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News Releases from NIEHS

APR 2024

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Microplastics, Algal Blooms, Seafood Safety Are Public Health Concerns Addressed by New Oceans and Human Health Centers

NIH and NSF jointly fund new research centers to better understand how ocean-related exposures affect people’s health.

Volunteer in orange vest picking up plastic waste and debris from beach shore.

JAN 2024

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Reduced Blood Lead Levels Linked to Lower Blood Pressure in American Indians

Reductions correlated with long-term cardiovascular health improvements.

OCT 2023

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Sister Study Turns 20

50,000 women from across the U.S., including Puerto Rico are helping NIH find how the environment and genes influence breast cancer risk

SEP 2023

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

AI and Machine Learning Can Successfully Diagnose Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, New Study Confirms

NIH study reviews 25 years of data and finds AI/ML can detect common hormone disorder

SEP 2023

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

High Levels of Particulate Air Pollution Associated With Increased Breast Cancer Incidence

NIH researchers combined historical air quality data with breast cancer data from large U.S. study

JUL 2023

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Women Treated for Breast Cancer May Age Faster Than Cancer-free Women

NIH study finds radiation shows strongest association, less for surgery and endocrine treatments

MAY 2023

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2023

National Institutes of Health scientists and grant recipients conduct innovative research to better understand, prevent, and treat asthma.

FEB 2023

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Toxic Protein Linked to Muscular Dystrophy and Arhinia

NIH researchers discover a possible cause for a rare facial malformation, bringing new hope for patients.

NOV 2022

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH’s Climate and Health Initiative Tackles Global Health Effects Associated With a Changing Climate

Agency leaders discuss new research plan in The Lancet

NOV 2022

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

New 3D Model Shows How Cadmium Exposure May Affect Heart Development

NIH researchers develop new tools to demonstrate how environmental agents can lead to diseases

OCT 2022

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Hair Straightening Chemicals Associated With Higher Uterine Cancer Risk

NIH study finds Black women may be more affected due to higher use

AUG 2022

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Oil Spill Cleanup Workers More Likely to Have Asthma Symptoms

NIH study finds chemicals from Deepwater Horizon disaster associated with more wheeze

AUG 2022

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH First to Develop 3D Structure of Twinkle Protein

Sparks new hope for patients with mitochondrial diseases

JUL 2022

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Preterm Birth More Likely With Exposure to Phthalates

NIH study of pregnant women confirms link with chemicals that could put pregnancy at risk

MAY 2022

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2022: Toward Improved Asthma Care

Today on World Asthma Day, the National Institutes of Health reaffirms its commitment to biomedical research aimed at preventing the onset of asthma, understanding its underlying causes, and improving the treatment of it.

DEC 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Eight Substances Added to 15th Report on Carcinogens

A chronic bacterial infection, a flame retardant, and six water disinfection byproducts are listed in a new HHS cancer report.

NOV 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Researchers Target a Mouse’s Own Cells, Rather Than Using Antibiotics, to Treat Pneumonia

NIH scientists say the approach may be a novel way to treat pneumonia in humans.

MAY 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Male Hormones Regulate Stomach Inflammation in Mice

NIH research could lead to new treatment strategies for stomach cancer

MAY 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2021

Asthma can reduce quality of life, contributes to considerable emotional and financial stress, and is a major contributing factor to missed time from school and work.

APR 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIEHS Earns WELL Building Rating Amid Pandemic

On March 30, 2021, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) became the first federal agency to achieve the International WELL Building Institute’s Health-Safety Rating.

MAR 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Preterm Birth, Prolonged Labor Influenced by Progesterone Balance

Novel research in mice sheds light on hormone regulation needed in late pregnancy, opens door for therapy.

MAR 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Study of Mosquito Protein Could Lead to Treatments Against Life-threatening Viruses

The mosquito protein AEG12 strongly inhibits the family of viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, and Zika and weakly inhibits coronaviruses, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and their collaborators.

FEB 2021

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Study Shows Hyaluronan Is Effective in Treating Chronic Lung Disease

Naturally produced by the body, hyaluronan represents a new class of biologic that significantly improves lung health in patients with severe COPD.

JUN 2020

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Names Rick Woychik Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Woychik will lead NIH’s research efforts on environmental influences on human health and also serve as director of the U.S. National Toxicology Program.

MAY 2020

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2020

Today on World Asthma Day, the National Institutes of Health stands with patients, families, advocates, researchers, and health care professionals to raise awareness about this common chronic respiratory disease, the people it affects, and the biomedical research that improves its prevention and treatment.

APR 2020

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Autoimmunity May Be Rising in the United States

Autoimmunity, a condition in which the body’s immune system reacts with components of its own cells, appears to be increasing in the United States, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health and their collaborators.

MAR 2020

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

COVID-19 Workers Get Training to Protect Their Own Health

Today, the National Institutes of Health will launch a new website with important educational resources for Coronavirus workers dealing with the spread of COVID-19.

DEC 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Pregnancy Hypertension Risk Increased by Traffic-related Air Pollution

Findings give new insights into the connection between poor air quality, children’s health, and mother’s health

DEC 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

EHP Names New Editor-in-chief

Joel Kaufman, M.D., M.P.H., has been named the new Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), a journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.

DEC 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Permanent Hair Dye and Straighteners May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health found that women who use permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who don’t use these products.

SEP 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Partners With Apple and Harvard University on Women’s Health Study

The new research study will focus on menstrual cycles and gynecological conditions

AUG 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Graphene Shield Shows Promise in Blocking Mosquito Bites

NIH-funded project shows graphene could provide alternative to chemicals in insect repellant and protective clothing.

AUG 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Study Finds Link Between Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution and Emphysema

Findings might explain why some people who never smoked develop lung disease

JUN 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Sleeping With Artificial Light at Night Associated With Weight Gain in Women

Eliminating light while sleeping could reduce obesity

MAY 2019

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2019

On World Asthma Day 2019 the National Institutes of Health stands with patients, families, advocates, researchers and health care professionals around the globe to raise awareness about this common chronic respiratory disease.

APR 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Healthy Hearts Need Two Proteins Working Together

NIH research could be a step toward a treatment to prevent heart attacks

MAR 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Vitamin D May Protect Against Pollution-associated Asthma Symptoms in Obese Children

A new study finds vitamin D may be protective among asthmatic obese children living in urban environments with high indoor air pollution.

Telephone Press Conference: NTP Draft Conclusions for Radiofrequency Radiation Studies in Rats and Mice

FEB 2019

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Older Biologic Age Linked to Elevated Breast Cancer Risk

NIH scientists use epigenetics to help predict disease development

DEC 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Scientists Find That Breast Cancer Protection From Pregnancy Starts Decades Later

Breast cancer risk remains elevated 20-30 years after childbirth

NOV 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Soy Formula Feeding During Infancy Associated With Severe Menstrual Pain in Adulthood

New research suggests that infant girls fed soy formula are more likely to develop severe menstrual pain as young adults.

NOV 2018

National Toxicology Program

NTP

High Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation Associated With Cancer in Male Rats

National Toxicology Program releases final reports on rat and mouse studies of radio frequency radiation like that used in 2G and 3G cell phone technologies

AUG 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Genetics and Pollution Drive Severity of Asthma Symptoms

Finding may lead to a precision medicine approach in environmental health

JUN 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Study Associates Obesity With Lower Breast Cancer Risk in Young Women

Young women with high body fat have a decreased chance of developing breast cancer before menopause, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health and their collaborators. The finding, published online in the journal JAMA Oncology, may help researchers better understand the role obesity plays in breast cancer risk.

MAY 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Scientists Develop Novel Technique to Study Brain Disease

A new tool developed by researchers at the National Institutes of Health has determined, for the first time, how two distinct sets of neurons in the mouse brain work together to control movement.

MAY 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

NIH Statement on World Asthma Day 2018

On World Asthma Day 2018, the National Institutes of Health stands with people worldwide to renew our commitment to advance understanding of asthma and develop effective strategies to manage, treat and ultimately prevent the disease.

FEB 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

High Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation Linked to Tumor Activity in Male Rats

High exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in rodents resulted in tumors in tissues surrounding nerves in the hearts of male rats, but not female rats or any mice, according to draft studies from the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

FEB 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Telephone Press Conference: NTP Draft Conclusions for Radiofrequency Radiation Studies in Rats and Mice

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) will hold a telephone press conference to summarize and answer questions about draft reports on the health effects of radiofrequency radiation exposure in rats and mice.

