NIEHS Spotlight

NTP Outlines Challenges and Directions at Meeting of Scientific Counselors

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is "working to do more in terms of developing toxicology testing across the Federal government," declared NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., as she opened a two-day meeting before the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) at NIEHS December 9-10. ...read more

Wilcox Honored with Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Award

NIEHS Senior Investigator Allen Wilcox, M.D., Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2009 Greg Alexander Award for Advancing Knowledge - one of the highest honors bestowed each year by the Coalition for Excellence in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology. ...read more

Agency Leaders Testify on TSCA Reform

The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works convened a hearing on Dec. 2 to consider reform of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). ...read more

Dearry Represents NIEHS and NIH in Copenhagen

As high-profile talks by politicians and demonstrations in the streets took center stage at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) at the Bella Center in Copenhagen Dec. 7-18, hundreds of scientists, including Allen Dearry, Ph.D. of the NIEHS Office of the Director, shared their data and projections in meetings and seminars held outside the range of the spotlights and cameras. ...read more

Collegium Ramazzini Elects Birnbaum as Fellow

NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., received notification in December of her election as a fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini headquartered in Carpi, Italy. ...read more

Superfund Research Program Continues Strategic Planning Process

As part of a comprehensive strategic planning effort aimed at gathering input for future program direction, the Superfund Research Program (SRP) organized a series of informational meetings, Web-based seminars, and a Web-based questionnaire. ...read more

Stokes Helps Build Pacific Rim Partnerships for Advancing Alternative Testing

With talks and meetings scheduled in Korea and Japan, NICEATM Director Rear Admiral William Stokes, D.V.M., faced a busy schedule when he traveled in Asia during November. ...read more

NIEHS Welcomes John Balbus as New Advisor for Public Health

NIEHS recently announced the appointment of John Balbus, M.D., as the Institute's senior advisor for public health. Assigned to the NIEHS Bethesda office, ...read more

Androphy and Burr Appointed to Senior Posts at NIEHS

During the final weeks of 2009, NIEHS announced the appointments of Deputy Ethics Counselor Bruce Androphy, J.D., and Administrative Management Branch Chief Matt Burr to senior posts at the Institute.
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Seminar Reviews Public Health Role of Congressional Oversight

During an invited lecture on Dec. 15 at NIEHS, Paul Jung, M.D., discussed his experience as a public health investigator for the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce and outlined public health aspects of the congressional oversight process. ...read more

Fellow Receives Lab Animal Medicine Award

NIEHS Postdoctoral Fellow Coralie Zegre-Cannon, D.V.M., recently received first-place honors at the 60^th annual American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) National Meeting held Nov. 8-12 in Denver. ...read more

Friends and Colleagues Remember Pioneering Woman Scientist

Former NIEHS investigator and environmental attorney Carol Ann Masters Schiller, Ph.D., J.D., D.A.B.T., died Dec. 5 in Raleigh at age 68, following a seven-year battle with the rare neurological disease progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) ...read more

Library Hosts Visitors from Russia

As part of their Sister Cities sponsored visit to Durham, a delegation of librarians from Kostroma, Russia spent several hours on Nov. 20 at the NIEHS Library with Library and Information Services Branch Chief Dav Robertson and his colleagues. ...read more

NIEHS Is Accepting Applications for Extramural Director

NIEHS began accepting applications for the director of its Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT) on Dec. 7, with a deadline of Feb. 27, 2010.
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Inside the Institute

CFC Has Banner Year at NIEHS

By the time organizers completed the accounting in early December, the 2009 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) at NIEHS exceeded its goal by more than $20,000, with a total of $91,392 in pledges. Following its kick off on Sept. 28, the campaign continued through Nov. 20. ...read more

Director's Awards Ceremony Recognizes Employee Achievements

NIEHS employees, friends, and family turned out in force on Dec. 17 in Rodbell Auditorium to watch as NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., presented Director's Awards to employees who made meritorious contributions to the NIEHS mission in 2009. ...read more

Staffers Complete Clear Writing Workshop

NIEHS employees enjoyed an opportunity during the first week of December to look at their writing from the distinctive perspective of veteran communications consultant Ginny Redish, Ph.D. ...read more

Trainees Celebrate the Holiday Seasons

A group of the Institute's youngest scientists accepted an invitation to leave their pipettes behind on December 11 and enjoy a holiday party sponsored by the NIEHS Trainee Assembly (NTA) and the Office of Fellows Career ...read more

Science Notebook

Kahn Gives Hans L. Falk Memorial Lecture

Each year scientists from the NIEHS Division of Intramural Research (DIR) set aside one of the distinguished guest lectureships to honor their first Scientific Director Hans L. Falk, Ph.D. ...read more

