The Invisible Threat: RGU Scientists Decode how Microplastics may Trigger Cancer

GUWAHATI, October 15, 2025: Two scientists from The Assam Royal Global University (RGU) are in a team of 10 scientists from India and the USA who have found how microplastics may act as a cause of cancer.

Prof. Amlan Das from the Department of Microbiology and Dr. Rupesh Kumar from the Department of Biotechnology at RGU contributed as the corresponding author and co-authors, respectively, of a comprehensive research study on how microplastics may act as emerging oncogenic drivers. The study, published in Molecular Cancer (Springer Nature; Impact Factor 35.9), one of the world’s top 5% oncology journals (as per Journal Citation Reports), provides a timely synthesis of the mechanisms through which environmental exposure to microplastics could influence cancer initiation and progression.

Researchers from RGU, IISER Tirupati, Nalanda University, Stephenson Cancer Centre, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre and Louisiana State University collaborated on this landmark work.

Speaking on the achievement, Prof. Amlan Das remarked, “Microplastics are no longer just an environmental concern — they represent a hidden biological risk that calls for global awareness and policy attention. This review consolidates key scientific insights to inform both research and regulatory directions.” Both Prof. Das and Dr. Kumar have expressed their gratitude to the encouraging research ecosystem of RGU.

Driven by the growing global concern, the Indo-US team consolidated the latest scientific evidence into a comprehensive review highlighting how microplastics may act as emerging oncogenic drivers. Once thought harmless, these invisible plastic intruders are now recognized for their potential to disrupt cellular signalling, induce oxidative stress, and trigger carcinogenic transformations, posing one of the most serious environmental and public-health threats to humankind.