JAN 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Roadmap to Guide Progress Toward Replacing Animal Use in Toxicity Testing

Sixteen federal agencies partnered to develop a strategic roadmap that offers a new framework for the safety testing of drugs and chemicals, which aims to provide more human relevant toxicology data while reducing the use of animals.

JAN 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

New Tool Visualizes Employment Trends in Biomedical Science

Scientists looking for jobs after completing their training may soon have a new tool that helps them evaluate various career paths.

JAN 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

Brian Berridge Tapped to Manage National Toxicology Program

News Releases from NIEHS-funded Researchers

JAN 2025

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Floods Linked to Rise in U.S. Deaths from Several Major Causes

A multi-university study, led by the Mailman School of Public Health and published in Nature Medicine, reveals the potential deadly effect of large floods on injuries, infectious diseases, and other causes.

city flooded - bus, houses, telephone poles

JAN 2025

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

New York University

"Forever Chemicals" in Wastewater Far More Widespread Than Previously Known, New Multi-university Study Reveals

The "forever chemicals" flowing from U.S. wastewater treatment plants are not only more abundant than previously thought, but also largely consist of pharmaceuticals that have received little scientific or regulatory attention, a new multi-university study reveals.

DEC 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NIH National Institute on Aging

Wildfire Smoke Exposure and Dementia Risk

In this study, partially supported by NIEHS, findings suggest that PM2.5 from wildfires is a greater risk factor for dementia than PM2.5 from other sources. This risk may be particularly pronounced among socially and economically disadvantaged groups. PM2.5 is a type of air pollutant composed of fine particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter.

Man standing in front of trees that are on fire

DEC 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Study Finds Folic Acid May Protect Mothers and Children Against Liver Damage From Prenatal Chemical Exposure

Prenatal exposure to certain environmental chemicals may pose significant risks to liver health for both mothers and their newborns. But the researchers also found that treating women with folic acid and other B vitamins during pregnancy may counter some adverse effects of prenatal exposures on the livers of children.

Lab scientist looking at computer details

DEC 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Washington University

Research Reveals How Fructose in Diet Enhances Tumor Growth

Research shows that dietary fructose promotes tumor growth in animal models of melanoma, breast cancer and cervical cancer. The scientists discovered that the liver converts fructose into usable nutrients for cancer cells, a finding that could open new avenues for care and treatment of different types of cancer.

DEC 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Texas A&M University

Study: Even Low Levels of Arsenic in Drinking Water Raise Kidney Cancer Risk

New research indicates that exposure to even low levels of arsenic through drinking water poses significant health risks, including an increased risk of kidney cancer.

NOV 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, Davis

Research Shows Promise to Alleviate Gut Health Issues Caused by a High-Sugar Diet

New research shows that a key regulatory enzyme inhibitor discovered in the laboratory of Bruce Hammock, Ph.D. can alleviate inflammation linked to health issues that are caused by a high-sugar diet. The study, conducted in a mouse model, show promise as a basis for developing treatments of gut barrier dysfunction caused by high sugar consumption in humans.

NOV 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Researchers Develop Novel Framework Leveraging Multi-Omics Data to Advance Environmental Precision Health

Researchers developed a novel framework that integrates multi-omics data to discover biomarkers of environmental disease, improve insights on mechanisms of environment-related diseases, and identify individuals at high-risk of disease development.

OCT 2024

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Investigates Influences of Environmental Exposures on Type 2 Diabetes

The new study will look at how environmental exposures can affect risk for type 2 diabetes and related complications in the U.S.

OCT 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University at Buffalo

Study Finds Forever Chemicals Are More Toxic As Mixtures

two female scientists in lab looking at samples

OCT 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Keck School of Medicine of USC

‘Forever Chemicals’ Linked to Poor Sleep Among Young Adults in First-of-Its-Kind Study

High levels of four types of PFAS showed effects on sleep in young adults. The scientists who conducted this study are the first to delve into underlying molecular mechanisms, identifying genes involved with the body’s natural defenses and a hormone that regulates sleep.

man lying down in bed late at night while looking at clock on side table

OCT 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Cincinnati

Common Consumer Product Chemicals Now Tied to Cardiac Electrical Changes

In the first study to look at the effects of phenol exposure on human heart activity, scientists concluded that higher exposure to a type of phenol, bisphenol A (BPA) and its derivatives, in women is associated with altered cardiac electrical activity. Anything affecting the heart's electrical properties can be detrimental and possibly result in arrhythmias. Environmental phenols are found in many common consumer items, such as preservatives in packaged foods, personal care products, and plastic dishware.

Hand holding chest while image of heart in background

SEP 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Endocrine Society

Girls May Start Puberty Early Due to Chemical Exposure

Girls exposed to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals may start puberty early, according to research published in Endocrinology, a journal of the Endocrine Society. These chemicals mimic, block, or interfere with hormones in the body's endocrine system. One example is musk ambrette, which is a synthetic ingredient used to scent some detergents, perfumes, and personal care products, and a group of medications called cholinergic agonists.

AUG 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Pesticide Exposure Linked to Stillbirth Risk in New Study

Increased rates of stillborn births were seen among people who lived near (within .31 miles or 500 meters) areas where pesticides were used during their first trimester of pregnancy or pre-conception, according to new research.

JUL 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Oregon

With Kids at Risk, Parents Need Better Wildfire Smoke Warnings

By designing various air quality index visuals to signal the dangers of moderate air pollution exposure for kids, NIEHS-funded researchers found that certain infographics better motivated parents to take protective measures for their families during wildfire smoke events.

JUL 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, Riverside

Microbes Found to Destroy Certain ‘Forever Chemicals’

An UC Riverside environmental engineering team has discovered specific bacterial species that can destroy certain kinds of “forever chemicals,” a step further toward low-cost treatments of contaminated drinking water sources.

JUL 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, Berkeley

First Study to Measure Toxic Metals in Tampons Shows Arsenic and Lead, Among Other Contaminants

Tampons that millions of people use each month can contain toxic metals like lead, arsenic, and cadmium, a new study led by an UC Berkeley researcher has found. Tampons are of particular concern as a potential source of exposure to chemicals because the skin of the vagina has a higher potential for chemical absorption than skin elsewhere on the body. These products are used by a large percentage of the population on a monthly basis.

JUN 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Rochester Medical Center

New Model Could Help Provide Expectant Mothers a Clearer Path to Safe Fish Consumption

A new study jointly led by researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Cornell University, creates a framework for untangling questions about the risks and benefits of fish consumption. It could help produce clearer guidance on fish consumption for pregnant mothers.

MAY 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Irregular Periods Linked With Increased Risk for Cardiometabolic Conditions

Having persistently irregular menstrual cycles appears to put women at heightened risk for cardiometabolic conditions including heart attack, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes, according to a large study from the Apple Women’s Health Study (AWHS).

woman looking at calendar with irregular period dates

MAY 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NHGRI

NIH Invites Press To Discuss New Investments in RNA Research

Media are invited to attend an expert panel discussion on current and future investments in RNA research.

MAY 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

HHS

Biden-Harris Administration Reports Significant Progress Toward Protecting Children from Lead Poisoning

The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children is publishing the Progress Report on the Federal Lead Action Plan.

APR 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC Berkeley

Exposure to Wildfire Smoke During Pregnancy Increases Risk of Preterm Birth

Wildfires often spew plumes of toxic smoke throughout the western United States, eroding decades of improvements in air quality.

outline of woman holding pregnant belly amidst wildfire

MAR 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

The University of Arizona Health Sciences

$3.8M Grant Will Fund Study of Firefighter Risks, Interventions in Wildland-Urban Blazes

Researchers from the Zuckerman College of Public Health, working with fire service partners, will explore the health effects of fire exposure in the unique burn space of the wildland-urban interface.

Wildfire in the background of a neighborhood

MAR 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Filters and Digital Health Program Reduced Participants' Arsenic Levels by Nearly Half in American Indian Households Relying on Well Water

In addition to reduced arsenic levels measured in urine tests, households reported significant increases in use of filtered water for drinking and cooking.

MAR 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Georgia State University

Study: Trees, Bushes Near Highways Can Significantly Reduce Air Pollution Study: Trees, Bushes Near Highways Can Significantly Reduce Air Pollution

A new Georgia State study finds trees significantly reduce the air pollution caused by motor vehicles, which has been linked to a host of illnesses.

Researchers work near a fence separating vegetation from a highway.

