NIEHS - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - News

NIEHS Awards Recovery Act Funds to Focus More Research on Health and Safety of Nanomaterials

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, is increasing its investment in understanding the potential health, safety and environmental issues related to tiny particles that are used in many everyday products such as sunscreens, cosmetics and electronics. The NIEHS will award about $13 million over a two-year period, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to bolster the NIEHS’s ongoing research portfolio in the area of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Engineered nanomaterials are very tiny materials about 100,000 times smaller than a single strand of hair. They represent a significant breakthrough in material design and development for industry and consumer products, including stain-resistant clothing, pesticides, tires, and electronics, as well as in medicine for purposes of diagnosis, imaging and drug delivery.

NIEHS Awards Recovery Act Funds to Address Bisphenol A Research Gaps

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT

Researchers studying the health effects of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) gathered in North Carolina to launch an integrated research initiative to produce data that will allow for a comprehensive assessment of its possible human health effects. Researchers who just received funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to study BPA were brought together to meet with scientists from academia and government already working on the compound. The meeting was held Oct. 6, 2009 at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The meeting is part of an effort to support human and animal research that will help determine if current exposures to BPA in the general population pose a potential health risk. NIEHS is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and has the lead in supporting research to study the potential effects that chemicals, such as BPA, may have on human health. President Obama allocated $5 billion in Recovery Act funds to the NIH, with about $14 million going to NIEHS for research on BPA.

A Call to Copenhagen - Health Effects of Climate Change: Major Study Unveiled, Evaluates Strategies to Reduce Green House Gas Emissions

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EDT

Members of the press are invited to the unveiling and policy discussion of a major international study on the Public Health Impacts of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions being published in Lancet, just in time for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring the event which will feature speakers from around the world gathered in Washington, DC and at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine participating via live video conferencing.

Sister Study Exceeds Recruitment Goal: Now the Real Work Begins

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EDT

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, has many reasons to celebrate this October as it recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The NIEHS Sister Study began recruiting women for this landmark study during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October 2004 and this October has reached a milestone. It has recruited nearly 51,000 women from all walks of life, whose sisters had breast cancer, to participate in this long-term study that is focusing on uncovering environmental and genetic factors that influence breast cancer risk. These sisters and researchers have joined together in a long-term commitment to help prevent breast cancer.

NIH Funds Grantees Focusing on Epigenomics of Human Health and Disease

Sun, 16 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT

The National Institutes of Health announced today that it will fund 22 grants on genome-wide studies of how epigenetic changes -- chemical modifications to genes that result from diet, aging, stress, or environmental exposures -- define and contribute to specific human diseases and biological processes.

Electronic Nose Sniffs out Toxins

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Imagine a polka-dotted postage stamp-sized sensor that can sniff out some known poisonous gases and toxins and show the results simply by changing colors. Support for the development and application of this electronic nose comes from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Sun Exposure May Trigger Certain Autoimmune Diseases in Women

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight may be associated with the development of certain autoimmune diseases, particularly in women, according to a study by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

A Child's IQ Can Be Affected by Mother's Exposure to Urban Air Pollutants

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EDT

A mother’s exposure to urban air pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can adversely affect a child’s intelligence quotient or IQ, a study reports. PAHs are chemicals released into the air from the burning of coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic substances such as tobacco. In urban areas motor vehicles are a major source of PAHs.

Researchers at the Most Comprehensive Study of Earliest Possible Causes of Autism to Hold Media Conference Call

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EDT

Leading autism researchers from coast-to-coast will hold a media teleconference to launch one of the largest research studies of its kind to investigate early risk factors for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The research network, called the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), will follow a cohort of up to 1,200 pregnant women who already have a child with autism. The study is considered one of the best-equipped to discover biological markers and environmental risk factors for autism. The researchers will be joined on the call by the study’s funders, the National Institutes of Health and Autism Speaks. WHEN: TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2009, 1:00 PM EST. DIAL-IN: (888) 508-3712; Passcode: 1369035.

