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News Items: Texas A&M University

Superfund Research Program

Comprehensive Tools and Models for Addressing Exposure to Mixtures During Environmental Emergency-Related Contamination Events

Center Director: Ivan Rusyn
Grant Number: P42ES027704
Funding Period: 2017-2027
View this project in the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT)

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News Items List

  • Skin cream may protect against floodwater contaminants
    Environmental Factor - November 2023
    Texas A&M University scientists developed a skin cream that may protect people from contaminants in floodwaters, such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. The cream, which forms a barrier between human skin and contaminants, is the culmination of several studies, partially funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), which have explored materials that can adsorb and immobilize toxicants to reduce human exposures.
  • New Report Calls for Expanding the Risk Assessment Toolbox
    Environmental Factor - September 2023
    A new report released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides recommendations for implementing new approach methodologies (NAMs) in human health risk assessments. The committee that developed the report, which was sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), included several SRP grant recipients.
  • Tackling Environmental Health Problems from Many Angles
    Environmental Factor - July 2023
    Current and upcoming research to address complex environmental health issues related to hazardous contaminants, climate-related disasters, and more, headlined the recent NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Progress in Research webinar series. Over the course of four sessions in April and May, the series highlighted 11 new and renewed SRP multiproject centers funded in 2022.
  • SRP Highlighted at SOT
    SRP News Page - April 2023
    NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded scientists from across the country gathered in person for the 2023 Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting to share their research and exchange ideas. Held March 19 - 23 in Nashville, Tennessee, the 62nd SOT meeting and ToxExpo drew more than 5,000 attendees who gave more than 2,000 presentations and participated in more than 70 sessions.
  • SRP Centers Deliver Data Science Trainings
    SRP News Page - June 2022
    NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees developed publicly available courses to help their trainees and the broader environmental health sciences research community develop data science skills.
  • SRP Shines at SOT
    SRP News Page - April 2022
    NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees from across the country gathered in person and virtually for the 2022 Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting, held March 27-31 in San Diego. The meeting highlighted diverse, cutting-edge research.
  • Biosensor Helps Characterize Contaminants and Health Risks Following Disasters
    Research Brief - January 2022
    A sophisticated biosensor may provide information about contaminant distribution in the aftermath of natural disasters, according to an NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded study. Led by former Texas A&M University (TAMU) SRP Center trainee Krisa Camargo and Michael Unger, Ph.D., from the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, the team demonstrated this type of tool is useful for quickly characterizing and prioritizing environmental samples for further analysis, particularly in the context of disaster research response.
  • Biosensor characterizes contaminants and potential health risks after disasters
    Paper of the Month - January 2022
    A sophisticated biosensor may provide information about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) distribution and potential toxicity in the aftermath of natural disasters, according to an NIEHS-funded study. By rapidly characterizing and prioritizing samples for study, the tool supports disaster research response where time and resources are limited.
  • Scientific art competition showcases trainees' research, imagination
    Environmental Factor - September 2021
    When the COVID-19 pandemic forced university laboratories to shut down or go remote, the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) created an opportunity for trainees to celebrate their research efforts and the stories behind them. Led by SRP Health Scientist Administrator Danielle Carlin, Ph.D., SRP hosted a scientific art competition for trainees.
  • 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.
  • SRP Impresses at Virtual SOT
    SRP News Page - April 2021
    NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded researchers from all over the country tuned in for the virtual 2021 Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting and ToxExpo on March 16-26. More than 60 SRP project leaders and trainees from more than 13 SRP Centers gave oral and poster presentations.
  • Data science paves the way with new tools, insights for SRP
    Environmental Factor - April 2021
    The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) held its first External Use Case (EUC) Showcase Feb. 18-19. Over 140 participants joined the meeting to share experiences and recommendations about integrating datasets from SRP-sponsored research. EUCs, developed by collaborations of researchers from different SRP centers, demonstrate specific scenarios in which data management and sharing could provide new insight on research questions and to identify barriers to inform future data efforts.
  • Edible sorbents protect against PFAS toxicity
    Paper of the Month - February 2021
    Edible nutrient-amended sorbents can reduce bioavailability and toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) ingested via contaminated water and food, found NIEHS grantees. Clay-based sorbents bind toxins in the stomach and intestine, thereby reducing exposure. Here, the researchers tested whether adding the common nutrients carnitine and choline to a clay-based sorbent would enhance PFAS adsorption.
  • Edible Sorbents May Protect Against Metal Toxicity
    Research Brief - November 2020
    A new study from NIEHS-funded Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center researchers suggests that edible sorbents may be an effective treatment to reduce heavy metal exposure from consumption of contaminated water and food. According to the researchers, this is the first evidence that edible sorbents can bind heavy metal mixtures and protect against their toxicity in a living organism.
  • New Approach Links Cell Studies to Human Health
    SRP News Page - September 2020
    A new NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded study demonstrated a strategy using data from cell studies to characterize how exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may harm human health, particularly the cardiovascular system. PCBs are a large and complex group of chemicals that often occur in mixtures and can contaminate soil, groundwater, and air.
  • Environmental risks visualized through new online tools
    Environmental Factor - April 2020
    Scientists funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) developed online tools to inform local communities about potential environmental health risks. The researchers hail from the University of California at Berkeley (UCB) and Texas A&M University (TAMU).
  • Collaborative Cross Mice Can Fill Data Gaps in Risk Assessment
    Research Brief - October 2019
    NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees showed how the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse model, which uses genetically diverse mice to capture over 90 percent of known mouse genetic variations, can account for individual differences in susceptibility to environmental chemicals. Led by Ivan Rusyn, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M University SRP Center, researchers measured variability in kidney toxicity and metabolism in CC mice after exposing them to tetrachloroethylene (PERC).
  • Collaborative Cross mice reveal different susceptibilities
    Paper of the Month - September 2019
    NIEHS grantees found that the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse model - which uses genetically diverse mice to capture over 90 of the known mouse genetic variations can account for individual differences in susceptibility to environmental chemicals. Using the CC mouse model, researchers measured individual variability in kidney toxicity after exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PERC), a solvent frequently used in dry cleaning solutions, adhesives, and metal degreasers.
  • Texas workshop prepares trainees for disaster research
    Environmental Factor - March 2019
    The Texas A&M University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center hosted a first-of-its-kind Disaster Research Training Workshop Dec. 17-18, focused on training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
  • Computational tool predicts chemical toxicity
    Paper of the Month - August 2018
    NIEHS grantees and colleagues developed a computational tool that uses the properties of a chemical to predict its toxicity. They determined that the tool can predict a toxicity value with an error of less than a factor of 10, making it useful for quickly assessing relative risks of chemicals for which traditional toxicity data or human health assessments are unavailable.
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