FEB 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Emory University

Wildfires Linked to Surge in Mental Health-related Emergency Department Visits, Study Shows

An Emory University study showed an association between proximity to wildfires and increased anxiety-related emergency department visits.

people watching a wildfire in the distance

FEB 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

First Representative Survey of Energy Insecurity in New York City

Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted the first representative survey of energy insecurity and health of New York City residents.

man covered in a blanket holding his hand over a radiator heat source

JAN 2024

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Radon-Associated Cardiovascular Risks Highlight Need for Household Testing

This January, National Radon Action Month, epidemiologists at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health published two studies in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The studies highlight emerging associations between home radon concentrations, a common blood abnormality in older women and risk of stroke.

DEC 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

The Institute of Cancer Research, London

Largest Study of Its Kind Suggests Physical Activity Reduces a Woman’s Risk of Developing Breast Cancer Before Menopause

Regular leisure time physical activity may reduce the risk of breast cancer for women before menopause, according to new research funded by Breast Cancer Now.

OCT 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)

Study Clearly Identifies Nutrients as a Driver of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt

Researchers looking into the question of what is the nutrient supply for Sargassum inundations in the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt say that they have now clearly identified that the nutrient content of Sargassum tissue could help determine the enrichment sources and potentially improve predictions and Sargassum management efforts.

SEP 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

World Sleep Society

Global Call to Action on Sleep Health Published in The Lancet Public Health

A global call to action was published in The Lancet Public Health on September 28 that urges decisionmakers to recognize sleep health as a foundation of human health.

SEP 2023

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Awards $50.3 Million for “Multi-Omics” Research on Human Health and Disease

New research consortium will develop innovative strategies for clinical studies involving ancestrally diverse populations.

AUG 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Wayne State University

Wayne State University Researchers Improve Environmental Monitoring Applications

A research team from Wayne State University’s National Institutes of Health-funded Superfund Research Program, the Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR), recently published a paper that describes a new technique they developed that couples the Internet of Things sensor network with Edge Computing (IoTEC) to improve environmental monitoring.

JUL 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Rutgers University

Why Ongoing Worker Safety Training Is Critical to Effective Disaster Response

When it comes to disaster response and recovery operations, it is crucial that workers are prepared before there is an emergency, according to Rutgers researchers.

MAY 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Boston University

Human Health Is Suffering Because of Climate Change

Public health experts at BU and Harvard are teaming up to diversify and expand the global network of climate and health researchers to reach better solutions.

woman sitting in the sun holding her head

MAY 2023

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Launches $140 Million Effort to Investigate Genetic Variation in Normal Human Cells and Tissues

Common Fund Program will accelerate research on human development, aging, and disease.

APR 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Rhode Island

URI Researcher Contributes to Study Confirming Link Between PFAS – ‘forever Chemicals’ — in Drinking Water and Weight Gain

A University of Rhode Island researcher leads a study that confirms a direct link between certain chemicals in drinking water and human obesity.

Contamination plume from source of PFAS contamination to a home with a private well

APR 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Air Pollution May Increase Risk for Dementia

Exposure to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) may increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a new meta-analysis from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

MAR 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Helps Lead Groundbreaking Study on the Human and Ocean Health Impacts of Ocean Plastics

For the first time, leading researchers from the fields of healthcare, ocean science, and social science have collaborated to quantify plastic's considerable risks to all life on Earth.

MAR 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

George Washington University

New Study: Abatacept Therapy Offers Promising Results Treating Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Juvenile dermatomyositis, a rare but often severe and chronic systemic autoimmune disease, includes a large number of patients who are treatment resistant, requiring long term immunosuppressive therapy.

FEB 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Keck School of Medicine Study Finds “Forever Chemicals” Disrupt Key Biological Processes

Exposure to a mixture of chemicals called PFAS leads to alterations in biological processes associated with a broad range of diseases.

FEB 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Apple Women’s Health Study Advances Understanding of Menstrual Cycles and Health

Over the past three years, researchers with the Apple Women’s Health Study have been able to shed light on topics such as pregnancy attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on menstrual cycles. Thanks to three years of renewed support from Apple, the work will continue.

JAN 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts General Hospital

Researchers Discover Why Only Some People Experience Long-term Benefits From Peanut Allergy Treatments

New research by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), University of Paris Saclay, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) reveals why oral immunotherapy, which treats food allergies through incremental increases in consumption of the allergen, can lead to sustained tolerance in some individuals but only transient tolerance in others.

JAN 2023

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M Researchers Developing New Approach for Analyzing Chemical Mixtures

Drs. Weihsueh Chiu and Ivan Rusyn, professors at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS), have received one of 11 new research grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of an initiative to find novel ways to assess the toxicity of chemical mixtures.

DEC 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

The College Today

Public Health Research Team Makes Strides in Studying Impact of Plastic Pollution

In a nondescript room in the recesses of the Willard A. Silcox Physical Education and Health Center, four students sit around a lab table dissecting small fish. Though it’s not immediately evident, they’re engaged in work that will lead to new insights regarding the dangers of plastic pollution. And those dangers don’t solely pertain to these fish or the dolphins that eat them. They also directly threaten human health.

DEC 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

John Hopkins Medicine

Household Air Cleaners Improve Heart Health Among Individuals with COPD, Researchers Find

A six-month study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers concludes that the use of portable home air purifiers can improve some markers of cardiovascular health in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

NOV 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

PFAS Levels Lower in Buildings With Healthier Furnishings

Buildings renovated with healthier furnishings had significantly lower levels of the entire group of per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) — toxic chemicals linked with many negative health effects — than buildings with conventional furnishings, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

illustration of office building with desks and chairs

OCT 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Kaiser Permanente

Link Between Commonly Used Chemicals, Gestational Diabetes

Pregnant people may have increased risk of gestational diabetes if they have higher exposure to phenols, common chemicals used in food packaging and many consumer products, according to Kaiser Permanente research.

OCT 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Yale School of Public Health

Yale Superfund Research Center to Investigate Water Contaminants Linked to Cancer

A new Superfund Research Center (SRC) at Yale will conduct extensive analysis of emerging water contaminants that have been linked to liver cancer.

person collecting water from an outdoor source

SEP 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Wayne State University

$11.3 Million NIH Superfund Award to Address Environmental Health Issues Caused by VOCs

Wayne State University has received a five-year, approximately $11.3 million award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health to create a new Superfund Research Program, the “Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR).”

woman wearing headset showing pregnant woman and environment

SEP 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Air Pollution Heightened COVID Risk in Low-Income Pregnant New Yorkers

Pregnant, low-income New Yorkers living in neighborhoods with higher levels of air pollution were 60 percent more likely to test positive for COVID-19.

pregnant woman wearing a mask looking out a window

SEP 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NICHD

Release: NIH Awards $100 Million for Autism Centers of Excellence Program

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a total of $100 million over the next five years to support nine Autism Centers of Excellence (ACEs).

AUG 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NCATS

Tiny Antibodies May Provide New Tool to Fight COVID-19

As SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, scientists are on the hunt for therapeutics to combat new variants.

AUG 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Notre Dame News

Early Childhood Lead Exposure, Exacerbated by Structural Racism, Results in Lower Reading Scores

A new analysis quantitatively links an issue of environmental justice — childhood lead exposure — with structural racism in the form of residential segregation.

AUG 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

Air Pollution and Stress Alter Brains and Social Behavior of Male Mice

Smog and stress while pregnant alters brain connections in developing males but not females, leading to autism-like social behavior.

woman in front of smoke stacks and trees

AUG 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia Public Health

New York City Switch to Clean Buses Cut Air Pollution

The transition of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus fleet in New York City to cleaner fuels and engines was followed by declines in air pollution, particularly nitrous oxide.

JUL 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC San Diego

Lactating Mice Pass Along Common Antimicrobial to Pups, Initiating Liver Damage

Triclosan is used in everything from cleaners to pesticides to toys; researchers say exposure early in life may lay groundwork for future development of fatty liver disease.

JUL 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UKNOW

UK Researchers Develop Antiviral Face Mask

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A team of University of Kentucky researchers led by College of Engineering Professor Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., and his Ph.D. student, Rollie Mills, have developed a medical face mask membrane that can capture and deactivate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on contact.

