Environmental Factor

NIEHS Spotlight

Birnbaum testifies on drinking water quality

NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., was back on Capitol Hill Feb. 2, testifying at a U.S. Senate "Oversight Hearing on Public Health and Drinking Water Issues."

Council moves ahead with strategic planning and concept clearances

Although uncertain budget prospects cast a bit of a pall over the proceedings, the NIEHS Council accomplished a great deal in its two-day meeting Feb. 16-17.

Woychik talks about NIEHS and the 2012-2016 Strategic Plan

NIEHS Deputy Director Richard Woychik, Ph.D. responded to questions about his presentation Feb. 16 on the NIEHS 2012-2016 Strategic Plan.

NIEHS reaches out in New Orleans

NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., and other representatives from the Institute engaged the New Orleans community during a visit to the city Feb. 23-24.

DISCOVER grantees consider the value of center funding

NIEHS DISCOVER program grantees shared successes and talked about translation of their research when they got together for a meeting and series of presentations Feb. 1.

Workshop examines the role of air pollution on neural health

On February 2-3, investigators with expertise on air pollution and neurobiology gathered at EPA to assess the state of the science in the field of air pollution and brain health.

Olden speaks on urban and global environmental public health

NIEHS Director Emeritus Ken Olden, Ph.D., discussed urban environmental public health at a monthly breakfast meeting of the Triangle Global Health Consortium Jan. 28.

Superfund researcher honored for best paper of 2010

Superfund Research Program grantee and LSU chemist Barry Dellinger, Ph.D., was recognized for his progress with environmentally persistent free radicals.

New Science Communications Fellows have ties to NIEHS

Six of the ten 2011 Science Communication Fellows announced Feb. 7 by Environmental Health Sciences have received NIEHS training or research support.

Ron Mason honored by international scientific development group

NIEHS Principal Investigator Ron Mason, Ph.D., has been honored once again for his outstanding contributions to the field of electron spin resonance.

Yao wins award from professional scientific society

NIEHS Principal Investigator Humphrey Hung-Chang Yao, Ph.D., will receive the 2011 Young Andrologist Award at the American Society of Andrology annual meeting.

Trainees honored by SOT Carcinogenesis Specialty Section

Two of the first of this year's SOT awards to NIEHS/NTP trainees and scientists are going to Visiting Fellow Zhengyu Yin, Ph.D., and doctoral student Jessica Graham.

NIEHS-supported trainee to attend Nobel-Lindau meeting

Brown University graduate research fellow Catherine Volle has been selected to attend the 61st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting June 26-July 1 in Lindau, Germany.

Aubrey Miller to speak on Gulf oil spill response

NIEHS Senior Medical Advisor Aubrey Miller, M.D., will address the NIH role in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill at an Environmental Information Association meeting.

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Inside the Institute

Revisiting an almost forgotten chapter of local black history

As part of the NIEHS Black History Month celebration Feb. 2, employees found themselves right in the middle of the making of a new documentary.

Green leader featured at Black History Month event

In its celebration of Black History Month, NIEHS neighbor EPA hosted a talk by sustainability specialist George Benjamin Brooks, Ph.D., Feb. 15.

Chinese delegation visits NIEHS

NIEHS welcomed a delegation from China to help celebrate the Chinese New Year and foster good will between China and the U.S., during a tour and reception held Feb. 16.

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Science Notebook

Astrocytes give humans an intellectual edge

Neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., gave the NIEHS Distinguished Lecture Feb. 8 on brain cells known as astrocytes, which are important in learning and memory.

Combined effects of lead exposure and stress on cognitive deficits

NIEHS grantee Deborah Cory-Slechta Ph.D., addressed a capacity audience from NIEHS and EPA Feb. 3 on the combined effects of lead and stress on cognitive function.

NIH study finds two pesticides associated with Parkinson's disease

New research finds people who used the pesticide rotenone or paraquat developed Parkinson's disease approximately 2.5 times more often than non-users.

