October 2009 NIEHS Spotlight Science Notebook Council Meeting Highlights NIEHS Director Gives Mission Accomplishments Distinguished Lecture Throughout the September 15–16 NIEHS and National Toxicology meeting of the National Advisory Program (NTP) Director Linda Environmental Health Sciences Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., Council (NAEHSC) at NIEHS, the presented the first seminar of the discussions were upbeat. ...read more 2009 – 2010 NIEHS Distinguished Lecture Series on September 8 titled “Halogenated Flame Retardants: Does the Benefit Justify the Risk?” ...read more Fellows Recognized at Regional Showcase in Cincinnati NIEHS Microarray Group The University of Cincinnati (UC) Hosts Genomics Day Center for Environmental Genetics (CEG) joined with other NIEHS- NIEHS Genomics Day, held on supported training programs, Centers September 1, offered scientists at and Superfund Research Programs to celebrate the first NIEHS and visitors an afternoon of Environmental Health Sciences Regional Showcase of talks by investigators and trainees, Fellows on September 18 at UC. ...read more a poster session, and an opportunity to learn more about the NIEHS Microarray Laboratory. ...read more 2009 ONES Awardees Named Genome-Wide Association NIEHS announced the selection of six early-stage tenure-track Study Focuses on Asthma investigators as 2009 Outstanding in Children New Environmental Scientist (ONES) A new genome-wide association awardees. ....read more study (GWAS) published August 28 in PLoS Genetics identified the chromosome 9q21.31 region as a novel candidate Beijing Green Science Policy region for childhood asthma. ....read more Symposium on Fire Retardants NIEHS played an important role Investigators Show Protective in the August 22 Green Science Policy Symposium on “The Fire Role of DNA Repair Protein Retardant Dilemma in China” with A new NIEHS-supported study two distinguished speakers on the five-lecture agenda reports that human cells deficient in — NIEHS and NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., a singularly resourceful DNA repair and NIEHS grantee Tom Webster, D.Sc., of Boston enzyme, known as Werner syndrome University (BU). ...read more protein (WRN), exhibit more replicative stress and DNA damage after exposure to the industrial pollutant hexavalent chromium — Cr(VI) — than do cells with normal WRN levels. ....read more NIEHS Spotlight Science Notebook ISEE 2009 Honors Study Links Same-Day CO to NIEHS Grantees Risk of Hospitalization for CVD Two long-term NIEHS grantees An NIEHS- and U.S. Environmental were recognized at the joint British- Protection Agency (EPA)-funded Irish 21st Annual Conference epidemiological study published in the of the International Society for September 2009 issue of Circulation Environmental Epidemiology 2009 (ISEE) at the presents strong evidence of an association between University College Dublin August 25–29. ...read more daily low-level carbon monoxide (CO) exposure and an increased risk of same-day hospitalization for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among an older population. ...read more Heinz Awards Go to NIEHS Grantees On September 15, Teresa Heinz Electronic Nose Sniffs and the Heinz Family Foundation announced the recipients of the Out Toxins 15th annual Heinz Awards, which Imagine a polka-dotted postage this year honor ten individuals whose achievements stamp-sized sensor that can sniff have helped bring about a cleaner, greener and out some known poisonous gases more sustainable planet. ...read more and toxins and show the results simply by changing colors. ...read more NIH Announces 2010 Grants Imaging the Effects of for “Risky Science” Childhood Lead Exposure In September, NIH announced that it will accept applications through on Neuronal Circuitry October 2009 for at least 40 grants In a recent NIEHS-funded study in the area of what it describes as published in Neurotoxicology, “transformative research” — “exceptionally innovative, imaging research scientist Kim high-risk, original and/or unconventional research M. Cecil, Ph.D. describes the long-term effects of projects that have the potential to create or overturn childhood lead exposure on brain microstructure . fundamental paradigms.” ....read more According to her research, neurotoxic insults caused by childhood lead exposure are associated with changes in myelination and axonal integrity in brain white matter that persist into adulthood. ...read more Search Opens for Extramural Director During an open-discussion meeting Speaker Explores Gene- on September 17, the NIEHS launched another “wide open” Environment Interactions in search for a key member of the Acute Lung Injury Institute’s leadership team — the head of the NIEHS On September 17, Professor George extramural program. ...read more Leikauf, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, presented