JUN 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Keck School News

Risk of Death Surges When Extreme Heat and Air Pollution Coincide

Heat waves and air pollution are harmful, even deadly, and both are predicted to increase in frequency due to climate change. A team of researchers from USC is helping shed light on the health risks by assessing six years of air quality, temperature and death certificate data in a new study, just published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

JUN 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

HHS

HHS Announces Programs to Join President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative

President Biden is committed to securing environmental justice and spurring economic opportunity for disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment in housing, transportation, water and wastewater infrastructure, and health care.

JUN 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UTHSC

UTHSC Team Receives $2.19 Million to Study Neurotoxicity of Commonly-used Chemical Solvent

A team of University of Tennessee Health Science Center researchers has been awarded $2.19 million from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for their investigation of the neurotoxic effects of toluene, a common chemical found in many household products.

MAY 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Duke Today

Gene Linked to Severe Learning Disabilities Governs Cell Stress Response

Gene associated with Nascimento Syndrome triggers cell’s defenses against environmental attacks.

MAY 2022

National Institutes of Health

NIH

Depression, Loneliness Associated With Increased Hospitalization Risk After COVID-19, NIH-funded Study Suggests

People who reported in a survey that they felt worried, depressed or lonely had a greater chance of being hospitalized after a COVID-19 diagnosis, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

MAY 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC Santa Cruz

New Findings Enable Monitoring for Harmful Toxin in Freshwater Environments

Researchers have identified the genes involved in biosynthesis of guanitoxin, a potent neurotoxin produced by some freshwater harmful algal blooms.

APR 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Wiley

Study Suggests Black, Hispanic Women With Low Vitamin D More Likely to Develop Breast Cancer

Among women who identified as Black/African American or Hispanic/Latina, those with low blood levels of vitamin D were more likely to develop breast cancer than those with adequate levels.

APR 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Kentucky

Environment and Health Experts Gather for Wyatt Symposium April 22

Aubrey K. Miller, senior medical advisor to the director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), will present the noon keynote:

APR 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Historically Redlined Neighborhoods Burdened by Excess Oil and Gas Wells

Across the United States, historically redlined neighborhoods that scored lowest in racially discriminatory maps drawn by the government-sponsored Home-owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s had twice the density of oil and gas wells than comparable neighborhoods that scored highest.

MAR 2022

National Institutes of Health

NIH

Amygdala Overgrowth That Occurs in Autism Spectrum Disorder May Begin During Infancy

The amygdala — a brain structure enlarged in two-year-old children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — begins its accelerated growth between 6 and 12 months of age, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

MAR 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

CHOP and Penn Medicine to Lead Philadelphia Regional Center for Children's Environmental Health

Children in the Greater Philadelphia area face a number of environmental threats to their health, including lead poisoning, asthma from air pollution, and exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

MAR 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Hurricanes and Other Tropical Cyclones Linked to Rise in U.S. Deaths From Several Major Causes

Landmark study in JAMA reveals potential hidden deadly cost of climate-related disasters to injuries, infectious and parasitic diseases, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and neuropsychiatric disorders.

FEB 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NC State University

NC State’s Jane Hoppin Wins Holshouser Award

For her work examining the impact of environmental exposures on human health, Hoppin is one of two UNC System employees to be honored.

FEB 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Emory University

NIH Awards $4 Million Grant to Improve Health in Diverse Communities

Many Black communities in Metro Atlanta face high levels of environmental exposures that can negatively impact the health of Black children, and scientists are faced with the challenge of effectively communicating the dangers of environmental exposures to diverse communities.

FEB 2022

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMass Amherst Researcher Wins $3 Million ‘Outstanding New Environmental Scientist’ Award

A University of Massachusetts Amherst epidemiologist has received a five-year, $3 million Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in his ongoing effort to discover more about the origins and risk factors of autism.

DEC 2021

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Mount Sinai

Chronic Exposure to Air Pollution May Increase Risks for ICU Admission or Death Among COVID-19 Patients, Study Finds

New study suggests persistent exposure to air pollutants in residential communities can impact health outcomes for COVID-19 patients.

OCT 2021

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Awards Nearly $75m to Catalyze Data Science Research in Africa

New program will establish data science research and training network across the continent.

OCT 2021

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

National Academy of Medicine

Balbus Elected to National Academy of Medicine

Election to the National Academy of Medicine is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

SEP 2021

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Study Illuminates Origins of Lung Cancer in Never Smokers

A genomic analysis of lung cancer in people with no history of smoking has found that a majority of these tumors arise from the accumulation of mutations caused by natural processes in the body.

magnifying glass on lungs showing DNA helix

JUL 2021

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NHGRI

NIH Researchers Find Many People Want Secondary Genomic Findings After Initially Refusing

A study published today by researchers at the National Institutes of Health revealed that about half of individuals who said they don’t want to receive secondary genomic findings changed their mind after their healthcare provider gave them more detailed information.

person filling out informed consent form

MAY 2021

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Oregon State University

Oregon State Researchers Discover New Class of Cancer Fighting Compounds

A team of Oregon State University scientists has discovered a new class of anti-cancer compounds that effectively kill liver and breast cancer cells.

APR 2021

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Illinois

Study Links Prenatal Phthalate Exposure to Altered Information Processing in Infants

Susan Schantz, Ph.D., from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her colleagues found a relationship between prenatal exposure to phthalates and slower processing speed in 7.5-month-old infants.

FEB 2021

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Arizona Health Sciences

Workplace Chemical Exposure Study Leads to Small Business COVID-19 Awareness Campaign

Small business owners can take advantage of one-on-one training in preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, thanks to a project led by researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences.

DEC 2020

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH to Support Radical Approaches to Nationwide COVID-19 Testing and Surveillance

RADx-rad program will fund non-traditional and repurposed technologies to combat the current pandemic and address future viral disease outbreaks.

NOV 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Michigan State University

Injectable Birth Control May Increase Blood Lead Levels in African American Women

Women using a common, injectable form of birth control showed increased levels of potentially hazardous lead in their blood, a study led by a Michigan State University researcher found.

NOV 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

PR Newswire

The Autoimmune Registry Releases First Complete List of Autoimmune Diseases With Prevalence Statistics, Disease Subtypes, and Disease Profiles

The Autoimmune Registry Inc (ARI) has published its first comprehensive List of Autoimmune Diseases. It includes over 150 diseases, 40 subtypes, and 60 synonyms.

OCT 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

USFHealth

Autoantibody Order, Timing Helps Predict Genetically Susceptible Children Most Likely to Get Type 1 Diabetes

USF Health-led TEDDY analysis focuses on development of multiple distinct autoantibodies targeting insulin-producing cells, from initial autoimmunity to symptomatic disease.

OCT 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard T.H. Chan

Significant Link Found Between Air Pollution and Neurological Disorders

Air pollution was significantly associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions for several neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias, in a long-term study of more than 63 million older U.S. adults, led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

OCT 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Oregon State University

Predicting the Cancer-causing Potential of Chemicals Released From Wildfires, Fossil Fuel Burning

Oregon State University scientists have developed a method that could potentially predict the cancer-causing potential of chemicals released into the air during wildfires and fossil fuel combustion.

SEP 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NC State University

Vitamin D Deficiency Leads to Obesity, Stunted Growth in Zebrafish

Using a zebrafish model, researchers from North Carolina State University have found that vitamin D deficiency during early development can disrupt the metabolic balance between growth and fat accumulation. The results suggest a linkage between vitamin D and metabolic homeostasis, or equilibrium.

SEP 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Oregon State University

Study Shows Vitamin E Needed for Proper Nervous System Development

In research with key ramifications for women of childbearing age, findings by Oregon State University scientists show that embryos produced by vitamin E-deficient zebrafish have malformed brains and nervous systems.

AUG 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Missouri

Placenta Can Indicate How Body Responds to Opioids During Pregnancy

MU scientists discover possible biological markers for identifying opioid use disorder.

AUG 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University Hospitals

New Research Shows Air Pollution Could Play a Role in Development of Cardiometabolic Diseases, Diabetes

First-of-its-kind study, based on a mouse model, finds living in a polluted environment could be comparable to eating a high-fat diet, leading to a pre-diabetic state.

AUG 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Calgary

Babies Born to Depressed Moms Show Weakened Brain Connectivity

About one in five women experience some form of depression during pregnancy, with poorly understood effects on the fetus.

AUG 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A New Tool for Modeling the Human Gut Microbiome

Bacteria linked to Crohn’s disease are difficult to grow in the lab, but MIT engineers have found a way.

