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October 6, 2023 (Issue 237) |
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SRP Tools for PFAS Site Characterization Webinar Series
SRP is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on research efforts to develop tools for sampling, monitoring, detecting, and characterizing PFAS contamination. More information, including presentation descriptions and links to register, is on the SRP website.
Common Fund ComPASS Hubs
The NIH Common Fund is accepting applications for the Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS) Health Equity Research Hubs (Hubs). The Hubs will serve as a centralized research resource, providing tailored scientific, technical, and collaborative support for sustainable community engagement, research capacity building, and training to support ComPASS community-led health equity structural intervention projects in collaboration with the ComPASS Coordination Center. The application due date is October 31, 2023.
Build UP Trust Challenge
The Build UP Trust challenge will award up to $1.25 million in total for solutions that increase research participation and the adoption of existing and new tools and approaches to detect, treat, and monitor diseases, conditions, and disorders by improving engagement with minority populations and populations with health disparities. Register for the challenge by November 14, 2023.
Awards Deadline for Society of Toxicology (SOT)
Submissions for the SOT Exposure Specialty Section Best Overall Abstract and Best Publication are due January 15, 2024. See the SOT website for more information.
Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge
The Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge aims to engage local problem solvers as they work to support community-led solutions that advance environmental justice and health equity. This effort is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ broader work to support disadvantaged communities and Tribes facing the brunt of environmental injustices, including health harms due to climate change. The challenge has two phases and the deadline for the first phase is January 30, 2024.
Please Welcome Michelle Heacock Selected as the Permanent Director of SRP
We’re excited to announce Michelle Heacock as the permanent director of the Superfund Research Program! She has supported SRP since 2012 and brings expertise in genome integrity and carcinogenesis, data science, translational research, and more.
Remembering Arny Stromberg
Arnold “Arny” Stromberg, an integral member of University of Kentucky SRP Center, passed away September 17. Stromberg is remembered for his warm and welcoming personality and his commitment to learning and sharing knowledge.
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NIEHS SRP News Stories
Take a moment to read about some of our colleagues' latest activities in this month's Environmental Factor, the NIEHS newsletter:
Visit the SRP page for more stories about the program.
Community Based Research for Structural Changes
Mónica Ramírez-Andreotta, Administrative and Training Core investigator at the University of Arizona SRP Center, was featured in a NIEHS podcast. She discusses her work and experiences in community based participatory research.
NCSU Researchers Featured in WRAL
Jamie DeWitt, Jane Hoppin, and Scott Belcher — researchers at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) SRP Center — were interviewed in a WRAL documentary on toxic chemicals dumped into the Cape Fear River. The researchers discussed the health impacts of PFAS and its widespread exposure through tap water.
George Interviewed on Water Disparities
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) SRP Center Community Engagement Coordinator, Andrew George, was interviewed by WRAL News on well water safety disparities in North Carolina. George found that 67% of private wells tested for water quality were highly contaminated with metals such as lead and chromium.
UNM Researchers Talk Smoke Exposure
Johnnye Lewis and Thomas De Pree, of the University of New Mexico (UNM) SRP Center, were quoted in the news on improving alert systems following a fire in a plastic fabrication facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
UNM SRP researcher Matthew Campen provided comments in the news on his research linking wildfire smoke to brain inflammation. According to Campen, some of the symptoms are similar to brain injury and may impact learning, memory, and cognition in the short and long term.
Duke SRP Quoted in Environmental Health News
Heather Stapleton, director of the Duke University SRP Center, was quoted in an Environmental Health News article concerning the flame retardants bromophenols, which are linked to adverse health effects such as reduced fertility and impaired brain development. Stapleton suggested limiting exposure at home by removing or replacing old furniture.
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Unraveling the Impacts of Metal Exposures from Drinking Water
This month we heard from Irene Martinez-Morata, a trainee at the Columbia University Northern Plains (CUNP) SRP Center, who is mentored by Center Director Ana Navas-Acien.
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What is the focus of your research at the Columbia University SRP Center?
