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Your Environment. Your Health.

News Items: University of California-Berkeley

Superfund Research Program

Toxic Substances in the Environment

Center Director: Martyn T. Smith
Grant Number: P42ES004705
Funding Period: 1987-2027
View this project in the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT)

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News Items List

  • First-of-its-Kind Arsenic Meta-Analysis Paves the Way for Future Data Integration
    Research Brief - September 2021
    Researchers from NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) centers at the University of California (UC), Berkeley and Columbia University used advanced analysis techniques to combine data from populations in Chile and Bangladesh. The purpose was to detect common DNA methylation (DNAm) signatures associated with arsenic exposure.
  • Advancing Environmental Justice
    SRP News Page - June 2021
    Researchers funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) have been in the spotlight recently for their work on environmental justice (EJ). From being selected for prestigious committees to supporting webinar series, SRP grantees and their partners are addressing the challenges and complexities of EJ.
  • New study sheds light on TCE bioremediation
    Paper of the Month - April 2021
    SRP-funded researchers demonstrated that natural microbial communities amended with acetylene can break down chlorinated contaminants, and in the process, they discovered a new bacteria species. Acetylene, produced in aquifers when certain minerals interact with trichloroethene (TCE), usually interferes with the ability of microbes to dechlorinate TCE. TCE is a chlorinated compound that can contaminate the environment and has been linked to health outcomes like cancer.
  • Linking Chemical and Nonchemical Mixtures to Health Disparities
    SRP News Page - February 2021
    Rachel Morello-Frosh, Ph.D., conducts research to understand how social factors, such as inequality and psychological stress, interact with environmental chemical exposures to influence disparities in the health status of different groups.
  • Toxic Breakdown Products Formed During Contaminant Clean-Up
    Research Brief - September 2020
    Chemical oxidation is a process commonly used to treat water contaminated with aromatic compounds like benzene. But, unexpected and potentially harmful breakdown products may result from this treatment process, according to a recent study from the NIEHS-funded University of California, Berkeley Superfund Research Program Center.
  • Symposium Brings Together Metals and Epigenetics Experts
    SRP News Page - July 2020
    In a virtual symposium, NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees and colleagues shared research findings and discussed leveraging data to learn how metal exposures can lead to epigenetic changes.
  • SRP Centers Combat COVID-19
    SRP News Page - June 2020
    NIEHS SRP Centers across the country are contributing their expertise to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. From increasing testing capacity and improving personal protective equipment to creating online tools and outreach materials, SRP researchers are fighting COVID-19 from the local to the global level.
  • Arsenic Complicates Groundwater Bioremediation
    Research Brief - May 2020
    A common groundwater contaminant, trichloroethene (TCE), can be reduced by certain bacteria, a process known as bioremediation. But, according to a new NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) study, this process may stall when arsenic is present. TCE, a widely used industrial solvent, pollutes groundwater from improper handling practices.
  • Endocrine disruptor identification begins with biology
    Environmental Factor - December 2019
    A consensus statement that lays out 10 key characteristics of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) could provide a universal framework for assessing risks these chemicals present. The statement, published Nov. 12 in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, was co-written by NIEHS-funded scientists and funded in part by the Research Translation Core of the NIEHS Superfund Research Center at the University of California at Berkeley.
  • SRP Research Highlighted at Drought Summit
    SRP News Page - July 2019
    Danielle Carlin, Ph.D., program administrator with the Superfund Research Program (SRP), presented drought-related research from SRP Centers during the National Drought & Public Health Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, June 17.
  • Key Characteristics Help Researchers Understand Male Reproductive Toxicants
    SRP News Page - June 2019
    New research from the University of California, Berkeley Superfund Research Program (UC Berkeley SRP) Center identifies a set of eight key characteristics for male reproductive toxicants (MRTs) - chemicals that cause negative effects on the male reproductive system. Key characteristics explain the actions of certain chemicals inside the body.
  • Socioeconomic Status Contributes to Arsenic-related Diabetes Risk
    SRP News Page - April 2019
    A new Superfund Research Program (SRP) study showed that arsenic-exposed Chileans with lower socioeconomic status (SES) were more likely to develop diabetes than those with higher SES. According to the authors, these results suggest that low SES individuals may be more vulnerable to some of the harmful effects of arsenic exposure, such as type 2 diabetes.
  • SRP Researchers Share Findings at Exposome Conference
    SRP News Page - January 2019
    Current and former Superfund Research Program (SRP) researchers described their work and learned from others as part of the New York City Exposome Symposium Nov 2 - 3. The symposium delved into innovative approaches in exposomics, the study of how the complex mix of nutritional, chemical, and social environments shapes human health throughout the lifespan.
  • Successful SRP Webinar Series Focuses on Toxicity Testing
    SRP News Page - June 2018
    In the spring 2018 Risk e-Learning webinar series, Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees and colleagues featured research and technologies that may be useful for evaluating the safety of chemicals. These approaches aim to replace or reduce the use of animal models, test more chemicals in a shorter period of time, and generate findings that are more relevant to humans. In total, this series attracted 1,022 live participants, 420 online archive views, and 3,128 video podcast downloads.
  • Toxic Byproducts Formed During UV Water Treatment
    Research Brief - April 2018
