Superfund Research Program
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Grant Recipient Spotlights - April 8, 2025
After two decades, Norbert Kaminski, Ph.D., announced he is stepping down as the Director of the Michigan State University (MSU) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center. During his tenure, the center became a leader in research on the health effects of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds.
Paper of the Month - April 8, 2025
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Superfund Research Program Center developed and evaluated a novel sensor for detecting a cancer-causing chemical, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), in water. The new approach allows for one of the lowest detection limits reported to date.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - April 8, 2025
Matthew Campen, Ph.D., a scientist at the University of New Mexico Superfund Research Program Center, is at the forefront of research on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs). NIEHS Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D., interviewed Campen about MNPs and his groundbreaking publication on MNP accumulation in humans.
Science Highlights - March 5, 2025
Six trainees from Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded institutions received competitive K.C. Donnelly externships. These awards allow trainees to build their research capacity at other SRP centers or government agencies through innovative, collaborative research projects.
Science Highlights - March 5, 2025
Researchers use evidence from three kinds of studies to determine if a chemical may cause cancer or other adverse outcomes: human studies (epidemiological effects), animal studies (biological effects), and mechanistic studies (how chemicals contribute to disease).
Paper of the Month - March 5, 2025
University of California, Berkeley Superfund Research Center scientists and their collaborators developed a new approach to help risk assessors pinpoint chemicals likely to disrupt metabolism.
Paper of the Month - March 5, 2025
Researchers at Texas A&M University Superfund Research Program Center developed an artificial intelligence (AI) chat bot that allows communities to report pollution incidents through a simple text messaging platform.
Outreach and Community Engagement - January 17, 2025
A panel of experts that included Superfund Research Program (SRP) grant recipients Laurel Schaider, Ph.D., and Sue Fenton, Ph.D., testified before Congress on Dec. 5 about the advantages and disadvantages of using PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in consumer products.
Paper of the Month - January 3, 2025
The NIEHS Environmental Factor newsletter released its 2024 Papers of the Year, highlighting the most impactful publications by NIEHS researchers and grant recipients.
Paper of the Month - January 3, 2025
SRP-funded researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill integrated information on chemical exposures and self-reported social stressors to reveal differences exposure and stress burdens that may underly differences in health.
Technology Profiles - December 19, 2024
Researchers at the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center created a new method to predict chemical points of departure (PODs), the lowest dose of a chemical that triggers a biological response.
Science Highlights - December 12, 2024
Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may increase blood pressure and risk of hypertension, according to an NIEHS-funded study led by Katlyn McGraw, Ph.D., former Columbia University SRP Center trainee. VOCs are commonly found in household products, vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions.
Paper of the Month - December 4, 2024
Exposure to mixtures of PFAS chemicals may pose a greater health risk than exposure to a single PFAS alone, according to SRP-funded researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Results suggest that different PFAS compounds interact in ways that make a mixture more toxic.
Paper of the Month - November 12, 2024
Tap water quality in Puerto Rico showed partial recovery starting six months after Hurricane Maria, according to researchers partly funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program at Northeastern University.
Science Highlights - November 12, 2024
Enspired Solutions, a woman-owned environmental remediation company, received an NIEHS Superfund Research Program small business innovation research grant to develop an innovative technology to destroy PFAS contaminants in water.
Outreach and Community Engagement - October 21, 2024
Concerns about volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) potentially leaking into a library in Louisville prompted action by NIEHS-funded Superfund Research Program (SRP) centers. Collaborators at the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville (UofL) came together with local researchers and community members to address the problem.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - October 16, 2024
Rebecca Fry, Ph.D., has dedicated her career to understanding how environmental exposures affect children s health. Now a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Fry directs the UNC Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center, which focuses on the health effects of metals, especially arsenic, in drinking water.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - October 16, 2024
Toxicologist Jennifer Kay, Ph.D., of the Silent Spring Institute is studying how chemicals known to both damage DNA and change how the hormones estrogen and progesterone send signals in the body may pose greater threat of causing breast cancer than chemicals that only do one or the other.
Community Engagement - October 8, 2024
In summer 2024, the NIEHS-funded North Carolina State University (NC State) Superfund Research Program Center launched a year-long project to bring data science into middle and high schools across North Carolina.
Paper of the Month - October 8, 2024
Researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles identified a type of bacteria, called Acetobacterium, that can destroy specific PFAS.
Science Highlights - October 8, 2024
A protein called NRF2, which controls a protective response against oxidative stress, may also promote disease if it is activated for extended periods of time, according to Donna Zhang, Ph.D., during a September 10 Distinguished Lecture at NIEHS.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - October 8, 2024
As director of the NIEHS-funded Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center at Louisiana State University (LSU), Stephania Cormier, Ph.D., has prioritized research on the health effects of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR), a type of air pollutant.
Outreach and Community Engagement - September 23, 2024
When North Carolina communities were concerned about possible per- and polyflourylalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, researchers and community engagement specialists from the North Carolina State University (NC State) SRP Center worked with community partners to test drinking water and share results.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 17, 2024
The NIEHS director, Rick Woychik, Ph.D., spoke with Superfund Research Program-funded researcher, Upal Ghosh, Ph.D., about his work to clean up polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCB, contamination and protect public health.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 17, 2024
Superfund Research Program trainee, Amanda Armijo, winner of the 2022 Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award, delivered an award lecture about her research on the genetic effects of exposure to carcinogenic n-nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, through drinking water.
