NIEHS Spotlight

NIH to launch Gulf oil spill health study

The National Institutes of Health will launch a multi-year study this fall to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf region.

Council meeting marks progress with initiatives

The fall meeting of the NIEHS Council featured updates on some of the Institute's major high-profile efforts.

Birnbaum testifies on heart disease and Agent Orange

NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., entered the national conversation on Vietnam-era exposure to dioxin in Agent Orange.

NIEHS participates in cookstove initiative

NIEHS is one of several NIH institutes and centers participating in the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves.

Leading scientists participate in congressional briefing

NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., participated in a congressional briefing on endocrine disruption.

Foundation commits $2M more to asthma study

The MCAN will commit $2 million to sustain a successful program that was led by NIEHS from 2006 to 2010.

NIEHS to fund $36 million in worker safety training

The NIEHS is awarding $36 million in grants to 20 organizations that develop safety and health training for workers.

BPA grantee honored with Heinz Award

Veteran NIEHS grantee Fred vom Saal, Ph.D., received one of the nation's most prestigious public service awards.

NIEHS-funded investigator awarded Harvey Prize

Grantee Michael Karin, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2010 Harvey Prize in human health by Israel's premier institute of technology.

First steps for future epidemiologists begin at NIEHS

Two postbaccalaureate fellows credit their training at NIEHS with helping them gain admission to a top U.S. public health school.

Packenham to be honored for career achievement

NIEHS scientist Joan Packenham, Ph.D., is the winner of a 2010 National Women of Color Award.

NIEHS-funded trainee receives peace grant

Barbara Kowalcyk, co-founder of the Center for Foodborne Illness, will receive the LennonOno Grant For Peace 2010.

NIEHS Public Health Service officers promoted

Three NIEHS employees are among the U.S. Public Health Service officers promoted this year.

NIEHS remembers Jenny Pronczuk de Garbino

Friends and colleagues at NIEHS were saddened by news of the death of a global and children's health champion.

NICEATM convenes international workshop on vaccine safety testing

Nearly 200 scientists from around the world met for an international workshop in Bethesda, MD, on alternative testing methods.

Institute celebrates postdoctoral fellows

NIEHS recognized its 225 postdoctoral fellows during a celebration of the second annual National Postdoc Appreciation Day Sept. 24.

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Inside the Institute

NIEHS celebrates Women's Equality Day

The long struggle for equal voting rights for women was at center stage Aug. 26 in a presentation by Noreen Gordon.

Exploring the origins of American medicine

NIH celebrated Hispanic heritage Sept. 21 with an engaging talk by Eloy Rodriguez, Ph.D., a specialist in ethnobotanical medicine.

Employees honored for years of service

According to Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., NIEHS honored a total of 1,110 years of service at the second annual celebration.

Generations at Work Celebration spotlights families

The Generations at Work Celebration featured 29 display tables and the popular Blacks In Government Annual Fish Fry.

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Science Notebook

The involvement of Mullerian Inhibiting Substance in ovarian cancer

According to Patricia K. Donahoe, M.D., a protein involved in human sex determination can play a role in treating cancer.

New BPA research helps fill research gaps

Barely a year after NIEHS announced $30 million in funding for research on BPA, new grantee findings are already emerging.

JBC selects NIEHS study as paper of the week

A study from the NIEHS Mitochondrial DNA Replication Group was chosen as The Journal of Biological Chemistry Paper of the Week.

Council hears two science talks at fall meeting

Members enjoyed presentations by grantee Sven-Eric Jordt, Ph.D., and NIEHS Principal Investigator Mike Resnick, Ph.D.

Evaluating the science on cell phone safety

Experts shared their views on the status of current science regarding cell phone safety, as well as the need for better designed studies.

BPA researchers and regulators meet for update and integration

NIEHS grantees and government scientists gathered Sept. 21-22 at NIEHS to update their research efforts on bisphenol A.

Regulation of cellular genotoxic response

Yoshiaki Tsuji, Ph.D., shared his new findings on the ways genotoxic stresses influence disease.

New opportunities in autism research

Researchers and advocates came together Sept. 8 to offer new strategies and opportunities for progress in autism research.

Expert panel examines autoimmunity research

An NIEHS meeting in Durham, NC Sept. 7-8 brought together an interdisciplinary group of experts to evaluate the state of the science.

New eye safety test methods proposed by interagency group

Federal regulatory agencies will consider adopting new test methods and strategies applicable to safety testing.

European Teratology Society honors NIEHS-led research

A study funded by an interagency agreement between NIEHS and the FDA was honored as Paper of the Year at annual meeting.

This Month in EHP

The October issue of Environmental Health Perspectives is the journal's 13th annual Children's Health Issue.

Steven Zeisel to give Hans L. Falk Memorial Lecture

Zeisel will address nutrigenomics, estrogen, and environmental chemicals in studies of the dietary requirement for choline.

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Extramural Research

Extramural Papers of the Month

• Amplifying stem cells
• Low dose BPA alters gene expression in the fetal mouse ovary
• Common genetic variants associated with blood lipids
• Charlotte, NC light rail transit use reduces obesity risk

Intramural Research

Intramural Papers of the Month

• Estrogen increases chemical uptake by brain
• Base damage of single-stranded DNA intermediate causes localized hyper-mutability in budding yeast
• Genetic biomarkers for early diagnosis of lung cancer
• Eosinophil peroxidase reacts with sulfite to form protein radicals

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Calendar of Upcoming Events

• October 4, in Rodbell Auditorium, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Falk Lecture Seminar Series with Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D., speaking on "Nutrigenomics, Estrogen, and Environmental Chemicals Influence the Dietary Requirement for Choline"
• October 7, in Rodbell Auditorium, 12:00-5:00 p.m. - North Carolina Society of Toxicology Fall Meeting
• October 12, in Rodbell C, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Invited lecture on "Understanding Adverse Events Using Genome Level and Expression Data: Are Canonical Toxicity Profiles a Predictive Possibility?" by James Flynn, Ph.D.
• October 13, in Rodbell A, 1:30-3:30 p.m. - Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration with Ileana Herrell, Ph.D.
• October 15 (Offsite Event), at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in RTP, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - Genetics and Environmental Mutagenesis Society Fall Annual Meeting 2010 (http://www.gems-nc.org/Meetings.html) , "Deep Sequencing, Regulation, and Cancer"
• October 19-21 (Offsite Event), at the University of Louisville, KY, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - 2010 NIEHS Center Directors Meeting (http://louisville.edu/environmentalgenomics/niehs-center-directors-meeting-2010/registration.html)
• October 20 (Offsite Event), at the National Center for Environmental Health Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 10:00-11:30 am - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Seminar Series, featuring James Tiedje, Ph.D., exploring "Advances in Dioxin Bioavailability and Biodegradation in Environmental Matrices"
• October 20, at the NIEHS softball field, 2:00-4:00 p.m. - NIEHS Inter-Division Softball Competition
• October 21, in Rall B450, 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. - Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis Seminar Series presentation on "Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer: Should We Pay More Attention to the Microbiome?" by Cristian Jobin, Ph.D.
• October 25-26, in Rodbell Auditorium, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - Worker Education and Training Program Fall 2010 Awardee Meeting and Workshop (http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/events.cfm?id=2496)
• October 27, in Rodbell Auditorium, 10:00-11:30 a.m. - Keystone Science Seminar Series, speaker and topic TBA

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)