Grantee Explores Right-to-Know in Community-Based Participatory Research

On Dec. 1, NIEHS welcomed grantee Julia Brody, Ph.D. as the latest speaker in the Keystone Science Lecture Series sponsored by the NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT). ...read more

Slight Nerve Effect with Elemental Mercury Exposure from Fillings

On Dec. 4, Alfred Franzblau, M.D., discussed the effect of chronic low-level elemental mercury (Hg) exposure on dental professionals. In his study, researchers measured urine mercury concentrations and nerve function in 2,974 volunteers and found a very slight, but significant deleterious effect on sensory nerves.
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Study Unveils Potential Genetic Links to Lung Disease Risk

A new NIH-funded study involving data from more than 20,000 individuals has uncovered several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function. ...read more

Increased Risk of Parkinson's Disease with PON1 Gene Variant and Pesticide Exposure

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers report that study participants with two copies of a common gene variant showed an increased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) when exposed to pesticides used in agriculture. ...read more

Group Gathers for Asbestos and Related Fibers Meeting

NIEHS scientists, federal partners, representatives from industry, and members of the academic community gathered in Chapel Hill, NC, Dec. 16-17 to discuss the state of the science on asbestos and develop recommendations for future work. ...read more

This Month in EHP

The January issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is sure to catch the attention of sleep-challenged readers with its cover stories on light exposure, circadian rhythm, and sleep - "What's in a Color? The Unique Human Health Effects of Blue Light" and "Lose Sleep, Gain Weight: Another Piece of the Obesity Puzzle." ...read more

Dan Littman Will Give Next Distinguished Lecture

The NIEHS 2009-2010 Distinguished Lecture Series will feature a talk January 19 by Dan Littman, M.D., Ph.D., on the "Role of Environmental and Intrinsic Factors in the Differentiation of Inflammatory T Cells." ...read more

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Extramural Research

Extramural Papers of the Month

• Researchers Map the First Human Epigenome
• Metal and Diesel Exhaust Linked to Respiratory Symptoms in Children
• Spatial Epidemiology of Abused Drugs
• Traffic and Childhood Asthma

Intramural Research

Intramural Papers of the Month

• Initiation of Repair of Random DNA Double Strand Breaks Requires RAD50
• New Pathway for Viral Regulation of the Cell Cycle Through TGF-β
• Methoxyacetic Acid Disrupts Endogenous Estrogen Receptor Signaling
• Structural Studies Reveal Specificity of mRNA Regulatory Proteins

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Calendar of Upcoming Events

• January 5, in Rall D350, 11:00-12:00 - Biostatistics Branch Seminar on "A Computational Study of Chromosome Structure and Genome Instability," by Ankit Malhotra, Ph.D.
• January 5, in Keystone 1003AB, 2:00-3:30 - Superfund Research Program Strategic Planning Meeting
• January 7, in Rall D450, 10:00-11:00 - Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis Seminar Series featuring Xiaoling Li, Ph.D., addressing "SIRT1 and Metabolic Diseases"
• January 11, in Rodbell Auditorium, 11:00-12:00 - Laboratory of Molecular Genetics Fellows Invited Guest Lecture by James Lupski, M.D., Ph.D., speaking on "Genomic Disorders: Mechanisms and Assays for Copy Number Variations that Cause Human Disease"
• January 14, in Keystone 1003 AB, 9:00-10:00 - Keystone Science Lecture Seminar Series on "Modeling Human Population-Level Genetic Variation to Better Predict Environmental Risk and Disease Susceptibility," with David Threadgill, Ph.D.
• January 19, in Rodbell Auditorium, 11:00-12:00 - Distinguished Lecture by Dan Littman, M.D., Ph.D., on "Role of Environmental and Intrinsic Factors in the Differentiation of Inflammatory T Cells"
• January 21, in Rall D450, 10:00-11:00 - Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis Seminar Series with Susan Fischer, Ph.D., presenting "Cox-2 Driven Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma"
• January 25-27 (Offsite Event), at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel, 8:00-5:00 - 2010 Conference on Environmental Justice, Air Quality, Goods Movement, and Green Jobs: Evolution and Innovation; and the Worker Education and Training Program Awardee Meeting
• January 27, in Rall F193, 11:00-12:00 - Laboratory of Neurobiology Seminar Series presentation on "Illuminating the Epigenome Landscape by Deep Sequencing," by Yuan Gao, Ph.D.
• January 31 (Deadline) - 11:59 p.m. (Spain's local time) - Submission of abstracts for the 12^th International Congress of Toxicology (http://gestion.pacifico-meetings.com/www/iutox2010/index.html) in Barcelona, Spain, July 19-23, sponsored by the Spanish Association of Toxicology (AETOX) and EUROTOX in the name of the International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX)

View More Events: NIEHS Public Calendar

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