Technology Profiles - September 1, 2024
Researchers at Northeastern University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center are exploring the use of biochar made from banana peels to remove organic contaminants from water. Biochar is a porous, cost-effective, and eco-friendly form of charcoal that is created by burning organic matter in an oxygen-free environment.
Outreach and Community Engagement - July 23, 2024
Residential property disclosure statements in North Carolina now include a question about testing for contaminants in private wells, thanks to work by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) SRP Center and collaborators.
Paper of the Month - July 23, 2024
Baylor College of Medicine SRP Center researchers identified mechanisms through which omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s) may protect against lung cancer caused by exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mice.
Paper of the Month - July 23, 2024
Exposure to arsenic from private wells declined among American Indian communities that received free kitchen faucet filters and periodic health check-ins through phone calls and home visits, according to researchers at the Columbia University Northern Plains SRP Center.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - July 22, 2024
Scientists across the country, including many funded by the Superfund Research Program (SRP), gathered with community groups, public officials, and others to share experiences and research related to PFAS. Through several recent events, they aimed to understand challenges and discuss strategies to protect the health of communities affected by the toxic and persistent chemicals.
Outreach and Community Engagement - July 8, 2024
Harmful contaminants like mercury and PFAS can accumulate in fish and can be transferred to people when those fish are eaten. Fish consumption advisories provide recommendations about what fish and shellfish to limit and avoid eating based on the body of water where the fish was caught. However, state agencies in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services often lack resources to update and communicate these advisories to the public.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - June 20, 2024
New approaches to address the occupational health and safety risks found in various workplaces were the focus of a Superfund Research Program (SRP) Progress in Research webinar series.
Science Highlights - June 17, 2024
Researchers at the University of Kentucky (UK) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center tested the impact of electrically charging certain filtration materials to remove PFAS.
Paper of the Month - June 17, 2024
Texas A&M University SRP Center researchers evaluated the ability of six different sorbent materials, made up of activated carbon or specialized clays, to trap four PFAS chemicals in soil. They exposed worms and aquatic plants to soil or water to measure the bioavailability of PFAS and how changes in bioavailability translate to toxicity.
Paper of the Month - June 17, 2024
Scientists at the University of Arizona SRP Center examined the effects of arsenic, cadmium, ferrihydrite, and pepsin, an enzyme responsible for protein digestion. Scientists used a simulated gastrointestinal (GI) tract to measure bioaccessibility, or the amount of toxic metals that could be released during digestion and absorbed into the blood stream.
Paper of the Month - June 17, 2024
A study led by a team at the Northeastern University SRP Center examined the relationship between exposure to an herbicide before birth and neurodevelopment in young children. Researchers assessed herbicide exposure of 143 mother-baby pairs from Puerto Rico by collecting urine samples from the mothers during pregnancy and measuring levels of glyphosate and breakdown product of herbicide.
Technology Profiles - June 1, 2024
2witech Solutions LLC developed a portable device to screen for PFAS in contaminated water. Capable of detecting very low concentrations of PFAS, the analyzer quickly provides real-time information and costs less than traditional laboratory testing.
Paper of the Month - May 7, 2024
A new approach might help scientists better prioritize which PFAS, a large class of compounds linked to negative health outcomes, should be included in health risk assessments, according to researchers at the Texas A&M University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center.
Paper of the Month - May 7, 2024
Researchers at the University of Iowa Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center used biochar, a carbon rich byproduct of burning plant matter, and bacteria to clean up polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic environments.
Outreach and Community Engagement - May 6, 2024
NIEHS-funded researchers at the University of Iowa and the North Carolina State University (NC State) Superfund Research Program (SRP) centers partnered to address community concerns about polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) discovered in an NC State building. During an online forum on February 24, 2024, the team answered questions from the NC State community about the health effects of PCBs.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - April 17, 2024
Jamie Donatuto, Ph.D., is in a unique position as both the environmental health analyst for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and as the co-leader of the Community Engagement Core at the Oregon State University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center. She has spent decades researching the intersections of environmental contaminant exposures, Indigenous practices, and community health, and she regularly advocates for and educates others about ethical research collaborations that benefit Tribal health.
Outreach and Community Engagement - April 12, 2024
Researchers at the NIEHS-funded Duke University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center are using outreach and community-engaged research to help North Carolina residents identify, understand, and manage risks related to soil contamination. Center staff also develop a variety of tools to help residents identify contaminant sources near their gardens.
Outreach and Community Engagement - April 11, 2024
Many NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded scientists and trainees, as well as SRP staff, attended the 63rd Annual Meeting and ToxExpo for the Society of Toxicology (SOT), held March 10-14 in Salt Lake City.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - April 11, 2024
As head of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning and a member of the NIEHS-funded Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center at Texas A&M University, Galen Newman, Ph.D., focuses on improving urban resilience against hurricanes and flooding. His work shapes community resilience plans that use environmentally conscious landscape design to improve health outcomes.