F. prausnitzii bacteria grow above a layer of human mucosal barrier cells

JUL 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Major Climate Initiative in the Northeastern U.S. Benefits Children’s Health

A new study by researchers from the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health reports that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has been successful in reducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions and substantially improving children’s health, both major co-benefits of this climate policy.

JUL 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Higher BPA Levels Linked to More Asthma Symptoms in Children

Children in low-income neighborhoods in Baltimore tended to have more asthma symptoms when levels of the synthetic chemical BPA (Bisphenol A) in their urine were elevated, according to a study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

JUL 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, Los Angeles

Jet Aircraft Exhaust Linked to Preterm Births

A study from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health has found that pregnant women exposed to high levels of ultraﬁne particles from jet airplane exhaust are 14% more likely to have a preterm birth than those exposed to lower levels.

JUL 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

North Carolina State University

Study: Novel PFAS Comprise 24% of Those Measured in Blood of Wilmington, N.C. Residents

In a new paper detailing findings from North Carolina State University’s GenX Exposure Study, researchers detected novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) called “fluoroethers” in blood from residents of Wilmington, North Carolina.

JUL 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

North Carolina State University

Bed Bugs Modify Microbiome of Homes They Infest

Homes infested by bed bugs appear to have different bacterial communities – often referred to as microbiomes – than homes without bed bugs, according to a first-of-its-kind study from North Carolina State University.

JUL 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Southern California

Living Near Natural Gas Flaring Poses Health Risks for Pregnant Women and Babies

USC researchers found that exposure to flaring was associated with 50% higher odds of preterm birth.

JUN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Childhood Obesity Linked to Multiple Environmental Factors in First-of-its-kind Study

Childhood obesity is a health threat that is becoming more and more common worldwide. It increases risk later on for a variety of life-threatening challenges, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and even mental health problems.

JUN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

National Institutes of Health

NIH Announces New Transformative Research Award Program for ALS

The National Institutes of Health plans to invest $25 million over five years in a new program to spur innovative research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and fatal neurological disease that weakens and eventually paralyzes voluntary muscles.

JUN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Berkeley

Living Near Oil and Gas Wells Tied to Low Birth Weights in Infants

Living near active oil and gas wells may put pregnant people at higher risk of having low birth weight babies, especially in rural areas, finds a new study of birth outcomes in California.

JUN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Texas A&M

Texas A&M Research: Clay Layers Exacerbate Arsenic Problems In Bangladesh

Study provides evidence that proximity to a clay layer that expels organic carbon in response to groundwater pumping drives rising arsenic concentrations in aquifers.

MAY 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Baylor College of Medicine

Early Environmental Exposure Impacts Liver Epigenome

You have often heard "You are what you eat," but according to research from Baylor College of Medicine, the new phrase could be "You are what you are exposed to."

APR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Yale School of Public Health

Commonly Used Chemicals Associated With Miscarriage, Yale School of Public Health Study Finds

Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health have found that maternal exposure to synthetic chemicals widely used in food packaging and commonly found in drinking water supplies is associated with a woman’s risk for miscarriage in the second trimester.

APR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Kentucky

UK Researchers Seek to Develop Antiviral Membrane Mask

University of Kentucky researcher Dibakar Bhattacharyya has the concept and the means to develop a medical face mask that would capture and deactivate the COVID-19 virus on contact.

APR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

New Sensors Could Offer Early Detection of Lung Tumors

Study shows that a simple urine test can reveal the presence of lung cancer in mice.

APR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

MedPage Today

Preeclampsia Linked to Neurologic Disease in Full-Term Babies

Risks still small, but can point the way to preventive measures, researchers said.

MAR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Using “organs-on-a-chip” to Model Complicated Diseases

A new approach reveals how different tissues contribute to inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

MAR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Keck Schools of Medicine of USC

Health Benefits for Kids Outweigh Risks of Eating Fish During Pregnancy

To eat or not to eat fish is a question that has long concerned pregnant women. Now, a new USC study shows that children whose mothers ate fish from one to three times a week during pregnancy were more likely to have a better metabolic profile as they grow — despite the risk of exposure to mercury — than children whose mothers ate fish rarely (less than once a week).

MAR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M Researchers Develop New Tool to Help Communities Access Environmental Risk Data

Researchers at Texas A&M have developed a tool called HGBEnviroScreen that makes data reporting environmental and social risks more accessible to community members and community-based organizations (CBOs).

MAR 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Berkeley Lab

The Complex Biology Behind Your Love (or Hatred) of Coffee

A Berkeley Lab scientist used statistics to tease out how genetics and environment interact to shape coffee consumption.

FEB 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC Berkeley

Women Firefighters Face High Exposure to Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’

San Francisco’s women firefighters are exposed to higher levels of certain toxic PFAS chemicals than women working in downtown San Francisco offices, shows a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, San Francisco, and Silent Spring Institute.

FEB 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Missouri

Think All BPA-free Products Are Safe? Not so Fast, Scientists Warn

MU scientists find BPA alternative, bisphenol S, could negatively affect both a mother’s placenta and potentially a developing baby’s brain.

FEB 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC San Diego Health

Cancer-causing Culprits Could Be Caught by Their DNA Fingerprints

Causes of cancer are being catalogued through an international study revealing the genetic fingerprints of DNA-damaging processes that drive cancer development.

JAN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Kentucky

A High-fiber Diet May Counteract the Harmful Health Effects of Pollutants

Research from the University of Kentucky’s Superfund Research Center (UK-SRC) shows that a diet high in fiber could possibly reverse the adverse effects that environmental toxins have on cardiovascular health.

JAN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Johns Hopkins University

Common Water Disinfecting Method May Result in Toxic Byproducts, Study Finds

Chlorine, the most common chemical used to disinfect drinking water in the United States, creates previously unidentified toxic byproducts in the very water its meant to disinfect, according to a new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of California, Berkeley, as well as in Switzerland.

JAN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Wayne State University

Study Provides First Look at Sperm Microbiome Using RNA Sequencing Sensitive Enough to Detect Bacteria

A new collaborative study published by a research team from the Wayne State University School of Medicine, the CReATe Fertility Centre and the University of Massachusetts Amherst provides the first in-depth look at the microbiome of human sperm utilizing RNA sequencing with sufficient sensitivity to identify contamination and pathogenic bacterial colonization.

JAN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Florida Health

UF Health Researchers on Team Studying Possible Viral Link With Type 1 Diabetes

A prolonged infection by a common virus might sometimes trigger the immune system attack on the pancreas that ultimately leads to Type 1 diabetes.

JAN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Silent Spring Institute

Participants in Environmental Health Studies Vulnerable to Re-identification

Before sharing human research data, scientists routinely strip it of personal information such as name, address, and birthdate in order to protect the privacy of their study participants.

JAN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Plasticizers May Contribute to Motor Control Problems in Girls

Scientists at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) have uncovered a link between prenatal exposure to phthalates—a ubiquitous group of plasticizers and odor-enhancing chemicals—and deficits in motor function in girls.

JAN 2020

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, Riverside

Vaping Lung Injury Symptoms Have Been Reported Online for at Least Seven Years

A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside, used automated computer methods to mine a large online discussion forum for electronic cigarette users and found this group reported numerous adverse health effects for at least seven years.

DEC 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT News

Screen Could Offer Better Safety Tests for New Chemicals

Using specialized liver cells, a new test can quickly detect potentially cancer-causing DNA damage.

DEC 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Duke University Pratt School of Engineering

Deforestation, Erosion Exacerbate Mercury Spikes Near Peruvian Gold Mining

Scientists from Duke University have developed a model that can predict the amount of mercury being released into a local ecosystem by deforestation and small-scale gold mining.

DEC 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Boston University School of Public Health

Potentially Harmful Air Contamination from New Bedford Harbor

A new School of Public Health study indicates that the contaminated water of New Bedford Harbor may pose an airborne health hazard for residents living nearby in Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and New Bedford.

NOV 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Southern California

USC Study Connects Air Pollution, Memory Problems and Alzheimer’s-like Brain Changes

Women in their 70s and 80s who were exposed to fine particle pollution had declines in memory and physical brain changes that were not seen in women who breathed cleaner air.

illustration of people wearing masks and smog

NOV 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Apple

Apple Launches Three Innovative Studies Today in the New Research App

The Apple Heart and Movement, Women’s Health and Hearing Studies Now Open for Enrollment.