the first in a series of talks in the Keystone Seminar Series hosted by the Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT). ...read more NIEHS Spotlight Science Notebook NIH Funds Grantees Focusing on Upcoming Distinguished Epigenomics of Human Health and Disease Lecturer Teresa Wang The NIH announced on September 16 that it will fund Teresa Wang, Ph.D., will present the 22 grants on genome-wide studies of how epigenetic next talk in the 2009-2010 NIEHS changes — chemical modifications to genes that result Distinguished Lecture Series October from diet, aging, stress, or environmental exposures 26 at 11:00 a.m. in Rodbell Auditorium. — define and contribute to specific human diseases and Hosted by NIEHS Principal Investigator Bill Copeland, biological processes. ....read more Ph.D., head of the Mitchondrial DNA Replication Group, Wang’s lecture will explore “The Perils of Bad DNA Polymerases: Chromosome Chaos.”. ...read more Suk Seeks Input on Superfund Advisory Panel Report This Month in EHP As follow-up to the meeting of the The October issue of Environmental NIEHS National Advisory Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) Health Sciences Council (NAEHSC) highlights “Children’s Health September 15–16, NIEHS Superfund 2009” with a Focus story on Research Program Director William “Environmental Factors in Birth Suk, Ph.D., expressed the Program’s gratitude for Defects: What We Need to Know” and a Spheres of the thoughtful analyses and recommendations by the Influence feature on “Learning Curve: Putting Healthy members of its 2009 External Advisory Panel chaired by School Principles into Practice.”. ...read more William Farland, Ph.D. ....read more NTP Provides Updates on Extramural Research Cell Phone Studies On September 14, 2009, toxicologists from the National Extramural Update Toxicology Program (NTP) traveled The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act has to Washington to present updates been a challenge for the extramural staff at the National on research supported by NTP and NIEHS related to Institutes of Health (NIH). With $10 billion extra dollars exposure to radiofrequency energy from the use of to spend in approximately seven months, NIH had to cellular telephones. ....read more develop, announce, review and make awards — at the same time ensuring the best science was funded and appropriately distributed geographically ...read more Sharon Finds the Environment Down Under Extramural Papers of the Month As it turns eight years old this year, • Natural Food Products Can Treat Cancer the popular NIEHS read-along story, Sharon Finds the Environment (NIH • Carbon Monoxide and Cardiovascular Disease Publication #01-4922), continues to in the Elderly edify young readers worldwide. ....read more • Diesel Exhaust Linked to Cancer Development Through Blood Vessel Growth • Maternal Exposure to Air Pollution Lowers Children’s IQ Calendar of Upcoming Events Intramural Research • October 1 (Offsite Event), at the University Intramural Papers of the Month of Wisconsin - Milwaukee — NIEHS Townhall Meeting - Community Environmental Health: • Novel p38 MAPK-RhoA Signaling Pathway Involved Making Milwaukee a Sustainable City with in Cell Adhesion Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D. • Copper Exposure Leads to HepG2 Cell Transcriptome Changes • October 1, in Rall Building D450, 10:00– 11:00 — Thomas Kunkel, Ph.D. speaking on • Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is Higher in “Determinants of Leading and Lagging Strand Affected Families DNA Replication Fidelity” • Coherent Co-Expression Biclustering Analysis Can Identify Hepatotoxic Pathways Through the • October 5 (Offsite Event), at the Friday Center Overrepresentation of Co-Expressed Genes in Chapel Hill — Genetics and Environmental Mutagenesis Society Fall Meeting, “Dissecting genome structure, genetic traits, and basis for complex diseases” • October 8–9, in Rodbell Auditorium, 9:00–5:00 — Centers for Neurodegeneration Science Annual Meeting Inside the Institute • October 15, in Rall Building D450, 10:00–11:00 — “Environmental exposure to engineered Lobbyist Speaks on Equal nanomaterials as a potential cause of lung Access for People with inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer,” with James Disabilities Bonner, Ph.D. A small but engaged audience of people from NIEHS and neighboring • October 21–22 (Offsite Event), at the Sheraton Environmental Protection Agency Chapel Hill — NIEHS Worker Education that included NIEHS and National Toxicology and Training Program Awardee Meeting and Program Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., gathered Workshop: Global Safety and Health Activities on September 8 to hear guest speaker and civil rights lobbyist Julia Leggett. ...read more • October 26, in Rodbell Auditorium, 11:00–12:00 — Distinguished Lecture