Outreach and Community Engagement - April 11, 2024
Scientists supported by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) together with community and Mi kmaq Nation tribal members are using plants to remove PFAS from a contaminated site in northern Maine, a technique known as phytoremediation.
Paper of the Month - March 22, 2024
A new approach developed by researchers at the University of New Mexico Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center combines limestone and a bone-like mineral called hydroxyapatite to remove arsenic and uranium from water.
Technology Profiles - March 21, 2024
Researchers at the University of Iowa are investigating how biochar, the carbon-rich byproduct of burning plant matter, can enhance the performance of a type of bacteria - called organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) - commonly used to break down halogenated pollutants.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - March 7, 2024
As the community engagement coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Chapell Hill (UNC) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center, Andrew George, Ph.D., is educating rural communities about the health risks of drinking well water contaminated with metals. He also relies on partnerships with community organizations across North Carolina to help under-resourced communities test their wells for free.
Science Highlights - February 14, 2024
Researchers from the University of Kentucky (UK) SRP Center are using machine learning techniques to help interpret how chemicals are processed, or metabolized, in the body. A series of interconnected processes in the body, known as metabolic pathways, can convert substances into smaller molecules, or metabolites. For certain chemicals, these metabolites can be more toxic than their parent compound.
Paper of the Month - February 14, 2024
A new approach developed by Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded researchers improved the ability of carbon-based filters to remove arsenic from drinking water. This method, which is inspired by a cooking technique known as sous vide, may offer a cheaper and more practical solution to prevent arsenic exposure.
Paper of the Month - February 14, 2024
Researchers at the North Carolina State University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center and small business collaborators developed a new approach that combines advanced imaging methods with machine learning to rapidly image and count neutrophils, a type of immune cell, in zebrafish embryos. Research suggests that exposure to environmental pollutants can decrease neutrophil levels, emphasizing the need for strategies to screen chemicals affecting neutrophil counts.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - February 14, 2024
Ana Navas-Acien, M.D., Ph.D., grew up in a desert-like area of Spain called Almeria where drinking water was scarce. For years, her parents relied on a rainwater collection system called an aljibe for drinking and cooking. These early experiences planted a seed.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - February 14, 2024
Superfund Research Program (SRP) grant recipient Robyn Tanguay, Ph.D., was recently interviewed by NIEHS Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D. Tanguay, who serves as the director of the Oregon State University SRP Center, discussed her research using zebrafish and why she thinks they represent a paradigm shift in toxicological research.
Outreach and Community Engagement - February 14, 2024
NIEHS-funded researchers have created a new framework designed to help scientists report back study findings about potential exposures to participants. The 12-point framework, developed by Katrina Korfmacher, Ph.D., and Julia Brody, Ph.D., of the Northeastern University PROTECT Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center, aims to make report-back a routine part of research within the environmental health sciences.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - January 22, 2024
While Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, Ph.D., was studying for a degree in civil and environmental engineering at Cornell University, she heard that workers in nearby municipal offices were experiencing "sick building syndrome." This experience highlighted for her that environmental issues were really health issues.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - January 22, 2024
Prior to joining the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2005 as a community engagement and education specialist, Kathleen Vandiver, Ph.D., taught middle school science for 16 years.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - January 22, 2024
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) selected Rollie Mills, from the University of Kentucky (UK) SRP Center, as the 26th recipient of the Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award.
Outreach and Community Engagement - January 22, 2024
The annual grant recipient meeting of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), held Dec. 4-6 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, showcased how collaborative research can accelerate scientific discovery to protect the health of communities exposed to harmful contaminants.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - January 3, 2024
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) recently brought together several grant recipients and experts from other federal agencies to discuss new strategies and continuing challenges for PFAS site characterization. The three-session event, Tools for PFAS Site Characterization, included presentations on research efforts and tool development for sampling, monitoring, detecting, and characterizing PFAS. The widespread commercial use and the variety of risks of PFAS make site characterization important to researchers, who need to know which PFAS chemicals are where.
Science Highlights - December 7, 2023
A team of scientists funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) published a new workflow to help researchers across disciplines share environmental health data more effectively. The workflow provides a standardized framework for collecting, organizing, and distributing scientific data so that it can be more easily understood and used by other groups.
Paper of the Month - December 7, 2023
A study funded by SRP, at the University of California, Riverside, revealed important mechanistic information about how some microbes break down PFAS in the environment. The findings may inspire more cost-effective bioremediation approaches.
Paper of the Month - December 7, 2023
NIEHS-funded researchers developed a new approach to improve how environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are generated and studied in the lab at the Louisiana State University SRP Center. This strategy addresses a deficiency in methods to simulate realistic environmental exposures in animals.
Science Highlights - December 7, 2023
Members of the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable convened November 7 to share approaches for sampling and characterizing sites polluted by PFAS, a class of harmful chemicals that resist degradation. Through several case studies, speakers also illustrated unique challenges to understanding the sources and extent of PFAS contamination in the field.
Technology Profiles - December 1, 2023
Researchers at the University of Louisville Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center have gained new insights into levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the environment using the Multichannel Organics In-situ enviRonmental Analyzer (MOIRA) instrument.
Science Highlights - November 17, 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.