NOV 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

North Carolina State University

Flame-retardant Exposure Increases Anxiety, Affects Social Behaviors in Prairie Vole

New research led by North Carolina State University has shown that early life exposure to a commonly used flame-retardant mixture increases anxiety and affects socioemotional behaviors in prairie voles, particularly in females.

OCT 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Common Chemical Linked to Rare Birth Defect in Mice

A chemical commonly used in consumer and agricultural products to boost the effectiveness of insecticides has been linked to a rare birth defect in mice.

OCT 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Southern California

New Study Examines How Diet Contributes to Toxic Exposure for Pregnant Women and Children

New research from USC scientists indicates that certain vulnerable groups should not exceed dietary recommendations for foods that frequently contain environmental contaminants.

OCT 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Michigan

Hygiene Products Associated With Presence of Chemicals in Women’s Blood

Women who use a vaginal douche could be at a higher risk of exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals, according to a University of Michigan study that looked at the correlation between the use of female hygiene products and the levels of volatile organic compounds in women’s blood.

scientist looking at liquid in test tube

OCT 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Study Reveals How Mucus Tames Microbes

More than 200 square meters of our bodies — including the digestive tract, lungs, and urinary tract — are lined with mucus. In recent years, scientists have found some evidence that mucus is not just a physical barrier that traps bacteria and viruses, but it can also disarm pathogens and prevent them from causing infections.

scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of mucins

OCT 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Silent Spring Institute

People Who Eat More Meals at Home Have Lower Levels of Harmful PFAS Chemicals in Their Bodies

Eating out and consuming microwave popcorn linked with higher exposures to PFAS.

OCT 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia

Ex-Smokers, Light Smokers Not Exempt from Lung Damage

People who smoke fewer than five cigarettes a day cause long-term damage to their lungs, according to a new study led by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

OCT 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

National Institutes of Health

NIH-funded Study Suggests High Lead Levels During Pregnancy Linked to Child Obesity

Children born to women who have high blood levels of lead are more likely be overweight or obese, compared to those whose mothers have low levels of lead in their blood, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and Health Resources and Services Administration.

SEP 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Aspirin May Prevent Air Pollution Harms

A new study is the first to report evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin may lessen the adverse effects of air pollution exposure on lung function.

SEP 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Michigan

Study Links Common Chemicals to Preterm Births in Puerto Rico

Scientists seeking answers to what is behind high rates of preterm birth in Puerto Rico have found an association between exposure to chemicals commonly found in many consumer products and a shorter duration of pregnancy and increased risk of preterm birth.

SEP 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Duke Health

Flavoring Ingredient Exceeds Safety Levels in E-Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco

A potential carcinogen that has been banned as a food additive is present in concerningly high levels in electronic cigarette liquids and smokeless tobacco products, according to a new study from Duke Health.

SEP 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Baylor College of Medicine

E-cigarettes Disrupt Lung Function, Raise Risk of Infection

A study led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine raises health concerns about the use of electronic cigarettes.

AUG 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard Medical School

Microbial Fingerprinting

How many stars are there in the observable universe? It was once deemed an impossible question, but astronomers have gleaned an answer—about one billion trillion of them. Now, scientists at Harvard Medical School and Joslin Diabetes Center have embarked on what could be a similarly daunting quest: How many genes are there in the human microbiome?

AUG 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Mount Sinai

Fluoride May Diminish Kidney and Liver Function in Adolescents, Study Suggests

Fluoride exposure may lead to a reduction in kidney and liver function among adolescents, according to a study published by Mount Sinai researchers in Environment International in August.

JUL 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Baylor College of Medicine

Folic Acid Reduces Risk of Defects Linked to Dolutegravir

Dolutegravir is a preferred medication for treating HIV infection, but it recently has been linked to a 6- to 9-fold increase in the risk for neural tube defects among babies born to mothers receiving the drug during early gestation.

JUL 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

National Science Foundation

PFAS Chemicals Move From Mom to Fetus at Higher Rate in Women With Gestational Diabetes

Environmental epidemiologists studying the presence of polyfluoroalkyl substance, PFAS, compounds in new mothers and their babies found that women with gestational diabetes had a significantly higher rate of transferring the synthetic chemicals to their fetuses.

JUL 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Molecular Sensor Scouts DNA Damage and Supervises Repair

According to a study published today in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, a protein called UV-DDB—which stands for ultraviolet-damaged DNA-binding—is useful beyond safeguarding against the sun. This new evidence points to UV-DDB being a scout for general DNA damage and an overseer of the molecular repair crew that fixes it.

JUL 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Emory

Targeting Old Bottleneck Reveals New Anticancer Drug Strategy

The enzyme ribonucleotide reductase is a bottleneck for cancer cell growth. Scientists at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University have identified a way of targeting ribonucleotide reductase that may avoid the toxicity of previous approaches, informing focused drug discovery efforts.

JUL 2019

National Institutes of Health

NIH

Extinct Human Species Likely Breast Fed for up to a Year After Birth

Infants of the extinct human species Australopithecus africanus likely breast fed for up to a year after birth, similar to modern humans but of shorter duration than modern day great apes, according to an analysis of fossil teeth funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.

JUL 2019

National Institutes of Health

NIH

Statement on the Retirement of Dr. Linda Birnbaum

It is with sincere gratitude for her dedicated service that I announce the upcoming retirement of Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., as Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

JUL 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC San Diego Health

Pesticide Exposure Linked to Teen Depression in Agricultural Communities

Adolescents exposed to elevated levels of pesticides are at an increased risk of depression, according to a new study led by Jose R. Suarez-Lopez, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at University of California San Diego School of Medicine.

JUL 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, Riverside

Study Finds Electronic Cigarettes Damage Brain Stem Cells

A research team at the University of California, Riverside, has found that electronic cigarettes, often targeted to youth and pregnant women, produce a stress response in neural stem cells, which are critical cells in the brain.

JUN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Mount Sinai

Sinai Researchers Find Link Between Exposure to World Trade Center Dust and Prostate Cancer

World Trade Center (WTC) responders with prostate cancer showed signs that exposure to dust from the World Trade Center site had activated chronic inflammation in their prostates, which may have contributed to their cancer, according to a study by Mount Sinai researchers in <em>Molecular Cancer Research</em> in June.

JUN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Beth Israel Lahey Health

An Ounce of Prevention: Preoperative Management of Inflammation May Stave Off Cancer Recurrences

A growing body of evidence suggests that traditional cancer treatments can paradoxically promote new tumor growth. Now, a team of scientists led by Dipak Panigrahy, MD, and Allison Gartung, PhD, of the Cancer Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), has demonstrated that administration of anti-inflammatory treatments that prevent inflammation as well as proresolution treatments that tamp down the body’s inflammatory response to surgery or chemotherapy can promote long-term survival in experimental animal cancer models.

JUN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Drug Makes Tumors More Susceptible to Chemo

Many chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells by severely damaging their DNA. However, some tumors can withstand this damage by relying on a DNA repair pathway that not only allows them to survive, but also introduces mutations that helps cells become resistant to future treatment.

JUN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Surprising Enzymes Found in Giant Ocean Viruses

A new study led by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Swansea University Medical School furthers our knowledge of viruses—in the sea and on land— and their potential to cause life-threatening illnesses.

MAY 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Clean Air Taxis Cut Pollution in New York City: Study

New York City Clean Air Taxi rules are successful in cutting emissions and reducing air pollution, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Drexel University.

100,000 unregulated ride shares versus 13,500 reduced emissions taxi cabs

MAY 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC San Diego

Hypertension Found in Children Exposed to Flower Pesticides

In Ecuador, roses for Mother’s Day sold around the world is major export crop, but pesticides used to grow and treat those flowers may be affecting health of children living nearby.

MAY 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Southern California

New Research: Improved Air Quality Leads to Fewer Kids Developing Asthma in Nation’s Most-Polluted Region

Improved air quality in the Los Angeles region is linked to roughly 20 percent fewer new asthma cases in children, according to a USC study that tracked Southern California children over a 20-year period.

Lower Air Pollution equals less asthma. USC researchers find less pollution in Southern California is associated with lower rates of new asthma cases in children.

MAY 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC Cincinnati

UC Studies Link Between Air Pollution and Childhood Anxiety

Researchers at UC and Cincinnati Children's investigate links to traffic-related air pollution and symptoms of childhood anxiety, through neuroimaging.