My research focuses on identifying and unraveling the impacts of metal exposure on the cardiometabolic health of indigenous communities. I collaborate closely with the Strong Heart Study and the multidisciplinary team at CUNP SRP. With the support of an SRP KC Donnelly Externship award, I am also collaborating with the team at the UNM SRP Center and getting involved in a community-based nutritional intervention to reduce toxicity in indigenous communities exposed to high levels of uranium and other toxic metals.
How did you become interested in this work?
Through my fieldwork experiences, I have had the opportunity to work with different communities severely affected by environmental contaminants across different countries. In these experiences I have understood that several environmental exposures are modifiable and that tackling them requires interdisciplinary science and creativity. Therefore, it was the emphasis on developing practical solutions from a multidisciplinary perspective that motivated me to get involved as a trainee in the CUNP SRP.
Tell us about a recent publication and what it means to you.
In this article, published in Nature Communications and featured in February 2023 as an extramural NIEHS paper of the month, we identified and quantified racial and ethnic disparities and injustices in exposure to drinking water contaminants at the community level. To me, developing this work was an incredible learning experience and a vivid example of how multidisciplinary science and teamwork are needed to address environmental justice concerns and support historically marginalized communities.
What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
Mentorship and collaboration are two factors that have had a pivotal role in nurturing my growth as an SRP trainee. When I made the transition to Columbia University, it meant relocating from my home country, immersing myself in a foreign language, and adapting to a new culture both personally and professionally. Through this process, I'm deeply grateful for the invaluable guidance and support from my mentors and all the collaboration opportunities I have encountered and continue to engage in.
What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
One piece of advice I would give to other SRP trainees is to be creative and don’t be afraid of collaborating with others, both within and outside your field. In my experience, creativity and collaboration have enhanced my research experience and broadened my perspective, and being part of the SRP is an exceptional opportunity to seek out multidisciplinary collaborations and learn from others.
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ITRC Sustainable Resilient Remediation Webinar
The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) is hosting a Sustainable Resilient Remediation webinar to provide resources and tools for regulators, stakeholders, consultants, and responsible parties to help integrate sustainable and resilient practices into remediation projects. The webinar will be held October 10.
Design and Construction Issues at Hazardous Waste Sites
EPA and the Society of American Military Engineers will co-sponsor the Design and Construction Issues at Hazardous Waste Sites (DCHWS West) symposium which will be held October 25-27 in Denver, Colorado. The event's primary goal is to facilitate an interactive engagement between professionals from government and the private sector related to relevant and topical issues.
Fall 2023 Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable Meeting
The topic for the Fall 2023 Meeting of the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR) will be Recent Advances in PFAS Characterization Technologies. The meeting, to be held on November 7 in Reston, Virginia and online, will provide an opportunity for member agencies to share results of recent and on-going PFAS projects that are improving our understanding of PFAS characterization technologies.
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Exposure to Mixtures of Contaminants May Increase the Toxicity of Lead
Exposure to lead mixtures with other chemicals can impair mitochondrial function, according to Duke University SRP Center researchers. Mitochondria, special compartments found in the cells of most organisms, play a large role in energy production and metabolism. While it is known that lead can disrupt mitochondrial function by replacing calcium in cellular processes, there has not been much research on co-exposures with other environmental contaminants.
Lead was historically used in paint, gasoline, and water distribution systems. While the use of lead in paint and gasoline is now banned, and lead service lines are being phased out, people can still be exposed from the paint of older homes, older water distribution lines, and some industrial processes. There is no safe exposure level for lead in children, as it is known to affect neurodevelopment and is associated with behavioral disorders.
To understand the mechanisms of lead toxicity on mitochondria, the scientists exposed human liver cells to lead alone and in mixtures with the compounds carbonyl cyanide-p-tri-fluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) and Ruthenium Red (RuRed) — which are representative of other environmental chemicals that can damage mitochondria. Then, they established dose response curves for lead, lead and FCCP, lead and RuRed, and a combination of the three chemicals together.