Paper of the Month - November 17, 2023
Chemical emissions from flooring can predict polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in room air, according to NIEHS-supported research. The findings could inform targeted remediation strategies for indoor spaces.
Outreach and Community Engagement - November 9, 2023
Two core goals of multi-project NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) centers are community engagement and research training. Summer programs provide opportunities for center researchers and trainees to serve as mentors and share their work with the community and for students of all ages, from elementary school to college, to learn more about environmental health and research.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - October 20, 2023
Longtime NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) grant recipient Philippe Grandjean describes what kickstarted his career and where his research is headed, as well as the health effects of PFAS and how people can limit their exposure. Grandjean is an investigator at the University of Rhode Island SRP Center and works with communities in the Faroe Islands, an archipelago between Iceland and Norway.
Paper of the Month - October 20, 2023
NIEHS-funded researchers with the Columbia University SRP Center identified metals that were associated with biological age acceleration, where exposure may be a risk factor for aging-related diseases in Native American communities. Although metal exposure may speed age acceleration, exposures are preventable, and the authors findings provide an additional strategy to prevent premature mortality.
Paper of the Month - October 20, 2023
Scientists with North Carolina State University SRP Center measured levels of PFAS in dogs, horses, and children in towns downstream of a PFAS manufacturing plant after the community voiced concern about the health of their pets and families. The authors identified concentrations of two types of PFAS in dogs that were similar to the concentrations found in children from another North Carolina town.
Paper of the Month - October 20, 2023
Texas A&M University SRP Center researchers deployed a mobile air monitoring van in East Palestine, Ohio, following a train derailment. The van contained real-time, highly sensitive instrumentation to perform air quality analysis, and was driven around locations up- and down-wind of the train derailment for two days.
Outreach and Community Engagement - October 20, 2023
Researchers funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) describe reasons for water contamination disparities, identify current private well disparities, and review how community engagement and interventions like pitcher filters can help protect marginalized communities.
Science Highlights - October 6, 2023
NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded researchers explored a new, cost-effective method of water treatment using biochar - a conductive, absorbent material - made from banana peels. This approach could inform large-scale, low-cost treatments in water systems, according to the authors at the Northeastern University Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) SRP Center.
Outreach and Community Engagement - October 6, 2023
Monica D. Ramirez-Andreotta, Ph.D., at the University of Arizona SRP Center is interviewed by Ashley Ahearn for the NIEHS podcast where she discusses the role and impacts of participatory research.
Science Highlights - September 11, 2023
How the body repairs DNA damage following exposure to a chemical called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) can provide new insights for cancer treatment, according to Jennifer Kay, Ph.D. The former Massachusetts Institute of Technology SRP Center trainee presented her findings during the August 1 Wetterhahn Award Seminar.
Paper of the Month - September 11, 2023
A federal regulation lowering the amount of arsenic allowed in public water systems reduced arsenic exposure among communities across the U.S., found researchers at the Columbia University Northern Plains SRP Center.
Science Highlights - September 11, 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.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 7, 2023
Johnnye Lewis, director of the University of New Mexico Superfund Research Center, researches the Tribal health implications of exposures to environmental pollutants, particularly those from hardrock mining activity.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 7, 2023
As a high schooler, Kelly Pennell, Ph.D., was inspired by environmental and human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa to help people affected by environmental exposures. Now, as director of the University of Kentucky (UK) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center, she is working to protect public health from exposures to toxic substances like PFAS, trichloroethylene (TCE), and tetrachloroethene (PCE).
Technology Profiles - September 1, 2023
Researchers at the University of New Mexico and University of Iowa Superfund Research Program (SRP) centers created an improved electrospun nanofiber technology to detect uranium in contaminated water.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 1, 2023
Led by Northeastern University and funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), the Puerto Rico Test Site to Explore Contamination Threats (PROTECT) SRP Center brings together researchers from many institutions to explore the connection between environmental exposures and preterm birth in Puerto Rico.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - August 7, 2023
Seven NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) trainees won K.C. Donnelly Externship Award Supplements to conduct research outside of their host centers. The three-month-long externships provide current SRP-funded graduate students and postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to learn new methods and techniques, while working in other SRP-funded institutions and government labs.
Paper of the Month - August 4, 2023
Researchers partly funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) identified key changes in placental gene expression that are associated with the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children born preterm. The study was led by a team at the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill SRP Center.
Science Highlights - August 4, 2023
With funding from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) and other NIEHS programs, researchers at the Oregon State University (OSU) SRP Center developed a simple, non-invasive approach to monitor personal chemical exposures using silicone wristbands. The highly sensitive wristbands can be used to measure exposure to low levels of hundreds of chemicals, offering a unique tool to better understand the complex mixtures people may be exposed to throughout daily life.
Paper of the Month - August 4, 2023
Prenatal exposure to benzene may predispose offspring to metabolic diseases later in life, according to a study in mice. Partly funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), the study was led by researchers at the Wayne State University SRP Center.
Science Highlights - July 6, 2023
Current and upcoming research to address complex environmental health issues related to hazardous contaminants 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.