MAY 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC San Diego Health

It’s in the Weeds: Herbicide Linked to Human Liver Disease

Exposure to glyphosate, the primary ingredient in the popular weed killer Roundup, correlates to more severe cases of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

MAY 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UPMC

Direct Oxidative Stress Damage Shortens Telomeres

The same sources thought to inflict oxidative stress on cells—pollution, diesel exhaust, smoking and obesity—also are associated with shorter telomeres, the protective tips on the ends of the chromosomal shoelace.

MAY 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Baylor

Hybridization Leads to Pollution Tolerance in Fish From Heavily Polluted Houston Ship Channel

Rapid environmental changes require species to adapt very quickly, and hybridization can provide a path to evolutionary rescue, Baylor University researcher says.

person throwing a fishing net into a lake

APR 2019

National Institutes of Health

NIH

Daily Folic Acid Supplement May Reduce Risk of Gestational Diabetes

Taking a folic acid supplement daily before pregnancy may reduce the risk of gestational, or pregnancy-related, diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The findings appear in Diabetes Care.

person holding a pill and a glass of water

APR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

The University of Arizona

UA to Study Link Between Prenatal Exposure to Pesticides and Childhood ADHD

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6.1 million children have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as of 2016. Symptoms of ADHD include trouble concentrating, paying attention, staying organized and remembering details.

The University of Arizona Health Sciences

APR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai Researchers Find Significant Delays in West Nile Virus Reporting

Mount Sinai researchers found significant delays in reporting human cases of West Nile virus, hampering real-time forecasting of the potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease, according to a study in the JAMA Network Open.

APR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Cincinnati Children's

Shutting Down Deadly Pediatric Brain Cancer at Its Earliest Moments

Cell-by-cell genetic analyses of developing brain tissues in neonatal mice and laboratory models of brain cancer allowed scientists to discover a molecular driver of the highly aggressive, deadly, and treatment-resistant brain cancer, glioblastoma.

APR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins Researchers Create Novel Cell Model of Aging-Related Colon Cancer Risk

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers say a new study of clusters of mouse cells known as “organoids” has significantly strengthened evidence that epigenetic changes, common to aging, play a essential role in colon cancer initiation.

APR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

BU School of Medicine

New Method for Evaluating Cancer Risk of Chemicals is Quick, Precise, Inexpensive

Researchers from Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health have developed and evaluated a fast, accurate and cost-effective approach to assessing the carcinogenicity of chemicals—that is, whether exposure to a chemical increases a person’s long-term cancer risk.

APR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Van Andel Institute

Blocking Epigenetic “Swiss Army Knife” May Be a New Strategy for Treating Colorectal Cancer

A new study out today in Cancer Cell shows that blocking specific regions of a protein called UHRF1 switches on hundreds of cancer-fighting genes, impairing colorectal cancer cells’ ability to grow and spread throughout the body.

APR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UNC Health Care

Discovery Shows How Mucus Build-up, Not Infections, Triggers Cystic Fibrosis Lung Damage

Giving mucus-thinning therapies in early childhood might delay the worst symptoms and infections associated with CF, according to a study led by Charles Esther, MD, PhD, and Marianne Muhlebach, MD. Their paper is the cover story of Science Translational Medicine.

MAR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Johns Hopkins

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Tied to Fewer Childhood Asthma Symptoms

A six-month study of children from Baltimore City by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers has added to evidence that having more omega-3 fatty acids in the diet results in fewer asthma symptoms triggered by indoor air pollution. The same study suggests that higher amounts of dietary omega-6 fatty acids may have the opposite effect, and be associated with more severe asthma.

MAR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

LSU Health

LSU Health Study Reports Continued PTSD in Women Exposed To Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

A study led by LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health reports that women exposed to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (BP) Oil Spill continue to experience symptoms of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

MAR 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Iowa State University

Researchers Explore Link Between Metal Exposure and Parkinson’s Symptoms

A new study from Iowa State University biomedical researchers illuminates the biological processes by which exposure to some metals can contribute to the onset of Parkinson’s-like symptoms.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Blood Test Developed to Predict Spontaneous Preterm Birth

Study finds proteins found in blood samples at the end of the first trimester may predict preterm births before 35 weeks gestation, including among first-time mothers.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Salk Institute

Salk Scientists Uncover How High-fat Diet Drives Colorectal Cancer Growth

A new study led by Salk Institute scientists suggests that high-fat diets fuel colorectal cancer growth by upsetting the balance of bile acids in the intestine and triggering a hormonal signal that lets potentially cancerous cells thrive.

Colon cancer growth, as measured by the number of dividing cells

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Prenatal Exposure to Plasticizers Linked to Motor Skill Deficiencies at Age 11

Scientists at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health report motor skills problems in children exposed during pregnancy to plasticizer chemicals known as phthalates that are widely used in personal care products like moisturizers and lipstick, as well as plastic containers and children’s toys.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard University

Uncovering a "Smoking Gun" of Biological Aging

A newly discovered ribosomal DNA (rDNA) clock can be used to accurately determine an individual’s chronological and biological age, according to research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Public Health Institute

DDT Exposure Tied to Breast Cancer Risk for All Women Through Age 54

All women exposed to high levels of DDT are at increased risk for breast cancer through age 54.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Washington

UW Study: Exposure to Chemical in Roundup Increases Risk for Cancer

Exposure to glyphosate increases the risk of some cancers by more than 40 percent, according to new research from the University of Washington.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Large Study Fails to Link Phthalates and Increased Breast Cancer Risk

In the largest study to date on phthalates and postmenopausal breast cancer, a University of Massachusetts Amherst cancer epidemiology researcher found no association between breast cancer risk and exposure to the plasticizing and solvent chemicals used in such common products as shampoo, makeup, vinyl flooring, toys, medical devices and car interiors.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

MIT

A Better Way to Measure Cell Survival

New test rapidly evaluates the effect of drugs and potentially toxic compounds on cells.

FEB 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Emory University

Research Links Fire Retardant Exposure to Hormone-Related DNA Modifications

Emory University researchers have learned that exposure to Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB), an endocrine-disrupting fire-retardant, is associated with epigenetic marks, which affects the way genes are expressed.

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Tufts University

Hurricane Katrina’s Aftermath Included Spike in Heart Disease Hospitalizations

Increase in hospitalization rates lasted more than a month; higher among older black population compared to older white population

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

John Hopkins Medicine

Calorie Restriction Prevents Asthma Symptoms Linked to Inflammation in Mice

Experimenting with mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that a low-calorie diet prevented asthma symptoms regardless of the diet's fat and sugar content.

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

North Carolina State University

‘Bug Bombs’ Are Ineffective Killing Roaches Indoors

Total release foggers, commonly known as “bug bombs,” are ineffective at removing cockroaches from indoor environments, according to a new study from North Carolina State University.

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Southern California

Does Air Pollution Make Teens Eat Fattening Foods?

A new USC study suggests that exposure to traffic pollution during childhood makes adolescents 34 percent more likely to eat foods high in unhealthy trans fats — regardless of household income, parent education level or proximity to fast-food restaurants.

JAN 2019

National Institutes of Health

NIH

New Fellowship Program Will Support the Next Generation of African Scientific Leaders

Ten African scientists have been selected for training at the National Institutes of Health as part of a new fellowship program to build research capacity in African countries and develop ongoing scientific partnerships.

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Michigan State University

High Pesticide Exposure Among Farmers Linked to Poor Sense of Smell Later

A Michigan State University study is the first to show an association between unusually high pesticide exposure and poor sense of smell among aging farmers.

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard Medical School

ZIP Code or Genetic Code?

In the largest study of U.S. twins, researchers use insurance records to tease out effects of genes, environment in hundreds of diseases.

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Silent Spring Institute

States Take the Lead in Creating More Health Protective Drinking Water Guidelines

A new analysis shows variation in the way state and federal regulators manage PFAS contaminants in drinking water, with some states adopting guideline levels that are more health protective than the non-enforceable levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

JAN 2019

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Computer Model Finds a Better Way to Control MRSA Outbreaks

A research team led by scientists at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health report on a new method to help health officials control outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a life-threatening antibiotic-resistant infection often seen in hospitals.

DEC 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Duke Nicholas School of the Environment

Fish Bones Yield New Tool for Tracking Coal Ash Contamination

A Duke University study shows that trace elements in a fish’s ear bones can be used to identify and track coal ash contamination in the waters where it lived.

DEC 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Washington

Researchers Develop a New Houseplant That Can Clean Your Home’s Air

Now researchers at the University of Washington have genetically modified a common houseplant — pothos ivy — to remove chloroform and benzene from the air around it.

