Environmental Factor

NIEHS Spotlight

NIEHS celebrates intramural scientists

Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., recognized four intramural scientists and four trainees for their research accomplishments at the 8th annual NIEHS Science Awards Day.

Strategic plan update: Input still welcome

NIEHS is putting the finishing touches on its five-year strategic plan. The public and other stakeholders are welcome to provide input on the draft.

Speakers discuss hydraulic fracturing

Two experts on fracking, or the hydraulic fracturing method of extracting gas and oil, discussed the topic on Nov. 21 with NIEHS staff.

Deputy Surgeon General presents National Prevention Strategy

U.S. Deputy Surgeon General Rear Adm. Boris Lushniak, M.D., presented the National Prevention Strategy at NIEHS, a plan to increase the number of healthy Americans.

NIEHS hosts Pan American Health Organization meeting

PAHO members visited NIEHS in anticipation of a landmark event known as Rio+20, the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development to be held June 4-6, 2012, in Rio de Janeiro.

NIEHS fellow departs for UNC career development role

In her new position at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Erin Hopper, Ph.D., will help guide graduate students through the process of career development.

American Chemical Society honors newsletter intern

Environmental Factor intern and North Carolina Central University student Melissa Kerr is the winner of the Society's 2011 Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry.

Annual APHA conference celebrates 100 years of environmental health

NIEHS helped mark the 100th Anniversary of the American Public Health Association's Environment Section, one of the oldest of the 27 sections in the association.

NIEHS grantee student honored with Wetterhahn Award

Monica Ramirez-Andreotta is the fourteenth recipient of the annual Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award. She won the award under the guidance of NIEHS grantee Raina Maier, Ph.D.

NIEHS expands minority outreach at fall conferences

The NIEHS Office of Science Education and Diversity joined others at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Conference.

Hughes honored for worker training efforts

NIEHS Worker Education and Training Program Director Chip Hughes was recognized by the National Counsel for Occupational Safety and Health for promoting worker health and safety.

SRP grantees gather in Lexington for annual meeting

The NIEHS Superfund Research Program annual meeting Oct. 24-25 featured topics from systemic impacts of pollutants on humans to sustainable remediation techniques.

Teachers visit NIEHS for science literacy workshop

To help K-12 educators with emerging technologies, NIEHS hosted a science literacy workshop on Nov. 10 for the North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research (NCABR).

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Inside the Institute

NIEHS and CFC celebrate 50 years of giving

NIEHS brought its promotion of the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) to a close, with an impressive collection of $82,152 in charitable contributions.

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Calendar of Upcoming Events

• Dec. 6 in Rodbell Auditorium, 10:00-11:00 a.m. - Keystone Lecture Seminar Series with Andrij Holian, Ph.D., speaking on "Role of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Mediating Nanoparticle-induced Lung Inflammation"
• Dec. 6 in Rodbell Auditorium, 1:30-3:00 p.m. - 2011 NIEHS Awards Ceremony
• Dec. 8-9 (offsite event) at the House of Sweden, Washington, D.C., 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - The National Academy of Sciences presents "Emerging Technologies for Measuring Individual Exposomes"
• Dec. 13 in Rodbell Auditorium, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Distinguished Lecture Seminar Series with Susan Amara, Ph.D., speaking on "The Ins and Outs of Neurotransmitter Transporters"
• Dec. 15 in Rodbell Auditorium, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - NTP Board of Scientific Counselors meeting

View More Events: NIEHS Public Calendar

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Science Notebook

Panel peer reviews NTP low-level lead draft

A nine-member independent peer review panel concurred with the overall NTP conclusion that low blood lead levels lead to adverse health effects in children and adults.

ISES meeting challenges exposure science

Gwen Collman, Ph.D., and David Balshaw, Ph.D., of the NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT), spoke at the International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) meeting.

Wood stove intervention can reduce childhood pneumonia

According to a new air pollution study funded by NIEHS, cooking stoves with chimneys can lower exposure to indoor wood smoke and reduce the rate of severe pneumonia in children.

Neurotox27 focuses on environmentally triggered disorders

NIEHS scientists and grantees focused on endocrine disruption and sex differences in autism, ADHD, and schizophrenia Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at the International Neurotoxicology Conference.

A conversation on the state of autism research

Cindy Lawler, Ph.D., who leads an NIEHS portfolio of autism-related research, shared her thoughts about the International Neurotoxicology Conference and the state of the science.

NIEHS figures prominently at annual GEMS meeting

NTP toxicologist Michelle Hooth, Ph.D., delivered the keynote presentation on NTP's two-year rodent bioassays of hexavalent chromium.

A genomics approach toward understanding autism

The NIEHS Keystone Series Lecturer Valerie Hu, Ph.D., discussed how genomics data may help understand and improve the diagnosis and treatment of autism.

Duke symposium tackles later life consequences of early life exposures

The Washington Duke Inn in Durham, N.C., was the setting for a Nov. 4 science symposium showcasing the latest research in the later life effects of early development exposures.

Brain development dependent on thyroid hormone

Scientists at NIEHS have discovered a new mechanism for how thyroid hormone regulates brain development.

Overcoming phosphate congestion in high energy signaling molecules

In a new study published in Nature Chemical Biology, NIEHS researchers describe, for the first time, the crystal structure of a key inositol pyrophosphate kinase, PPIP5K2.

Winuthayanon presents at NIH Research Festival

As it has for the past 25 years, NIH devoted a week to celebrating its Intramural Research Program. This year's fair featured an invited talk by one of the 21 NIEHS fellows honored.

Effects of lead exposure on obesity and bone loss

NIEHS grantee and musculoskeletal scientist Edward Puzas, Ph.D., discussed his latest research on the effects of lead exposure on obesity and decreased bone formation.

Exposome pioneer to be featured at workshop

A workshop on "Emerging Technologies for Measuring Individual Exposomes," will feature pioneers such as NIEHS grantee Stephen Rappaport, Ph.D.

Susan Amara to present distinguished lecture

The NIEHS 2011-2012 Distinguished Lecture Series returns to the world of neuroscience, with its next talk Dec. 13 on "The Ins and Outs of Neurotransmitter Transporters."

Testicular toxicology workshop spotlights animal testing alternatives

NTP's Paul Foster, Ph.D., was the featured speaker at an Oct. 26 workshop to discuss in vitro alternatives for assessing testicular toxicity.

This month in EHP

In the December issue, EHP examines the adaptive strategies being implemented to upgrade aging city infrastructure in the face of growing climate change effects.

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Extramural Research

Extramural Papers of the Month

• Chimneys help reduce severe childhood pneumonia
• Aggressive breast cancer responds to blueberries
• Mycoestrogens influence development
• The impact of nutrition labeling

Intramural Research

Intramural Papers of the Month

• One apolipoprotein E allele associated with lower risk of Parkinson's
• Effects of endothelial CYP2C8 epoxygenase on cardiac recovery
• Aprataxin structure links DNA repair mechanism to neurodegenerative disease
• New algorithm identifies transcription factors and coregulators in ChIP-seq data

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The Environmental Factor is produced monthly by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) (https://www.niehs.nih.gov/), Office of Communications and Public Liaison. The text is not copyrighted, and it can be reprinted without permission. If you use parts of Environmental Factor in your publication, we ask that you provide us with a copy for our records. We welcome your comments and suggestions. (bruskec@niehs.nih.gov)