Paper of the Month - July 6, 2023
Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) can hinder dieting efforts to lose weight, according to a study by the University of Rhode Island SRP Center. PFAS, which are found in numerous industrial and consumer products, have been linked to various health problems, including metabolic changes and obesity.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - July 1, 2023
Exploring how chemical contaminants move through the environment and affect aquatic food webs, Upal Ghosh, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), aims to develop and implement technologies to help ecosystems recover from pollution.
Science Highlights - June 21, 2023
Researchers with the NIEHS-funded Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center have found distinctive genetic patterns signifying damage from the toxic chemical N-nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA. The patterns could potentially be used to monitor cancer development and inform therapeutic interventions.
Paper of the Month - June 2, 2023
Researchers at the University of California, Davis SRP Center developed a DNA-based sensor that can detect trace amounts of organophosphate pesticides in food products.
Science Highlights - June 2, 2023
NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded researchers recently installed filtration systems in Native American communities to reduce exposure to and the health effects of arsenic-contaminated drinking water. Led by the Columbia University Northern Plains SRP Center and in partnership with Northern Plain Tribal Nations and the Indian Health Service, the team installed arsenic filters under household kitchen sinks and launched a corresponding educational campaign.
Paper of the Month - June 2, 2023
Environmental factors, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, can alter the chemistry of miniscule plastic fragments, potentially increasing their toxicity on lung cells, according to a University of New Mexico SRP Center study.
Paper of the Month - June 2, 2023
SRP-funded small business Weaver Labs developed a novel technology to clean up water contaminated with PFAS. Their materials can be reused multiple times and are potentially less expensive than current remediation technologies, the authors said.
Outreach and Community Engagement - June 1, 2023
NIEHS-funded researchers recently developed a new online course to aid concerned residents and other community members through the process of cleaning up environmental contamination. The course includes educational and interactive modules, short videos, and questions for reflection to help guide participants to identify and address chemical exposures in their homes, neighborhoods, and local communities.
Technology Profiles - June 1, 2023
Researchers at the University of Rhode Island SRP Center, led by Rainer Lohmann, Ph.D., developed a passive sampling device to monitor per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in wastewater treatment plant effluent, as well as in groundwater and rivers.
Outreach and Community Engagement - May 18, 2023
A key goal of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is to train future generations of scientists - in the lab and in the community. SRP Centers across the country have been doing just that, participating in community events to teach school-aged children about science.
Outreach and Community Engagement - May 9, 2023
Social psychologist Irene Lafarga Previdi, Ph.D., is dedicated to understanding environmental exposures among Puerto Rican communities, and to sharing scientific findings in understandable terms.
Outreach and Community Engagement - April 27, 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.
Science Highlights - April 27, 2023
Longer wildfire seasons are leading to more frequent and intense fires that could have disastrous consequences for human health. In a recent study, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) SRP Center explored the biological mechanism behind heart and lung responses to wildfire smoke.
Outreach and Community Engagement - April 1, 2023
SRP-funded researchers created Mi PROTECT (Spanish for My PROTECT ), a mobile application to communicate environmental exposure results to pregnant women residing in a highly polluted area in Puerto Rico. The application provides information in both English and Spanish to individuals participating in studies conducted by the Northeastern University Puerto Rican Testsite to Explore Contamination Threats (PROTECT) SRP Center.
Paper of the Month - April 1, 2023
By analyzing DNA from people of different ancestries, researchers at the Columbia University SRP-Center and collaborators identified several inherited genetic variants that could influence individual sensitivity to arsenic exposure. The findings point to potential biological mechanisms underpinning arsenic toxicity.
Science Highlights - April 1, 2023
A diet rich in fiber may decrease disease risks associated with perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure, according to researchers at the University of Kentucky SRP Center.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - March 29, 2023
Artist Mallery Quetawki combines her visual art skills, biology and healthcare background, and Indigenous knowledge to improve environmental health literacy among American Indian Tribes. A member of the Pueblo of Zuni Tribe in New Mexico, Quetawki has collaborated on environmental health outreach projects using art with the University of New Mexico (UNM) SRP Center. She currently serves as the artist-in-residence for the UNM College of Pharmacy s Community Environmental Health Program (CEHP).
Grant Recipient Spotlights - March 23, 2023
Upal Ghosh, Ph.D., explores how chemical contaminants move through the environment and affect aquatic food webs, with the goal of developing and implementing technologies to help ecosystems recover from pollution.
Technology Profiles - March 16, 2023
Scientists at Texas A&M AgriLife Research developed a novel technology that can efficiently bind to and break down per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment. Their approach combines a plant-based material that adsorbs PFAS and a fungus that can take up the chemicals.
Science Highlights - March 3, 2023
Researchers at the University of Rhode Island SRP Center and collaborators revealed a link between developmental per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and reduced bone density in childhood and adolescence.
Science Highlights - March 3, 2023
For the past two decades, researchers with the University of Arizona SRP Center have been studying human exposures to mining waste and how to improve site remediation in the Southwest.
Paper of the Month - March 1, 2023
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill SRP Center uncovered complex interactions between exposure to arsenic, body weight and composition, and indicators of type 2 diabetes in Diversity Outbred (DO) mice. DO mice better capture the genetic diversity of human populations, which may help explain differences in susceptibility to arsenic-induced disease.