Well Water Should Be Tested Annually to Reduce Health Risks to Children

Tue, 26 May 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Private well water should be tested yearly, and in some cases more often, according to new guidance offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, took a lead role in working with the AAP to develop these recommendations and draft a new AAP policy statement about the things parents should do if their children drink well water.

World Asthma Day: May 5, 2009

Tue, 05 May 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Today, on World Asthma Day, we at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), components of the National Institutes of Health, stand together with the international community to renew our dedication to understand the causes of asthma and to find better ways to treat, prevent and manage this disease.

New Data Analysis Shows Possible Link between Childhood Obesity and Allergies

Mon, 04 May 2009 13:00:00 EDT

A new study indicates there may be yet another reason to reduce childhood obesity — it may help prevent allergies. The study published in the May issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showed that obese children and adolescents are at increased risk of having some kind of allergy, especially to a food. The study was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), both parts of the National Institutes of Health.

NIEHS Teams with Federal and City Groups to Conduct Disaster Response Training Exercise

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EDT

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Education and Training Program (WETP) will take part on May 1 in a disaster training exercise with several other agencies in Cincinnati, Ohio. The exercise will include a table top instructional activity to respond to a simulated explosion and dispersion of chemicals from a Cincinnati business, as well as displays and stations for the participants to conduct hands-on work. The training exercise will begin with briefings at the Millennium Hotel Cincinnati, followed by activities at the nearby Riverside Transit Center during the April 30 – May 1, 2009 NIEHS WETP Conference: "Local, State and Federal Partnerships for Chemical Preparedness and Response" (http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/events.cfm?id=2474). The NIEHS WETP is administered by the NIEHS, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Countries Unite to Reduce Animal Use in Product Toxicity Testing Worldwide: U.S., Canada, Japan and European Union Sign International Agreement

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Representatives from four international agencies, including the director of the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), today signed a memorandum of cooperation that could reduce the number of animals required for consumer product safety testing worldwide. The agreement between the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Union will yield globally coordinated scientific recommendations on alternative toxicity testing methods that should speed their adoption in each of these countries, thus reducing the number of animals needed for product safety testing. The memorandum is available at http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/docs/about_docs/ICATM-MOC.pdf

First Sister Study Results Reinforce the Importance of Healthy Living

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EDT

Women who maintain a healthy weight and who have lower perceived stress may be less likely to have chromosome changes associated with aging than obese and stressed women, according to a pilot study that was part of the Sister Study. The long-term Sister Study is looking at the environmental and genetic characteristics of women whose sister had breast cancer to identify factors associated with developing breast cancer. This early pilot used baseline questionnaires and samples provided by participants when they joined the Sister Study.

Hear About Emerging Trends in Toxicology Research: NIEHS and NTP Research Showcased at SOT Annual Meeting in Baltimore

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will have a major presence at the annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) meeting in Baltimore, Md. Scientists from the NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), which NIEHS administers, as well as their grantees and collaborators, will share the newest advances, applications and thinking in the field of toxicology. The SOT Annual Meeting is the largest toxicology meeting and exhibition in the world, attracting approximately 6,500 scientists from industry, academia and government. Toxicology plays an important role in understanding the effects that chemical agents have in our environment. Attending or arranging phone interviews will allow reporters to meet Linda Birnbaum, the new NIEHS/NTP director; hear about the new criteria NTP will be using to evaluate non-cancer studies; learn about new research funding opportunities including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; and hear about cutting-edge science.

Research Finds New Cause of Ozone Wheezing and Potential Treatments

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, and Duke University have discovered a cause of airway irritation and wheezing after exposure to ozone, a common urban air pollutant. Using an animal model, the researchers were also able to identify several ways to stop the airways from narrowing. These findings help identify potential new targets for drugs which may eventually help physicians better treat emergency room patients suffering from wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.

Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., Named New Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Dr. Raynard S. Kington, acting director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the appointment of Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., as director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Dr. Birnbaum, who is currently a senior advisor at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where she served for 16 years as director of the Experimental Toxicology Division, will begin her appointment in January 2009.