Results showed that exposure to a combination of FCCP and RuRed without lead was not toxic to cells. However, nontoxic levels of lead became more toxic when cells were exposed to combinations of lead and FCCP and lead, FCCP, and RuRed. This suggests that FCCP and RuRed, while not toxic on their own, increase lead toxicity.
According to the authors, these findings suggest that studying exposures to mixtures has increasing importance as contaminants continue to interact both in the environment and within the human body.
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Ruyle Awarded Best Oral Presentation
Bridger Ruyle, a trainee at the University of Rhode Island (URI) SRP Center, received the Best Oral Presentation award at FLUOROS 2023, an international symposium on PFAS. Ruyle’s talk was titled Microbially Limited Biotransformation of Precursors Sustains Centurial Persistence of PFAS at AFFF-Contaminated Sites.
Park Wins First Prize in Geosyntec Competition
Jinhee Park, an SRP-funded trainee at Princeton University, won first prize in the 2023 Geosyntec Annual Student Paper Competition with her paper on Optimizing Groundwater Bioremediation: PAA Coated Iron Phases for PFOA Treatment. The contest recognizes graduate students performing research related to the assessment and treatment of chemical contamination in soil and groundwater.
Upham Receives President’s Award
Brad Upham, Research Translation Coordinator at the Michigan State University SRP Center, won the 2023 President’s Award from the Society of In Vitro Biology for his exceptional efforts and work on behalf of the society.
Baker Recognized in Analytical Scientist Power List 2023
Erin Baker, a researcher at the NCSU and TAMU SRP Centers, was recognized as an Innovator and Trailblazer for her novel work in analytical and computational approaches measuring xenobiotics and endogenous molecules.
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Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination on Minority Health and Health Disparities
What: Research projects that address structural racism and discrimination in one or more NIH-designated populations with health disparities in the U.S. Applications are expected to provide a conceptual model identifying hypothesized pathways between discrimination and health outcomes.
Funder: NIEHS
When: Applications due October 10.
Exploratory Grants for Climate Change and Health Research Center Development
What: NOFO to solicit P20 planning grant applications for Climate Change and Health Research Centers. This program will support the development of a transdisciplinary research environment to examine the impacts of climate change on health and develop action-oriented solutions.
Funder: NIEHS
When: Applications due November 7.
FY 2024 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant Guidelines
What: Grants offered by the Brownfields Program may be used to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and petroleum. These grants allow more vacant and abandoned properties to be turned into community assets that will promote economic revitalization in communities.
Funder: EPA
When: Applications due November 13.
Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health
What: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support research on interventions to improve health in Native American populations. This includes 1) etiologic research that will directly inform intervention development or adaptations, 2) research that develops, adapts, or tests interventions, and 3) research on dissemination and implementation. See PAR-23-299 and PAR-23-285 for more details.
Funder: NIH
When: Applications due October 21, 2024.
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Three DMACs Join for Data Summit
Scientists from the Texas A&M University (TAMU), UNM, and University of Arizona SRP centers came together to share their accomplishments and challenges in fulfilling the data management and analysis mandate of SRP. The day-long summit resulted in the creation of a Southwest Superfund Consortium in Data Science, where each center’s Data Management and Analysis Cores (DMACs) will establish communities of practice in data management and data science.
Visualizing Unseen Risk in Texas with ArcGIS Dashboard
TAMU SRP Center investigators created an ArcGIS Dashboard to assess and visualize existing flood risk and contamination hazards associated with chemical facilities in Galena Park, Texas. The dashboard provides an opportunity to translate large databases into digestible knowledge that can be shared with the community.
Machine Learning Methods for Endocrine Disrupting Potential Identification
Another study from the TAMU SRP Center combined experimental analysis and computational modeling to assess the endocrine disrupting potential of environmental compounds. The researchers built a framework, which could serve as a rapid decision-making tool to facilitate mitigation of adverse effects of exposure after disasters, such as floods and hurricanes.