Paper of the Month - March 1, 2023
Dietary fiber may protect against metabolic and liver diseases related to perfluorooctoane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure, according to research by the University of Kentucky SRP Center.
Paper of the Month - February 6, 2023
Researchers at the Columbia University SRP Center found that higher proportions of people belonging to racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. are associated with significantly higher arsenic and uranium concentrations in their drinking water compared with non-Hispanic White residents.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - February 6, 2023
Joseph Hamm, Ph.D., strives to contribute to a deeper, fuller understanding of trust, one that crosses disciplines and helps different groups to work collaboratively toward better outcomes for community health and safety.
Outreach and Community Engagement - February 6, 2023
Short, fun science videos produced by SRP trainees as part of a competition made their big-screen debut at the SRP Annual Meeting, held December 14-16 in Raleigh, North Carolina. SRP hosted the contest to encourage early-career researchers’ science communication efforts.
Paper of the Month - February 6, 2023
SRP-funded researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill developed a computer-based approach to group wildfire exposure conditions based on their effect on genetic expression and potential health risks.
Paper of the Month - February 6, 2023
Cell-based experiments can provide relevant estimates of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) metabolism in humans and associated health risks, found researchers at the Texas A&M University SRP Center.
Outreach and Community Engagement - January 1, 2023
NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded grantees organized a workshop to discusses ways to reduce human exposure to toxic elements in food. Sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the event focused on several themes: toxic element uptake and accumulation in plants; metal-soil interactions and cleanup; and food production and processing.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - January 1, 2023
Amanda Armijo, D.V.M., Ph.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology SRP Center, was selected as the 25th recipient of the Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award. Armijo received the award December 15 at the SRP Annual Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she was recognized for her work on tracing how the toxin NDMA damages genes, and how the DNA might repair itself.
Science Highlights - January 1, 2023
Following the discovery of high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the blood of GenX Exposure Study participants, researchers are working quickly to report their findings back to the North Carolina communities and address their concerns.
Outreach and Community Engagement - January 1, 2023
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) marked its 35th anniversary December 14-17, 2022, at its first in-person annual meeting since 2019. Researchers, trainees, and community partners from across the U.S. gathered in Raleigh, North Carolina, to learn about select SRP-funded projects through workshops and presentations.
Paper of the Month - January 1, 2023
Adding bacteria that can break down polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to contaminated sediments reduced the release of the chemicals into surrounding air, according to researchers at the University of Iowa SRP Center. PCBs are a family of more than 200 structurally similar chemicals that have been linked to a range of adverse health effects, including some cancers.
Outreach and Community Engagement - January 1, 2023
Strategies to move environmental cleanup technologies from research and development to the field headlined the agenda of the first in-person Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR) meeting in three years. The event brought together leaders from 10 federal agencies, including NIEHS, to discuss how they can collaborate to meet hazardous waste contamination cleanup goals and emerging needs.
Outreach and Community Engagement - December 7, 2022
Community stories about pollution were found to overlap the locations of a burn facility s smoke plume, helping SRP-funded scientists improve their exposure assessment technique.
Technology Profiles - December 1, 2022
CycloPure, Inc. has adapted their SRP-funded technology, DEXSORB+, into several products to detect and remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PAFS) from water. DEXSORB+ uses cup-shaped cyclodextrins, sugar molecules bound together into rings, to bind and remove PFAS.
Outreach and Community Engagement - December 1, 2022
Rick Woychik, Ph.D., director of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program, traveled to Texas A&M University (TAMU) SRP Center October 27-28 for an event celebrating the renewal of TAMU s SRP Center P42 grant.
Paper of the Month - December 1, 2022
Microbes in the human digestive system may complement a person’s ability to metabolize arsenic, particularly in the first few weeks of life, according to a Dartmouth College study funded partly by SRP. The association appears to be stronger for infants delivered by caesarean, the team found.
Paper of the Month - December 1, 2022
North Carlina State University SRP Center researchers found that American alligators living in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River had elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood and associated signs of immune dysfunction.
Outreach and Community Engagement - November 3, 2022
University of Kentucky (UK) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center staff are teaching Kentucky residents to educate their communities about good nutrition and environmental stewardship. Staff members recently led two train-the-trainer events introducing tools and curricula for teaching adults and children.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - November 1, 2022
During an NIEHS lecture Oct. 6, Elana Elkin, Ph.D., a former NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) trainee and recipient of the 2019 Karen Wetterhahn Award, described how a chemical called trichloroethylene (TCE) can interfere with fetal development in the womb.
Outreach and Community Engagement - November 1, 2022
The 19th International Conference of the Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health, held Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 on Jeju Island, South Korea, brought together global experts to discuss advancing environmental health and translating scientific knowledge to action.
Science Highlights - October 1, 2022
Current breast cancer research and efforts to evaluate how combined exposures can influence the disease were discussed during an NIEHS-led event Aug. 24-25.
Paper of the Month - October 1, 2022
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill SRP Center uncovered the biological mechanisms by which exposure to wildfire smoke harms the heart and lungs in mice. Wildfires are growing in intensity and frequency, posing a threat to public health worldwide. Although evidence links wildfire exposure with cardiopulmonary effects, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown.