ADHD Medications Do Not Cause Genetic Damage in Children

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EDT

In contrast to recent findings, two of the most common medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not appear to cause genetic damage in children who take them as prescribed, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Duke University Medical Center.

Healing Process Found to Backfire in Lung Patients

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT

A mechanism in the body which typically helps a person heal from an injury, may actually be causing patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to get worse, researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and their collaborators have found.

NIH's National Children's Study Enters Next Phase: Increase In Number of Centers Recruiting Volunteers, Collecting Data

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 9:00:00 EDT

The National Institutes of Health announced today that its comprehensive study to examine the effect of genes and the environment on children’s health had entered the next phase of operations. At a briefing on the latest developments in the National Children’s Study, NIH officials named the study centers funded for 2008.

NIH Announces Funding for New Epigenomics Initiative

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 9:00:00 EDT

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces funding for the new NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Program. Epigenetic processes control normal growth and development, and epigenomics is a study of epigenetic processes at a genome-wide scale. The NIH will invest more than $190 million over the next five years to accelerate this emerging field of biomedical research. The first grants will total approximately $18 million in 2008.

NIEHS Invests $21.25 Million to Find Environmental Causes of Parkinson’s Disease

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 9:00:00 EDT

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced today that it will award three new grants totaling $21.25 million over a five-year period to study how environmental factors contribute to the cause, prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other related disorders.

NTP Finalizes Report on Bisphenol A

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 8:30:00 EDT

Current human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is of “some concern” for effects on development of the prostate gland and brain and for behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children, according to a final report released today by the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

Alcohol Binges Early in Pregnancy Increase Risk of Infant Oral Clefts

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

A new study by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, shows that pregnant women who binge drink early in their pregnancy increase the likelihood that their babies will be born with oral clefts.

NIEHS/NTP Seeks Input on Cell-Based High Throughput Toxicity Screens

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EDT

This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) and is for planning purposes only. It does not constitute a solicitation or Request for Proposal (RFP), nor does it restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach.

Seeking Exceptional Candidates for Director of NIEHS

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EDT

This website is designed to host advertisements of senior-level, executive type positions such as the Senior Executive Service, IC Directors, Deputy Directors, and other positions with similar characteristics.

Newly Approved Ocular Safety Methods Reduce Animal Testing

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Federal regulatory agencies have accepted recommendations of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) for two methods that can reduce live animal use for ocular safety testing, the committee announced today.

Dr. John A. Cidlowski Receives the 2008 Edwin B. Astwood Award Lecture from The Endocrine Society

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 8:30:00 EDT

The Endocrine Society is pleased to announce that John A. Cidlowski, Ph.D., is the 2008 recipient of its Edwin B. Astwood Award Lecture.

Long-term Pesticide Exposure May Increase Risk of Diabetes

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 8:30:00 EDT

Licensed pesticide applicators who used chlorinated pesticides on more than 100 days in their lifetime were at greater risk of diabetes, according to researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Brain Study May Lead to Improved Epilepsy Treatments

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 8:30:00 EDT

Using a rodent model of epilepsy, researchers found one of the body's own neurotransmitters released during seizures, glutamate, turns on a signaling pathway in the brain that increases production of a protein that could reduce medication entry into the brain.

Newly Awarded Autism Centers of Excellence to Further Autism Research

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:45:00 EDT

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced on April 1, 2008, the latest recipients of the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) program. These grants will support studies covering a broad range of autism research areas, including early brain development and functioning, social interactions in infants, rare genetic variants and mutations, associations between autism-related genes and physical traits, possible environmental risk factors and biomarkers, and a potential new medication treatment.

Rodent Study Finds Artificial Butter Chemical Harmful to Lungs

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 8:00:00 EDT

A new study shows that exposure to a chemical called diacetyl, a component of artificial butter flavoring, can be harmful to the nose and airways of mice. Scientists at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, conducted the study because diacetyl has been implicated in causing obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) in humans.

Increased Allergen Levels in Homes Linked to Asthma

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST

Results from a new national survey demonstrate that elevated allergen levels in the home are associated with asthma symptoms in allergic individuals. The study suggests that asthmatics that have allergies may alleviate symptoms by reducing allergen exposures inside their homes.