Deciphering a core process in Parkinson's Disease

Two new NIEHS studies offer insights into mechanisms of the chronic neuroinflammation that drives progressive neurodegeneration in Parkinson's.

Chromatin meeting highlights genomic rearrangements and small molecule inhibitors

NIEHS principal investigators and trainees attended the latest meeting of the Atlantic Coast Chromatin Club at the N.C. Biotechnology Center Jan. 31.

Peer review panel deliberates NTP Technical Reports

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) convened a peer review of draft NTP Technical Reports by an external scientific panel at a meeting Jan. 26 at NIEHS.

Dudek explores synaptic plasticity during Council presentation

On Feb. 17 Council members heard about new findings on synaptic plasticity during a presentation by NIEHS Principal Investigator Serena Dudek, Ph.D.

New insights into fitness versus fatness and diabetes risk

A new exercise program for employees at the NIH in Bethesda, Md., has the added advantage of helping researchers learn more about diabetes and obesity.

Kensler discusses bench to tea-time research on Nrf2

During his guest lecture at NIEHS Feb. 7, toxicologist Thomas Kensler, Ph.D., provided a new twist to the age-old axiom about eating your vegetables.

Paper described as "tour de force" featured in microbiology journal

A new NIEHS paper describes for the first time a key transcriptional mechanism for regulation of drug and lipid metabolism in the human liver.

This month in EHP

The feature article of the March issue of EHP explores nanomaterial safety with "Engineered Nanoparticles in Consumer Products: Understanding a New Ingredient."

NIEHS extends deadline for scientific director applications

NIEHS has extended the application deadline for the position of director of the Division of Intramural Research (scientific director) to March 31, 2011.

Alternative testing panel to meet in Bethesda

The NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) is convening an international peer review panel March 29-30.

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Extramural Research

Extramural Papers of the Month

• Rapid evolution in Hudson River tomcod
• Elevated plasma cytokines in children with autism spectrum disorder
• Glutathione variant linked to lung function growth
• Interactions of lifetime lead exposure and stress

Intramural Research

Intramural Papers of the Month

• Uncontrolled neuroinflammation drives progressive neurodegenerative disorders
• Interleukin-10 protects against ozone-induced lung inflammation
• Mutations resulting from subtle chemical "trickery"
• Categorizing heterogeneous myositis syndromes by phenotype

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Calendar of Upcoming Events

• March 4 (off-site event) in room A247 in the Levine Science Research Center at Duke University, 12:00-1:30 p.m. - Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Seminar Series, featuring Jean Harry, PhD, speaking on "Neuronal/Glial Interactions and Inflammation: Possible Targets for Neurotoxicity, Neuroprotection, and Therapeutic Opportunities"
• March 7 in Rodbell Auditorium C, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Epidemiology Branch Seminar Series presentation on "The PhenX Toolkit - Consensus Measures for Phenotypes and Exposures," by Carol Hamilton, Ph.D.
• March 10 in Rodbell Auditorium A, 6:00-8:30 p.m. - Graduate Women in Science meeting
• March 11 in Rodbell Auditorium, 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. - North Carolina Environmental Stewardship meeting
• March 14 in Rall F-193, 10:00-11:00 a.m. - Laboratory of Signal Transduction Seminar Series, featuring Binks Wattenberg, Ph.D., speaking on "The Multiple Personalities of Sphingosine Kinase: Signaling Enzyme and Keystone of Sphingolipid Metabolism"
• March 14-15 in Rodbell Auditorium, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study (GuLF STUDY) Scientific Advisory Board Meeting
• March 16 in Keystone 2164/66, 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. - GuLF STUDY Exposure Assessment Meeting
• March 23 in Rall F-193, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Laboratory of Neurobiology Seminar Series featuring Herbert Covington, Ph.D., topic TBA
• March 30 in Rall F-193, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Laboratory of Neurobiology Seminar Series featuring a presentation on "The Concept of 'Efficacy' in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery," by Terry Kenakin, Ph.D.

View More Events: NIEHS Public Calendar

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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)