Paper of the Month - October 1, 2022
Researchers funded by NIEHS found that newborn mice can be exposed to the antibacterial chemical triclosan through breastmilk, leading to increased liver disease risk. According to the authors, these findings are relevant because liver disease in children is escalating in the U.S., with a limited mechanistic understanding.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - October 1, 2022
Seven trainees with the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) have earned K.C. Donnelly Externship Award Supplements. Named for longtime SRP grantee Kirby K.C. Donnelly, the funding enables graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to learn techniques relevant to their work from experts at outside institutions.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 27, 2022
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) welcomes 11 new and returning multiproject centers.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 20, 2022
SRP summer interns Anna Kremer and Kirsten Reid presented their summer research projects in a virtual poster showcase along with interns and trainees from across NIEHS on July 28.
Technology Profiles - September 15, 2022
Quantitative BioSciences, Inc., has developed a customizable sensor to continuously monitor water for arsenic, mercury, and cadmium, among other contaminants. A Business Innovation Research Grant from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program supported early work on the device.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 9, 2022
Andres Cardenas, Ph.D., of the University of California (UC), Berkeley SRP Center explained how is applying his epigenetics expertise to investigate how environmental exposures contribute to the development of diseases, and how to prevent them.
Science Highlights - September 8, 2022
Funded by SRP, a study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego found evidence that newborn mice can be exposed to the antibacterial chemical triclosan during lactation, resulting in significant fat build up in their liver — an early sign of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Science Highlights - September 6, 2022
A novel technology that can efficiently bind to and break down per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment was developed by scientists at Texas A&M Agrilife Research with support from an SRP individual research grant.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - September 5, 2022
For nearly three decades, Johnnye Lewis, Ph.D., has advanced Native American health by combining basic research, population-level studies, clear science communication, and robust partnerships with tribes.
Paper of the Month - September 2, 2022
Researchers funded by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill SRP Center identified understudied chemicals that frequently occur in the same products as those linked to breast cancer.
Paper of the Month - September 1, 2022
Increased flooding in the U.S. will likely expose more people to legacy waste from former industrial sites, according to an SRP-funded study at Brown University.
Outreach and Community Engagement - August 24, 2022
SRP Director William Suk, Ph.D., and Health Scientist Administrator Heather Henry, Ph.D., reflected on 35 years of SRP during a conversation with NIEHS Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D.
Outreach and Community Engagement - August 17, 2022
Elizabeth Shapiro-Garza, Ph.D., director of the Community Engagement Core at the Duke University SRP Center , and Veronica Carter, with the North Carolina Coastal Federation discuss the “Stop, Check, Enjoy!,” campaign in an NIEHS podcast.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - August 10, 2022
Joel Meyer, Ph.D., of the Duke University SRP Center, discussed his research into how early-life mitochondrial toxicity can affect later-life health, during his NIEHS Keystone Science Lecture.
Outreach and Community Engagement - July 18, 2022
Researchers across three SRP-funded universities and their stakeholders organized the North Carolina Fish Forum in 2019.
Science Highlights - July 15, 2022
Researchers at the University of Kentucky SRP Center created new membranes that can deactivate SARS-CoV-2 on contact, preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Outreach and Community Engagement - July 11, 2022
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were front and center during the 3rd National PFAS Meeting in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Paper of the Month - July 8, 2022
Prenatal exposure to chemical mixtures worsens working memory in adolescents, according to research by the Harvard School of Public Health SRP Center.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - July 1, 2022
Karletta Chief, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona SRP Center, explained how her interest in water stemmed from growing up within Navajo nation.
Outreach and Community Engagement - June 17, 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.
Technology Profiles - June 1, 2022
NIEHS Superfund Research Program-funded small business RemBac Environmental, LLC., developed a remediation technology to treat sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The technology uses activated carbon pellets containing microorganisms to degrade PCBs in sediments.
Paper of the Month - May 19, 2022
An SRP-funded study in mice showed that prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) altered DNA methylation in both the placenta and fetal brain in a manner consistent with neurodevelopmental disorders. The research was conducted at the University of California, Davis SRP Center.
Paper of the Month - May 19, 2022
Over the last three decades, tropical cyclones in the U.S. were associated with higher death rates in subsequent months, according to a study by the Columbia University SRP Center. The study included data on deaths in U.S. counties that experienced at least one tropical cyclone between 1988 and 2018.
Science Highlights - May 19, 2022
During recent NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Progress in Research webinars, grantees discussed innovative strategies for bioremediation the process of using bacteria, fungi, and plants to break down contaminants.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - May 19, 2022
Kathleen Gray, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) SRP Center talked about her passion for increasing understanding of environmental exposures in communities affected by contamination.
