Ting Zhao Selected to Attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany

Ting Zhao, a 4th year ETOX graduate student working in Prof. Yinsheng Wang's lab has been selected to attend the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany, where she and Ashley Pimental, another UCR graduate student, will join young scientists from around the world in a week of dialogue with Nobel Prize winners.  Ting's work focuses on understanding how human cells respond to DNA and RNA damage caused by environmental agents. More information about Ting, Ashley and the conference can be found in a recent Inside UCR article.  Our congratulations to Ting and Ashley for these recognitions and the opportunity to learn directly from Nobel Laureates.  [The photo above is from the Inside UCR article]. 

Prof. Adler Dillman Featured on the YouTube Series Ask a CNAS Professor

Adler Dillman, Professor in the Department of Nematology and an ETOX faculty member, and his research have been featured in the YouTube series Ask a CNAS Professor.  In the short video, Adler briefly describes his research in nematology including his recent studies on a parasite in the Colorado that infects dogs.  Our congratulations to Adler for this recognition of his research.    

Ester Omaiye Appointed Chair of the SOT's Postdoctoral Association Executive Board

Dr. Ester Omaiye, an ETOX alumna and currently a postdoctoral fellow working with Prof. Prue Talbot, has recently been appointed as Chair of the Postdoctoral Association Executive Board of the Society of Toxicology.  Our thanks to Ester for this service to our profession and our congratulations to her for this nice recognition.  

Concern about Exposure to Menthol in eCigarettes during Pregnancy

Recent studies by Prue Talbot, a Professor of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and ETOX faculty member, and Shabnam Etemadi, a bioengineering graduate student, have shown that concentrations of menthol, similar to those from exposure to cigarettes, adversely affect human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).  The effects occurred through activation of stress-related channels in the cells which, as described in a recent UCR News article, "led to inhibition of cell growth, increased cell death, and abnormal cell movement in the hESCs,” said Shabnam Etemadi, the first author of the research paper.  Our congratulations to Shabnam and Prue for this interesting and important work.  [The photo of Shabnam and Prue shown above is from the UCR News article.]

Adler Dillman to Speak in the CNAS Science Lecture Series

Adler Dillman, a Professor in the Nematology Department and ETOX faculty member, will be speaking in this year's College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Science Lecture Series.  His presentation is entitled, "Parasitic Nematodes: Masters of Disguise" and will be presented on Saturday, May 3 at 2 pm.  To find out more and to reserve a seat, go to the CNAS website.  Our congratulations to Adler for this recognition of his work.  

Changcheng Zhou Elected as AAAS Fellow

Changcheng Zhou, Professor of Biomedical Sciences and ETOX faculty member, has recently been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).  As described in a recent Inside UCR article, AAAS fellows are elected by their peers for this "lifetime distinction, which recognizes outstanding research, leadership, teaching, mentoring, fostering collaborations, and advancing public understanding of science."  Prof. Zhou studies the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Chengcheng's election was also spotlighted in the recent Society of Toxicology Weekly Update. Our congratulations to Changcheng for this prestigious honor.  

 🎉🎉🎉On a related note, this is blog post #700, a notable milestone for this blog. 🎆🎆🎆

Prof. Chou, Alexa Canchola and Kunpeng Chen Recognized at the 2025 SOT Meeting

Several UCR attendees we're recognized at the 2025 Society of Toxicology (SOT) meeting that took place in March in Orlando, FL.  Wei-Chun Chou, a professor in the Environmental Sciences Department and an ETOX faculty member received the 2025 American Association of Chinese in Toxicology (AACT) JOINN Biomere Outstanding Young Toxicologist Award as well as a certificate of recognition for his service to the specialty group.  Alexa Canchola, a postdoctoral fellow and ETOX alumna, was awarded a travel award from the Southern California Chapter of the SOT.  Kunpeng Chen, a postdoctoral fellow and Environmental Sciences Graduate Program Alumnus, also received the Biological Modeling Specialty Section (BMSS) Best Trainee Abstract Award – Honorable Mention. Our congratulations to Wei-Chun, Alexa and Kunpeng for these nice recognitions.  

Prof. Chou receiving the AACT JOINN Biomere Young Toxicologist Award

Prof. Wei-Chun Chou receiving the service recognition certificate.  

Alexa Canchola (on right) with her travel award certificate with Prof. Chou on left

Prof. Chou, Kunpeng Chen and Alexa Canchola