Environmental Factor - August 2018

Environmental Factor - August 2018

August 2018 Check out the August Environmental Factor for stories about environmental health in the San Joaquin Valley; discovery of a mechanism behind a rare ataxia disease; the 2-week workshop for high school science teachers… and more! As always, we hope there is something for everyone. We welcome ideas for stories, as well as other feedback. Kelly Lenox, Editor in Chief 984-287-3281

NIEHS road trip opens eyes to San Joaquin health challenges In California’s San Joaquin Valley, Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., and others saw how local organizations are responding to the region’s environmental health challenges.

Mechanism behind rare ataxia disease found by NIEHS scientists NIEHS researchers reported how inactivation of a protein causes the rare disorder known as ataxia with oculomotor apraxia 1.

Educators dive into environmental health science Ten North Carolina teachers spent two weeks in July immersed in the world of cutting-edge biomedical research at NIEHS.

Summit highlights tribal environmental health The third Tribal Environmental Health Summit drew more than 130 people to discuss issues of environmental health among Native Americans. Beyond the clinic — describing success in environmental health A new paper from NIEHS offers a tool to help scientists describe how environmental health research translates into public health improvements. National Academies develops environmental health initiative At a National Academies public meeting, a diverse group of experts discussed the scope of the Environmental Health Matters Initiative. Environmental chemistry goes high-tech Lee Ferguson develops sophisticated environmental chemistry methods to discover chemicals in drinking water and inside homes. NIEHS fellows shine in 2019 FARE competition Twenty fellows from NIEHS won NIH Fellows’ Award for Research Excellence, placing NIEHS third among all NIH institutes and centers. Williams brings depth of experience to new management role Mitch Williams takes on his biggest challenge yet, as the new NIEHS deputy associate director for management and deputy executive officer.

With tenure, Yao will continue groundbreaking research Humphrey Yao, Ph.D., head of the NIEHS Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, was awarded tenure by the National Institutes of Health. Pathway to Independence awards jumpstart academic careers NIEHS postdocs Joonas Jamsen, Ph.D., and Fei Zhao, Ph.D., received Pathway to Independence awards, which support transition to academia. Chronic kidney disease in agricultural workers tackled at workshop Chronic kidney disease of unknown origin was the focus of National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and NIEHS workshop. NIH Director’s Awards honor dozens at NIEHS Forty-four individuals at NIEHS will receive 2018 National Institutes of Health Director’s Awards for their exceptional efforts. Two-time NIEHS trainee lands position in biopharma Douglas Ganini da Silva, Ph.D., transitioned June 4 from his work as a postdoctoral research fellow at NIEHS to nearby KBI Biopharma.

Extramural papers of the month  •    Exposure to DES linked to ADHD in grandchildren •    How carcinogens turn liver cells into cancer cells •    Computational tool predicts chemical toxicity •    Genetic variation in mothers linked to mercury levels and children’s neurodevelopment

Intramural papers of the month  •    Novel platform for sequencing rat genome coding regions •    Methylated regions associated with smoking and atherosclerosis •    Early-life exposures to genistein can alter fertility in female mice •    DNA polymerase beta substrate binding and catalysis •    BMI linked to breast cancer risk in premenopausal women