Science Highlights - May 17, 2022
NanoAffix Science, LLC developed a new portable device to detect lead in tap water in real time. The team launched its first commercial device, called NanoAquaSense, at the Water Quality Association’s Annual Convention in early April. Their technology is funded through the NIEHS Small Business and Innovation Research program.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - May 13, 2022
Environmental toxicologist Michael (Mike) Denison, Ph.D., of the University of California (UC), Davis, who was internationally known for his fundamental research on persistent organic pollutants and for developing a widely used test for detecting toxic substances in samples, died March 22 of brain cancer. A longtime grantee of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), Denison served as a project leader for more than 25 years.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - April 19, 2022
Tiffany Sanchez, Ph.D., a former trainee at the Columbia University SRP Center, reflected on her experience as a trainee working with large cohorts, or groups of participants, to understand the connections between metal exposures and disease.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - April 19, 2022
Stefano Monti, Ph.D., explained how he is developing computational models for environmental contaminants to predict their long-term health effects, such as cancer and metabolic disorders. Since 2012, Monti led the Bioinformatics and Molecular Modeling Core at the Boston University SRP Center.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - April 14, 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 cutting-edge research.
Science Highlights - April 1, 2022
A new filter cartridge that is compatible with Brita pitchers can remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. The Purefast cartridges from CycloPure, Inc., are based on DEXSORB+ technology, which was developed with support from an NIEHS Superfund Research Program small business innovation research grant.
Paper of the Month - April 1, 2022
Long-term exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures in school air may affect the nervous and immune systems, according to an SRP-funded study in rats.
Paper of the Month - April 1, 2022
North Carolina State University SRP Center researchers showed that pine needles can be used as a tool to monitor the presence and distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) over time.
Outreach and Community Engagement - March 9, 2022
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) teams have shown resourcefulness, updating existing projects and pursuing new research to address environmental health needs.
Technology Profiles - March 1, 2022
Timothy Phillips, Ph.D., and team at the Texas A&M University SRP Center developed therapeutic sorbent technology to reduce the ability of hazardous chemicals to harm the body. These edible sorbents decrease exposures by binding to chemicals, like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in the intestines.
Paper of the Month - March 1, 2022
Researchers at the University of Washington SRP Center determined how changes in the gut and liver may contribute to cadmium-induced Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Paper of the Month - March 1, 2022
University of Iowa SRP Center researchers demonstrated a robust approach for predicting exposure to arsenic and manganese using a commonly stored but often unused biological sample. As an alternative to using whole blood, their method used only the clotted erythrocyte fraction to track metal exposures.
Outreach and Community Engagement - March 1, 2022
During her Feb. 14 NIEHS Keystone Science Lecture, Monica Ramirez-Andreotta, Ph.D., shared the numerous ways she works with communities to integrate their priorities into environmental health sciences research. The University of Arizona SRP Center researcher directs Gardenroots and Project Harvest, which are citizen science initiatives that engage community members about the health of their soil, water, and plants.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - March 1, 2022
Approaches for studying airborne exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, and helping communities reduce such exposure, were discussed by University of Iowa Superfund Research Program Director Keri Hornbuckle, Ph.D., during her February 4 Keystone Science Lecture.
Outreach and Community Engagement - March 1, 2022
A new online educational resource invites high school students to examine ways that humans are exposed to arsenic and how exposure might influence susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. The tool was developed by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).
Grant Recipient Spotlights - February 18, 2022
A feature on Dartmouth College SRP Center Director Celia Chen, Ph.D., explains how she is leveraging decades of research on Mercury to better understand how people are exposed to per and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - February 17, 2022
Monica Ramirez-Andreotta, Ph.D., from the University of Arizona SRP Center, shared her experience engaging communities in science and her journey from SRP trainee to SRP researcher.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - February 1, 2022
Complexities of studying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were shared by SRP grantees and other experts during a congressional hearing. Witnesses discussed how increased research and development can better inform regulation and strengthen methods for cleaning up PFAS in the environment.
Paper of the Month - February 1, 2022
Leveraging two decades of well water data in North Carolina, investigators at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) SRP Center reported residents are exposed to arsenic and lead above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - February 1, 2022
Cherie De Vore, Ph.D., a former trainee with the University of New Mexico SRP Center, explained how her mechanistic research on metal contaminants in the environment is grounded in her Dine identity.
Outreach and Community Engagement - January 28, 2022
New fish consumption advisories in North Carolina were developed using data collected through the NIEHS Superfund SRP Center at Duke University. The goal is to better protect the health of people who collect and eat fish from the Cape Fear River.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - January 5, 2022
The annual meeting to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) was held as an abbreviated virtual event December 16, 2021. Drawing over 400 attendees from across the U.S., the meeting highlighted how SRP's dedication to innovation and collaboration across scientific fields can tackle emerging challenges.
Paper of the Month - January 3, 2022
A sophisticated biosensor may provide information about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon distribution and potential toxicity in the aftermath of hurricanes, according to an SRP-funded study. By rapidly characterizing and prioritizing samples for study, the tool supports disaster research response where time and resources are limited.
Paper of the Month - January 3, 2022
Working with citizen-scientists, University of Arizona SRP Center researchers demonstrated that leaves can be used as a low-cost, reliable method to assess the level of metals in airborne dust.
Paper of the Month - January 3, 2022
Bacteria in the gut of young children may relate to behavioral disorders, affecting girls and boys differently, according to an SRP-funded study at the Dartmouth College SRP Center. This is one of the first studies to examine associations between the microbiome and a broad range of behavioral outcomes that may vary by sex.
Grant Recipient Spotlights - January 1, 2022
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program bestowed the honor on Molly Frazar, from the University of Kentucky.