Honoring Black History Month

The NIEHS Office of Science Education & Diversity plans to kick off the 2024 Diversity Speaker Series with a Feb. 29 lecture in honor of Black History Month. Throughout the year, the lecture series will provide educational and sensitivity awareness opportunities in recognition of the seven National Institutes of Health (NIH) Special Emphasis Portfolios.

Recordings of past seminars — including Dr. Antonio Baines’ lecture about leveraging dual appointments to advance pancreatic cancer research and diversity in environmental health sciences — can be found here. For more information about the lecture series, visit this webpage.

Cosmetics and your health fact sheet updated

NIEHS recently released an updated fact sheet about the institute’s research findings related to the health effects of chemicals found in cosmetic products. The fact sheet includes information about some common chemical ingredients called parabens and phthalates, which can disrupt the body’s endocrine, or hormone system. New research about the potential for long-term health effects and cancer from certain chemicals, such as formaldehyde, in hair products is also discussed. To learn more about what’s in your personal care products, cleansers, and sunscreens, and how it can affect your health, see this factsheet.

NIH community raises more than $2 million for charity

The NIH community raised nearly $2.2 million to support more than 5,000 charities as part of the 2023 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC is the annual fundraising drive conducted by Federal employees in the workplace each fall. NIEHS, one of 27 NIH institutes and centers, raised a grand total of $101,247 by donating $98,463 and 2,784 volunteer hours.

NIEHS and National Toxicology Program Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D., thanked contributors across the institute’s offices in Bethesda, Maryland, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, as well as remote workers.

“A special thank you to the Division of Extramural Research and Training CFC leaders and all the keyworkers from each division who left sweet treats on many desks, attended events, put up flyers, reached out individually to staff, answered questions, helped people navigate the CFC system, organized the Happiest Pet Contest, and so much more,” Woychik wrote in an email to staff.