Environmental Factor - July 2018

Environmental Factor - July 2018

Great news this month! The Environmental Factor won a First Place award from the National Association of Government Communicators. Read more about that award in this month’s issue. We also highlight a report on the millions of dollars saved by Superfund Research Program innovations; a new study that links obesity with lower incidence of premenopausal breast cancer; and the 2018 Rodbell Lecture, delivered by Stanford’s Howard Chang. As always, we hope there is something for everyone. We welcome ideas for stories, as well as other feedback.

Millions of dollars saved by NIEHS-funded technologies Technologies developed with Superfund Research Program funding saved millions of dollars in costs for cleaning up contaminated sites.

Howard Chang gives 2018 Martin Rodbell Lecture Howard Chang, renown for seminal discoveries about long noncoding RNAs, delivered the 2018 Rodbell Lecture June 12 at NIEHS.

Obesity may lower breast cancer risk in young women A new study finds young women with high body fat have a lower chance of developing breast cancer before menopause.

NTP framework for innovation rolled out at board meeting NTP Associate Director Brian Berridge introduced the Translational Toxicology Pipeline Plan to the Board of Scientific Counselors. Council greenlights new grants for global environmental health  The National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council supported an NIEHS global environmental health initiative at its June meeting. Extreme type of early puberty remains rare in boys The incidence of an extreme form of early-onset puberty is not increasing in boys, say NIEHS scientists and collaborators. Symposium honors scientific career of Ron Mason Scientists from across the world gathered May 25 to honor NIEHS scientist Ronald Mason, Ph.D., and his impact on free radical research. Environmental Factor wins first place in national competition The National Association of Government Communicators awarded the Environmental Factor first place among e-newsletters for 2018. Satellite data improves exposure estimates Allan Just discussed use of NASA satellite data to improve estimates of exposure to air pollution and extreme temperatures. Plan to reduce animal testing showcased at public forum Public forum participants praised a new plan to replace animal use for U.S. safety testing and encouraged agencies to continue progress. Summer food drive launched June 1 NIEHS launched the Feds Feed Families food drive June 1, and by June 27, had collected 1,350 pounds of food and other necessities. NIEHS and NIA joint fellowships to tackle complex research questions NIEHS and the National Institute of Aging announced for three collaborative research projects, each with a postdoctoral fellowship.

Global Environmental Health Day spotlights research NIEHS Global Environmental Health Day highlighted research around the world and translation of findings into public health impacts. Wilcox receives career award from epidemiologic society NIEHS scientist Allen Wilcox received the 2018 Kenneth Rothman Career Accomplishment Award from the Society for Epidemiologic Research. Lab boot camp gives scholar-scientists a strong start Ten students launched their yearlong NIEHS Scholars Connect Program with an intensive training session in laboratory techniques. Web resources could assist chemical risk management Two new papers describe publicly accessible web-based tools for exploring environmental chemicals and predicting their risk. Symposium celebrates researchers who are women of color  NIEHS hosts first annual symposium of the North Carolina Women of Color Research Network. Eight Superfund trainees win K.C. Donnelly Externships Eight trainees from NIEHS Superfund Research Program centers won funding for short-term research beyond their own institution. DeMayo elected to leadership of Society for the Study of Reproduction NIEHS Reproductive and Developmental Biology Lab Chief Francesco DeMayo, Ph.D., is the scientific society’s new vice president-elect. House of Hope — Gilman on the NIH Clinical Center Maj. Gen. James Gilman, M.D., CEO of the NIH Clinical Center, visited NIEHS and discussed the hospital he called the House of Hope.

Extramural papers of the month  •    Analysis method for mixture exposures may amplify bias •    Closing coal, oil plants linked to fewer preterm births •    Enzyme plays key role in Parkinson’s disease •    Pollutants and genes combine to worsen rheumatoid arthritis

Intramural papers of the month  •    NTP chemists show body treats BPS similar to other bisphenols •    Recently discovered protein modification regulates glucose metabolism •    DNA strands are copied differently during replication •    NIEHS researchers develop new method to study brain diseases •    Effects of synthetic estrogen on male mice exposed neonatally