NIEHS Spotlight

Birnbaum leads NIEHS delegation at APHA

With this year's theme of "Social Justice: A Public Health Imperative," the APHA annual meeting Nov. 6-10 in Denver was particularly significant for the Institute.

WETP gets "back to basics"

More than 100 NIEHS awardees and representatives from federal agencies, labor unions, and nonprofit organizations got "back to basics" at the Worker Education and Training Program fall meeting.

Former trainee leads APHA session on climate change

Epidemiologist Rose Ramos, Ph.D., organized and moderated a session that examined the implications of climate change on public health, especially in urban areas.

Gray and Lawler attend children's environmental health symposium

Two representatives from NIEHS recently attended a symposium that focused on the effects of environmental toxins on early life development.

Training grant directors meet at NIEHS

Directors of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Research Training Grants met at NIEHS recently to discuss updates to the program.

Breast cancer and the environment program expanding

The annual meeting of the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program marked the successes and expansion of the transdisciplinary program.

NIEHS program featured at mHealth Summit

The NIEHS-led Exposure Biology Program was highlighted at a meeting on the use of mobile devices in health care and personal exposure monitoring.

Packenham shines at STEM conference

NIEHS scientist Joan Packenham, Ph.D., was honored Oct. 30 at the 15th annual Women of Color STEM Conference in Dallas for her achievements in the sciences.

NTP scientists earn prestigious toxicology certification

Four more NTP scientists made an important advance in toxicology's professional ranks by satisfying requirements for American Board of Toxicology certification.

NIEHS ethics counselor wins NIH mentoring award

Bruce Androphy, J.D., received a Workforce Recruitment Program award at the NIH 2010 Disability Employment Awareness Month observance and awards program Oct. 28.

Superfund film raises awareness of well water arsenic

The short film "In Small Doses" draws attention to the high levels of naturally occurring arsenic and is an effective way to spread the message to a large audience.

Interdisciplinary experience leads to academic position

Rebecca Heise, Ph.D., a former trainee at NIEHS, is taking the next step in her scientific career as a tenuretrack assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Dartmouth researcher receives Superfund award

Courtney Kozul-Horvath, Ph.D., became the thirteenth recipient of the annual Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award on Nov. 12 at the Superfund Annual Meeting.

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Inside the Institute

Seminar explores multiple chemical sensitivities topic

An Oct. 27 guest lecture at NIEHS trained the spotlight on growing concerns about the environmentally triggered disability Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS).

NIEHS celebrates Native American Heritage Month

NIEHS celebrated Native American heritage this year with a lively program sponsored by the Institute's Diversity Council and the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina.

News from up north - the Bethesda office

The newly rejuvenated NIEHS Bethesda office is approaching the celebration of its first full year of operation, its full complement of staff, and a long list of accomplishments.

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Science Notebook

Researchers honored at Science Awards Day

NIEHS Intramural scientists and trainees stepped away from their laboratories and devoted the day to recognizing the scientific achievements of their colleagues and peers.

Researchers meet to kick off nano consortium

Researchers from the newly funded NIEHS nanotechnology centers gathered to introduce their projects and to stimulate coordination and collaboration among scientists.

Nel delivers nano lecture

Understanding how nanomaterials interact with biological systems is essential to ensure their safe use, according to NIEHS grantee Andre Nel, M.D., Ph.D.

Environmental Mutagen Society highlights Wilson's research

The 41st annual meeting of the Environmental Mutagen Society (EMS) Oct. 23-27 in Fort Worth showcased the importance of NIEHS to the environmental health community.

NIEHS hosts workshop on gut microbiome

With its latest state-of-the-science workshop Nov. 17-18, the NIEHS took a proactive step forward to promote an exciting new area of research in environmental health science.

Superfund researchers propose exposome paradigm

The article presents a compelling argument for a fundamental - and possibly controversial - change in the way epidemiologists measure environmental exposure.

Adelman links chromatin architecture and gene regulation

NIEHS investigator Karen Adelman, Ph.D., and several other Institute researchers wanted to understand how a cell differentially regulates two types of genes.

Whole genome sequencing illuminates lagging strand DNA replication

New research led by NIEHS Principal Investigator Thomas Kunkel, Ph.D., may provide the answer to a decades-old question about the fundamentals of DNA replication.

This Month in EHP

The December issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) heats up with the feature news article "A Closer Look at Climate Change Skepticism."

Upcoming distinguished lecture by Haifan Lin

Lin will present his research findings in a lecture Dec. 14 titled "A Novel Small RNA-Mediated Epigenetic Mechanism Related to Stem Cells."

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Extramural Research

Extramural Papers of the Month

• Death rates climb during heat waves
• Sequencing the exposome
• Epigenetic changes and low-dose BPA in breast epithelial cells
• Genetic driver of severe allergic asthma

Intramural Research

Intramural Papers of the Month

• Succimer treatment shows limited efficacy at reducing organic mercury in children
• Releasing the brake on synaptic plasticity
• mtDNA helicase mutants differ biochemically
• Gender differences in glucocorticoid-mediated inflammation

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Calendar of Upcoming Events

• December 6, in Rodbell Auditorium, 10:00-11:30 a.m. - Keystone Science Lecture Seminar Series with Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Ph.D., presenting "An Update on Environment and Autism: Findings from the CHARGE Study"
• December 7, in Executive Conference Room, 12:00-1:00 p.m. - Receptor Mechanisms Discussion Group with William J. Zuercher, Ph.D., speaking on "Open Access Chemical Probes for Drug Discovery"
• December 9, in Rall D-450, 10:00-11:30 a.m. - Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis Seminar Series talk on "Epigenetic Regulation in Embryonic Stem Cells," by Barbara Panning, Ph.D.
• December 10, in Rodbell Auditorium, 10:00-11:30 a.m. - Laboratory of Molecular Genetics Fellows Invited Seminar Series, featuring Robert Crouch, Ph.D., exploring "Ribonucleases H: Substrates in vitro and Effects of Loss in vivo"
• December 14, in Rodbell Auditorium, 11:00-12:30 p.m. - Distinguished Lecture Series presentation by Haifan Lin, Ph.D., exploring "A Novel Small-RNA Mediated Epigenetic Mechanism Related to Stem Cells"
• December 15, online, 2:30-3:30 p.m. - Superfund Research Program Funding Opportunities (http://clu-in.org/live/#Superfund_Research_Program_Funding_Opportunities_20101215)
• December 16, in Rall D-450, 10:00-11:00 a.m. - Susan Henning, Ph.D., exploring "The Elusive Intestinal Stem Cell: Progress and Challenges" as part of the Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis Seminar Series
• December 16, in Rodbell Auditorium, 1:00-3:00 p.m. - 2010 Director's Awards Ceremony and International Festival

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) (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/), Office of Communications and Public Liaison. The content 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)