NIH Collaborates with EPA to Improve the Safety Testing of Chemicals

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST

Testing the safety of chemicals ranging from pesticides to household cleaners will benefit from new technologies and a plan for collaboration, according to federal scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who today announced a new toxicity testing agreement. The concept behind this agreement is highlighted in the Feb. 15, 2008 issue of the journal Science.

NIH/EPA Leading Scientists to Discuss New Chemical Testing Collaboration

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST

On Feb. 14, leading scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will discuss a new research collaboration related to U.S. environmental health protection. The collaboration creates a toxicity testing process using state-of-the-art robotic technologies that rely less on animals and more on cell-based tests and will generate data that are specifically applicable to humans.

Plan Expedites Alternatives to Animal Testing

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST

A new plan to further reduce, refine and replace the use of animals in research and regulatory testing commonly referred to as the 3Rs was unveiled today at a symposium marking the 10-year anniversary of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM).

NIEHS Awards DISCOVER Grants

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 9:00:00 EST

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, is awarding a total of $6.8 million for the first year of funding to three new research centers called DISCOVER - Disease Investigation Through Specialized Clinically-Oriented Ventures in Environmental Research.

Ozone Can Affect Heavier People More

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST

A new study provides the first evidence that people with higher body mass index (BMI) may have a greater response to ozone than leaner people.

Ron Melnick Receives Award from American Public Health Association

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 9:00:00 EST

NIEHS Selects Editor-In-Chief for Environmental Health Perspectives

Tue, 6 Nov 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Hugh A. Tilson, Ph.D., a nationally recognized environmental health scientist, has been named the new editor-in-chief of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), a journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Tilson will start at NIEHS Nov. 26, 2007 and will officially begin his new role as editor-in-chief Jan. 1, 2008. Since 1972, the NIEHS has published EHP to provide a worldwide forum for research and education on environmental health sciences.

Unique Pattern of Gene Expression Can Indicate Acetaminophen Overdose

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:00:00 EDT

In a new study, researchers found they could detect toxic levels of acetaminophen in laboratory animals by analyzing gene expression in the blood.

NIEHS Awards Outstanding New Environmental Scientists

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:00:00 EST

Five-year grants totaling $3.5 million will go to seven exceptionally talented and creative investigators in the early stages of their careers, the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced today.

Folic Acid Lowers Blood Arsenic Levels in Bangladesh

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:00:00 EST

A new study conducted in Bangladesh finds that folic acid supplements can dramatically lower blood arsenic levels in individuals chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water.

NAS Report Offers New Tools to Assess Health Risks from Chemicals

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:00:00 EST

Determining how thousands of chemicals found in the environment may be interacting with the genes in your body to cause disease is becoming easier because of a new field of science called toxicogenomics.

Genes, Environment and Health Initiative Invests In Genetic Studies, Environmental Monitoring Technologies: Studies Focus on Common Conditions, Personal Environmental Exposures

Mon, 04 Sep 2007 9:00:00 EST

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected the first projects to be funded as part of the Genes, Environment and Health Initiative (GEI), a unique collaboration between geneticists and environmental scientists.

Independent Panel to Evaluate Widely Used Chemical, Bisphenol A

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 12:00:00 EST

An independent panel of 15 scientists convened by the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR), of the NIEHS and National Toxicology Program, will review recent scientific data and reach conclusions regarding whether or not exposure to a commonly used chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA) is hazardous to human development or reproduction.

Lavender and Tea Tree Oils May Cause Breast Growth in Boys

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST

A study published in this week’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that repeated topical use of products containing lavender oil and/or tea tree oil may cause prepubertal gynecomastia, a rare condition resulting in enlarged breast tissue in boys prior to puberty, and for which a cause is seldom identified.

Folic Acid May Prevent Cleft Lip and Palate

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 10:00:00 EST

A new study finds that women who take folic acid supplements early in their pregnancy can substantially reduce their baby’s chances of being born with a facial cleft.