    Common water treatment methods that remove phenols and other hazardous compounds may produce low levels of toxic byproducts, according to a new study by the University of California (UC), Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center.
  • Toxin formed during oxidative water treatment process
    Paper of the Month - April 2018
    Common water treatment methods that remove phenols and other hazardous compounds may produce low levels of toxic byproducts, according to a new study by NIEHS grantees. Phenols, which can contaminate drinking water, are often removed with a water treatment process that converts hydrogen peroxide into hydroxyl radicals using ultraviolet (UV) light. In this process, hydroxyl radicals oxidize the phenols, transforming them into other compounds.
  • Berkeley - thirty years of innovative research in environmental health
    Environmental Factor - March 2018
    For three decades, the Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley SRP) has been at the forefront of important scientific discoveries, launching new programs and research initiatives. At a Jan. 30 event, titled "Celebrating 30 Years of Science for a Safer World," researchers and program partners looked back at the center's history and how it has evolved to meet new research needs.
  • Using Saliva to Understand Exposures and Monitor Health
    Research Brief - January 2018
    Collecting saliva may be a practical alternative to blood for characterizing a person's exposures, according to new research from the Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center at the University of California (UC), Berkeley. The researchers found that saliva contains a rich set of molecular information that can be used to construct individual exposure histories and discover risk factors for chronic diseases.
  • Arsenic Conference Explores Multidisciplinary Approaches to Protecting Human Health
    SRP News Page - December 2017
    On Nov. 2 - 3, researchers, stakeholders, and government officials met in Hanoi, Vietnam, to discuss the sources and health effects of arsenic and to explore multidisciplinary remediation strategies for the U.S. and around the world. Sponsored in part by the Columbia University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center, the goal of the symposium was to develop strategies to reduce arsenic exposure and related diseases.
  • SRP Trainees Host Super FUN: Science for a Safer World Booth at Cal Day
    SRP News Page - May 2017
    On April 22, trainees from the University of California (UC) Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center hosted a booth, 'Super FUN: Science for a Safer World,' at the annual Cal Day celebration. The popular event, which promotes various programs and activities at UC Berkeley, attracts thousands of people, including students, faculty and staff, families, and school groups.
  • SRP Researchers Shine at American Chemical Society Meeting
    SRP News Page - May 2017
    Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees from all over the country gathered for the 2017 American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting in San Francisco this April. Presentations and posters by SRP grantees highlighted innovative SRP-funded research including technologies to detect and remediate potentially harmful chemicals in the environment.
  • SRP Grantees Present at NAS Workshop
    SRP News Page - April 2017
    Four Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees were involved in the Advances in Causal Understanding for Human Health Risk-Based Decision Making workshop, held March 6 - 7 in Washington, D.C. The workshop explored how modern advances in bioinformatics can be incorporated into human health decision making.
  • In Memoriam: Professor Emeritus Jim Hunt
    SRP News Page - March 2017
    James Hunt, Ph.D., emeritus professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), and former Research Translation Core co-leader for the UC Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center, passed away on February 20 after a brief illness. Hunt served on the faculty at UC Berkeley for 33 years, where he was widely admired by students and faculty for both his professional contributions and his kindness.
  • SRP Grantees Share Cutting Edge Research at EMGS
    SRP News Page - October 2015
    At the 46th Annual Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society (EMGS) meeting September 26-30, Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees and staff gathered to discuss research aimed at understanding and mitigating environmental threats to the genome and to the epigenome.
  • Superfund Research Program grantees gather in San Jose for annual meeting
    Environmental Factor - December 2014
    The annual meeting of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Nov. 12-14 in San Jose, California, brought together researchers, trainees, and administrators supported by the program, as well as representatives from partner agencies to discuss new research, technology, communication, and community engagement.
  • 2014 Annual Meeting Celebrates Research Trainees
    SRP News Page - December 2014
    The annual meeting of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Nov. 12-14 in San Jose, California was an occasion to highlight trainee accomplishments. The meeting, which attracted researchers and trainees from across the nation, was hosted by SRP grantees at the University of California (UC) Berkeley.
  • Remediation of Contaminated Groundwater by Persulfate
    Research Brief - November 2014
    Researchers at the University of California (UC) Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) are one step closer to developing more efficient and effective treatment systems to remove organic contaminants from groundwater and soil. 
  • Gold Nanoparticles Offer a Simple and Inexpensive Way to Detect Mercury
    Research Brief - June 2014
    Researchers led by Catherine Koshland, Ph.D., from the University of California, Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) have developed an inexpensive, easy to use, and highly sensitive sensor to measure how much mercury is in liquid or aqueous samples.
  • Smith Wins 2014 Alexander Hollaender Award for Environmental Exposure Research
    SRP News Page - February 2014
    Martyn Smith, Ph.D., professor of toxicology and Director of the University of California (UC) Berkeley Superfund Research Program, was awarded the 2014 Alexander Hollaender Award by the Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society (EMGS) for his contributions to the field of environmental toxicology. 
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