen KJ, Stevenson LA, Burris J, Mandel JH; Human Donor Liver Concentrations of PFOS and other Perfluorochemicals; Environmental Science and Technology, 37, 2003, pp. 888-891

Luebker, D.J.; York, R.Y.; Hansen, K.J.; Moore, J.A.; Butenhoff, J.L.;  Neonatal mortality from in utero exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in Sprague–Dawley rats: Dose–response, and biochemical and pharamacokinetic parameters; Toxicology, 215, 2005 pp 149-169.

Butenhoff, JL; Kennedy, GL; Hinterliter, PM; Lieder, PH; Jung, R; Hansen, KJ; Gorman, GS; Noker, PE; Thomford, PJ. , Pharmacokinetics of PFOA in Cynomolgus Monkeys; Toxicological Sciences, 82, 2004, pp 394-406.

Olsen, GW; Church, TR; Larson, EB; van Belle, G; Lundberg, JK; Hansen, KJ; Burris, JM; Mandel, JH; Zobel, LR; Serum Concentrations of PFOS and other fluorochemicals in an elderly population from Seattle, Washington; Chemosphere, 54, 2004, pp 1599-1611

Olsen GW, Church T., Hansen KJ, Butenhoff J., Mandel JH, Zobel, LR; Quantitative Evaluation of Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and Other Fluorochemicals in the Serum of Children; Journal of Children’s Health, 2004, 2 (1), pp. 53-76

 Olsen GW, Logan PW, Hansen KJ, Simpson CA, Burris JM, Burlew MM, Vorarath SP, Vekateswarlu P, Schumpert JC, Mandel JH; Am Ind Hyg Assoc, 2003, 64 (5), pp 651-659

Olsen GW, Hansen KJ, Mandel JH, Zobel, LR; Environmental Health Perspectives, 11, 2003, pp. 1892-1901

Olsen GW, Logan PW, Hansen KJ, Simpson CA, Burris JM, Burlew MM, Vorarath SP, Vekateswarlu P, Schumpert JC, Mandel JH.;  Am Ind Hyg Assoc J (2003).

Seacat AM, Thomford PJ, Hansen KJ, Clemen LA, Eldridge SR, Elcombe CR, Butenhoff JL.; Toxicology, 183, 2003, pp 117-131

Luebker, DJ; Case, MT; York, RG; Moore, JA; Hansen, KJ, Butenhoff, JL; Two-generation reproduction and cross-foster studies of PFOS in rats; Toxicology, 215, 2005, pp. 126-148

Hansen, KJ; Sievers, RM; “Trace Analysis in Atmospheric Aerosol Particles”;  in Encyclopedia of Environmental Analysis and Remediation; edited by Robert A Meyers, John Wiley & Sons, Inc; 1998

Hansen, KJ; Sievers, RM; Fingerprinting the Source of Organic Aerosol Particles; chapter in Encyclopedia of Environmental Analysis, 1997 

Veltkamp, P.R.; Hansen, K.J.; Barkley, R.M.; Sievers, R.E.; Principal Component Analysis of Summertime Aerosols at Niwot Ridge; Journal of Geophysical Research, 101, 14, 1996, pp 19495-19504. 

Veltkamp, P.R.; Hansen, K.J.; Barkley, R.M.; Sievers, R.E.;Chromatographic measurement of molecular markers of sources of atmospheric aerosol particles;  Environmental Geochemistry and Health; 18, 1996, pp 77-80

Hansen, KJ; Hansen, BN; Cravens, E; Sievers, RE; Supercritical Fluid Extraction-Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Organic Compounds in Atmospheric Aerosols; Analytical Chemistry, 1995, 67, 3451-3549

Hansen, KJ; Barkley, RM; Sievers, RE; Analysis of Organic Particulates from the Niwot Ridge Forest Fire, Environmental Health and Toxicity, 1995

Kegely, SE; Hansen, KJ; Cunningham, KL; Determination of PCBs in River and Bay Sediments: An Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment in Environmental Chemistry Using GC-ECD; Journal of Chemical Education, 1996, 73, 558

Stevens, Lauren R.; Drainage Ditch is new source of PCB problems at Sprague Plant; The Advocate, Williamstown, MA, September 11, 1991

Microneedle-based Drug Delivery

A transdermal patch delivering the PTHrP1–34 analog, abaloparatide (BA058), dose-dependently increases spine and hip bmd compared to placebo; Bone Abstracts (2014), 3, pp351 J Yates, P Alexandersen, A Krogsaa, B Nedergaard, M Clarkin, G Hattersley, Kris Hansen, M Karsdal, C Christiansen

PODIUM PRESENTATION – Parenteral Drug Association: The Universe of Pre-Filled Syringes, High Volume Intradermal Injection Devices – Potential for Improved Therapeutic profiles and patient Compliance; Kris Hansen, Basel, Switzerland, Nov 2013

PODIUM PRESENTATION – International Skin Vaccination Summit;  Development and Scale-up of a Coated Microneedle Patch,  Kris Hansen, Seattle, WA; Sept 2013

Influenza Subunit Vaccine Coated Microneedle Patches Induce Comparable Immune Responses to Standard Intramuscular Injection, Vaccine; 31, pp 3425-3441, (2013); Kommareddy.S., Baudner.BC., Bonificio.A., Gallorini.S., Palladino.G., Determan.AS., Dohmeier.DM., Kroells.KD., Sternjohn.JR., Singh.M., Dormitzer.PR., Hansen, KJ., and O’Hagan,DT