Dataset of Transcriptomic Changes from PCB Exposure
Building on techniques from a previous study, University of Iowa SRP Center researchers published a dataset that examines alterations in gene transcript levels in human preadipocytes exposed to PCBs over a time course. The study examined a polychlorinated biphenyl and its metabolite, allowing for comparison of changes between the two compounds.
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On May 24, 2023, Members of the UNC SRP Center, Kathleen Gray, Andrew George, Sarah Yelton, Megan Lane, and director Rebecca Fry, traveled to Union County, North Carolina, to hold a community report back meeting to share results from the Well Empowered study and answer questions. Over 80 people were in attendance, and local and state government staff also joined to answer questions about state drinking water standards. (Photo courtesy of UNC SRP Center)
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University of Michigan Opportunities
The University of Michigan has two research associate openings, one for a chemical biologist and the other a productive chemist, in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Based in East Lansing, Michigan, the roles will involve research on recently funded projects of early drug discovery and chemical biology.
University of Rhode Island SRP Center Seeking Postdoctoral Research Associate
The URI SRP Center has an opening for a postdoctoral research associate. The primary responsibility of this position will be to develop and implement data management practices based on the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles for data collected from experiments, simulations, field research, and clinical studies. Inquiries should be directed to Harrison Dekker at hdekker@uri.edu.
Senior Level Position at University of Pennsylvania
The Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania has an opening for a senior environmental health scientist. The primary appointment will be in Systems Pharmacology & Translational Therapeutics, but appointments in other departments are possible depending on expertise.
DTT Seeking Postdoctoral Fellow
The Division of Translational Toxicology (DTT) at NIEHS is accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellow for the Systems Toxicology Branch. This position will focus on mixtures toxicology and will give the fellow an opportunity to lead multiple mixture-based projects in a team science structure that involves input from chemists, pathologists, statisticians, and toxicologists.
Postdoctoral Opportunity at Wayne State
The Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors at Wayne State University is recruiting a postdoctoral position to support Melissa Runge-Morris’ laboratory. Work will support an NIH grant-supported project to study the mechanisms controlling developmental expression of liver gene expression.
Mount Sinai Seeking Data Analyst
The Institute for Health Equity Research at Mount Sinai is seeking a data analyst to support research focusing on health and health care disparities using survey and health systems data. The ideal candidate will have strong quantitative data analysis skills and experience working with SAS, SPSS, STATA, Oracle, Python, R, or a similar statistical software package.
Multiple Positions at Silent Spring Institute
Silent Spring Institute is seeking an Executive Director, who will be charged with providing direction for all aspects of the organization, setting a forward-looking agenda for advancing the institute’s mission. Responsibilities include advancing Silent Spring’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, sustaining the vital public and private sponsorships while securing additional revenue streams, and leading a diverse and experienced staff.
Silent Spring Institute is also seeking a research study coordinator to contribute to environmental health studies in a community-engaged context. The candidate will direct day-to-day implementation of two federally funded health and exposure studies in communities with PFAS-contaminated drinking water. The role includes coordinating activities of project staff and collaborators, managing and analyzing study data, and organizing community engagement.
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Risk e-Learning Session II — PFAS Sources and Mapping
October 20, 2023
Virtual
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The Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health Focus Meeting
October 30-31, 2023
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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Risk e-Learning Session III — Standards, Passive Sampling, Libraries PFAS
November 8, 2023
Virtual
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American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting and Expo: Creating the Healthiest Nation – Overcoming Social and Ethical Challenges
November 12-15, 2023
Atlanta, Georgia
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2023 SRP Annual Grant Recipient Meeting
December 4-6, 2023
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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TAMU Disaster Research Training Workshop
December 14-15, 2023
College Station, Texas
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Need to get in touch with an NIEHS SRP staff member? Check out our Contact Staff page. |
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JOIN THE @SRP_NIEHS KNOWLEDGE NETWORK!
NIEHS uses X (formerly Twitter), a popular social media tool, for information sharing through tweets. Many SRP Centers also have accounts, and it would be great if all participated! Follow @SRP_NIEHS to instantly hear news about the program, noteworthy publications, events, and job opportunities for trainees.
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