DEC 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Brigham Researchers Develop Smartphone-Based Ovulation Test

Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital are developing an automated, low-cost tool to predict a woman’s ovulation and aid in family planning.

DEC 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Louisville

Neighborhoods With More Greenspace May Mean Less Heart Disease

People who live in leafy, green neighborhoods may have a lower risk of developing heart disease and strokes, according to new research published online today (Dec. 5, 2018) in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

DEC 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UC Berkeley

Prenatal Exposure to Chemicals in Personal Care Products May Speed Puberty in Girls

Girls exposed to chemicals commonly found in toothpaste, makeup, soap and other personal care products before birth may hit puberty earlier, according to a new longitudinal study led by researchers at UC Berkeley.

NOV 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Oregon State University

Discovery of a New Gene Could Shed Light on Chemical Exposure Effects in Humans

The discovery of a new gene in zebrafish could lead to a better understanding of how exposure to chemicals leads to disease in humans, according to a new Oregon State University study.

NOV 2018

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIMHD Selects Recipients for the William G. Coleman Jr., Ph.D., Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Innovation Award

NIMHD selects recipients for the William G. Coleman Jr., Ph.D., Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Innovation Award.

OCT 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

York University Media Relations

Study: Fluoride Levels in Pregnant Women in Canada Show Drinking Water Is Primary Source of Exposure to Fluoride

A new study led by York University researchers has found that fluoride levels in urine are twice as high for pregnant women living in Canadian cities where fluoride is added to public drinking water as for those living in cities that do not add fluoride to public water supplies.

OCT 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

UIC Today

Crosstalk Between Fallopian Tube, Ovary May Drive the Spread of Ovarian Cancer

New research from the University of Illinois at Chicago shows that cancer cells in the fallopian tube affect normal chemical signaling between reproductive tissues and stimulate the release of norepinephrine, a small molecule hormone, from the ovary.

OCT 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

USC News

Asthma May Contribute to Childhood Obesity Epidemic

Toddlers with asthma are more likely to become obese children, according to an international study led by USC scientists.

OCT 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Cornell Chronicle

Marker May Help Target Treatments for Crohn’s Patients

Experts have long suspected that Crohn's disease likely represents a collection of related but slightly different disorders, but until now it has not been possible to predict accurately which subtype of CD a patient is likely to develop.

SEP 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Domoic Acid Decoded: Scientists Discover Genetic Basis for How Harmful Algal Blooms Become Toxic

Research into gene function in microalgae helps determine how toxins are made in oceanic harmful algal blooms

SEP 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Southern California

New Research Reveals a Mitochondrial Gene That Protects Against Dementia and Other Diseases of Aging

New research from USC has uncovered a previously unknown genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The study provides insights on how these conditions, and other diseases of aging, might one day be treated and prevented.

AUG 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Brown University

Child Lead Exposure Study Finds Substantial Reductions Possible

Intervention by researchers reduced household lead below levels previously deemed achievable and reduced blood lead concentrations in more highly exposed children, though the decrease did not result in significant neurobehavioral improvements in children.

AUG 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

First Biomarker Evidence of DDT-Autism Link

A study of more than 1 million pregnancies in Finland report that elevated levels of a metabolite of the banned insecticide DDT in the blood of pregnant women are linked to increased risk for autism in the offspring.

JUL 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California San Francisco

Scientists Develop New Method to Screen for Chemical Exposures

Each year, tens of thousands of chemicals are manufactured in or imported into the United States – more than 30,000 pounds of industrial chemicals for every American – yet experts know very little about which chemicals may enter people’s bodies, or how these substances affect human health.

JUN 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of North Carolina Health Care

Getting to the Heart of Congenital Cardiac Defects

Heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, and can be caused by mutations in the gene CHD4. Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have now revealed key molecular details of how CHD4 mutations lead to heart defects.

MAY 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Mount Sinai

Zinc and Copper Metabolic Cycles in Baby Teeth Linked to Autism

Using evidence found in baby teeth, researchers from the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report that cycles involved in zinc and copper metabolism are dysregulated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and can be used to predict who will later develop the disease.

MAR 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NCATS

Tox21 Collaborators Release New Strategic Plan for Chemical Testing

Ten years ago, a group of federal partners formed a unique collaboration — Toxicology in the 21st Century (Tox21) — to develop faster, more efficient approaches to predict how exposure to chemicals may affect human health.

NCATS’ state-of-the-art robotic screening system

MAR 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

CHOP

Babies Fed Soy-based Formula Have Changes in Reproductive System Tissues

Babies who consumed soy-based formula as newborns had differences in some reproductive system cells and tissues.

FEB 2018

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

NCSU

Bed Bug Histamines Are Substantial, Persistent in Infested Homes

A study from North Carolina State University shows that histamine levels are substantially higher in homes infested by bed bugs than in pest-free homes, and that these histamine levels persist for months – even if the bed bugs have been eliminated from the home.

DEC 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Pennsylvania

Weekly Fish Consumption Linked to Better Sleep, Higher IQ, Penn Study Finds

Children who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have IQ scores that are 4 points higher, on average, than those who consume fish less frequently or not at all, according to new findings from the University of Pennsylvania published today in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal.

OCT 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Arsenic Exposure in U.S. Public Drinking Water Declines Following New EPA Regulations

New research conducted at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health finds exposure to arsenic in drinking water was significantly reduced among Americans using public water systems following a 2006 Environmental Protection Agency regulation on maximum levels of arsenic.

SEP 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Washington University School of Medicine

Medical History Can Point to Earlier Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis

Before symptoms become pronounced, there is no reliable way to identify who is on track to develop Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating movement disorder characterized by tremors, slowness of movement, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

SEP 2017

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Awards $15 Million to Support Development of 3-D Human Tissue Models

National Institutes of Health announced 13 two-year awards totaling about $15 million per year, with FY18 funds subject to availability, to develop 3-D microphysiological system platforms that model human disease.

SEP 2017

National Institutes of Health

NIH

NIH Awards Nearly $100 Million for Autism Centers of Excellence Program

The National Institutes of Health has awarded nine research grants totaling nearly $100 million over the next five years for the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE), a program that supports large research projects aimed at understanding and developing interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

paper cutout of a person's head and puzzle piece

AUG 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Common Flame Retardant Chemicals May Reduce Likelihood of Clinical Pregnancy, Live Birth Among Women Undergoing Fertility Treatments

Women with higher urinary concentrations of a common type of flame retardant had reduced likelihood of clinical pregnancy and live birth than those with lower concentrations, according to researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

AUG 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, Berkeley

Heavily Used Pesticide Linked to Breathing Problems in Farmworkers’ Children

Elemental sulfur, the most heavily used pesticide in California, may harm the respiratory health of children living near farms that use the pesticide, according to new research led by UC Berkeley.

JUL 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Antibiotic Nanoparticles Fight Drug-resistant Bacteria

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem, especially among a type of bacteria that are classified as “Gram-negative.” These bacteria have two cell membranes, making it more difficult for drugs to penetrate and kill the cells.

antimicrobial peptide is packaged in a silicon nanoparticle to target bacteria in the lung

JUL 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Harvard University

Nationwide Study of U.S. Seniors Strengthens Link Between Air Pollution and Premature Death

A new study of 60 million Americans—about 97% of people age 65 and older in the United States—shows that long-term exposure to airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone increases the risk of premature death, even when that exposure is at levels below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) currently established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

JUN 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of Connecticut

E-cigarettes ‘Potentially as Harmful as Tobacco Cigarettes’

A study by chemists at the University of Connecticut offers new evidence that electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are potentially as harmful as tobacco cigarettes.

MAY 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

University of California, San Diego

Study Finds Bacteria Living in Marine Sponge Produce Toxic Flame Retardant-Like Compounds

A Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego-led research team discovered for the first time that a common marine sponge hosts bacteria that specialize in the production of toxic compounds nearly identical to man-made fire retardants.

MAR 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Northwestern University

Female Menstrual Cycle in a Dish

Northwestern Medicine has developed a miniature female reproductive tract that fits in the palm of your hand and could eventually change the future of research and treatment of diseases in women’s reproductive organs.

MAR 2017

Research Funded by NIEHS Grants

Columbia University

Taking B Vitamins May Reduce Epigenetic Effects of Air Pollution

A new study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health showed that B vitamins may play a critical role in reducing the impact of air pollution on the epigenome, further demonstrating the epigenetic effects of air pollution on health.

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