Transdermal delivery of BA058, a novel analog of hPTHrP (1-34), with a short wear time patch in preclinical and clinical studies, Bone Abstracts, (2013), 1, pp450; Gary Hattersley, Kris Hansen, Amy Determan, Ken Brown, Kate Mckay, Jonathan Guerriero, Dan McCarthy, C Richard Lyttle & Louis St L O’Dea

PODIUM PRESENTATION – 23rd Annual International Peptide Symposium;  Development and Clinical Evaluation of BA058-sMTS, a Microneedle Drug Product Targeting Treatment of Osteoporosis,  Kris Hansen, Kona, Hawaii; June 2013

Adjuvants to prolong the local anesthetic effects of coated microneedle products;  International Journal of Pharmaceuticals; 439, 1, pp. 187-192, (2012); Ying Zhang, Kris Siebenaler, Ken Brown, Daniel Dohmeier, Kris Hansen

PODIUM PRESENTATION – Controlled Release Society 2012; Clinical Assessment of AK following Levulan and BLU-U Photodynamic Therapy after Pre-treatment with a Sterile, Plastic Microneedle Device (MSSTM), Kris Hansen; Quebec City, Quebec; July 2012 

PODIUM PRESENTATION - Microneedles 2012; Microneedle-based Drug Delivery, How Less can be More, Kris Hansen; Cork, Ireland, May 2012 

Invited Expert and Speaker - Microneedle Product Development and Commercialization, Microneedles 2012, Cork, Ireland (2012) 

Invited Expert and Speaker – The Therapeutic Potential of Active Transdermal Drug Delivery; FDA/DIA Workshop: Improved Development and Regulation of Transdermal Systems, Arlington, VA (2011)

Development of lidocaine-coated microneedle product for rapid, safe and prolonged local analgesic action; Pharmaceutical Research, 29, 1, pp 170-177, (2012);Ying Zhang, Ken Brown, Kris Siebenaler, Amy Determan, Daniel Dohmeier, Kris Hansen

PODIUM PRESENTATION –  Controlled Release Society, High Volume Intradermal Delivery with a Fully Integrated Delivery Device; Kris Hansen; Washington DC, Aug 2011

Enhanced Delivery of Topically-applied Formulations following Skin Pre-Treatment with a Hand-applied, Plastic Microneedle Array; Current Drug Delivery, 8, pp 557-565 (2011); Dan Duan, Craig Moeckly, Jerry Gysbers, Gayatri Prochnow, Kris Siebenaler, Liela Albers, Kris Hansen 

Invited Expert and Speaker –  Therapeutic Advantages for Intradermal Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals and Vaccines; Transdermal Drug Delivery; Pharma Ed; Philadelphia, PA, Feb 2011

Rapid Intradermal Delivery of Liquid Formulations using a Hollow Microstructured Array; Pharmaceutical Research 28:3-40 (2011); Scott A. Burton, Chin-Yee Ng, Ryan Simmers, Craig Moeckly, David Brandwein, Tom Gilbert, Nathan Johnson, Ken Brown, Tesha Alston, Gayatri Prochnow, Kris Siebenaler, Kris Hansen

Transdermal Delivery of Vaccines and Therapeutic Proteins; Pharmaceutical Technology, Nov 2010, pp s14-s20; Kris Hansen

PODIUM PRESENTATION –5th Conference of Biologics, Hansen, KJ; San Francisco, CA, Oct 2010

3M’s Microstructured Transdermal Systems:  Efficient and Comfortable Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals, Biospectrum ; Hansen, KJ

PODIUM PRESENTATION – Fast, Efficient Transcutaneous Delivery of Vaccines; Modern Vaccine Adjuvants and Delivery Systems, Hansen, KJ, Determan, AS; Brandwein, DH; Moseman, J; Johnson, PR; Puckett, KJ; Wirtanen, DJ; Vienna, Austria; October 2009

Hansen, KJ; Burton, SA; Peterson, TA; The Potential of hMTS; Drug Delivery Technology, 9,  8, 2009; pp 38-44

PODIUM PRESENTATION – Transdermal delivery of Large Molecules through an Integrated transdermal Delivery Device; KJ Hansen, SA Burton, TA Peterson; Meeting of the Controlled Release Society, Copenhagen, Denmark; July 2009

POSTER – Transdermal delivery of high volume liquid formulations using hollow microstructures and Transdermal delivery of potent proteins and vaccines using solid microstructures; KJ Hansen, TA Peterson; AAPS Conference, Atlanta, GA, Nov 2008

Hansen, KJ; Haldin, B; Transdermal Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals; Drug Delivery Technology, 8, 8, 2008, pp 3842.

PODIUM PRESENTATION – 11th Well-Characterized BioPharmaceuticals, Development of Comprehensive Extractables Methods for Characterization of Pharmaceutical Container Closure Systems; Hansen, KJ; Washington D.C, January 2007

POSTER – Hansen, KJ; Drake, JB, Osterheim, JA, Cappechi, J; LC/MS Characterization of Oligomeric Materials Developed for Use as Excipients in Metered Dose Inhalers; presented at Respiratory Drug Delivery X, Boca Raton, FL, April 2006.

Hansen, KJ; Drug Delivery Technology, 5, 2, 2005, pp 66-68