Phthalates are in the Air

A new study by Aalekhya Reddam, an ETOX alumna now at CalEPA, her Ph.D. advisor David Volz, Professor of Environmental Sciences and ETOX faculty member, and their collaborators has shown high exposures to plastic-derived phthalates in the air of students commuting in Southern California.  The students wore silicone wristbands that captured chemicals found in the air around them.  Particularly high levels of three phthalates, DiNP, DEHP, and DEHT were detected.  Two of these, DiNP and DEHP, are on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Their study, published this month in Environmental Research, has recently been highlighted in UC Riverside News and LAist. NIEHS spotlighted the study in its Environental Factor as an extramural paper of the month.  Our congratulations to Aali, Dave and their colleagues for this important paper and recognition. [The graphic above is from their Environmental Research paper.]  

Prof. Men Article on PFAS-degrading Bacteria Recognized by NIEHS

The recent Science Advances article by Yujie Men, Associate Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and ETOX faculty member, and her associates has been recognized in the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) as one of its Papers of the Month on its online news publication Environmental Factor. This article was the focus of a post on this blog several months ago.  Our congratulations to Yujie and her colleagues for this nice recognition. [The image above of the active site of the PFAS-degrading enzyme is from the Sciences Advances article.]

High Cholesterol Diet of Fathers Increases Cardiovascular Disease Risk in their Daughters

A research group led by Changcheng Zhou, Professor of Biomedical Sciences and ETOX faculty member, has recently shown that feeding a high cholesterol diet to male mice can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in their female offspring.  The intergenerational effects appear to be the result of changes in small non-coding RNA molecules in the sperm which are passed to the developing zygote during fertilization.  The research was recently published in the journal JCI Insight and highlighted in UC Riverside News.  Our congratulations to Changcheng and his colleagues for this groundbreaking study. [The figure above is from the JCI article.]

Prof. David Eastmond Wins the EMGS Education Award

Prof. Nicole Sparks, ETOX alumna, Professor Eastmond, and Dr. Stephanie Smith-Roe, the EMGS President

David Eastmond, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and ETOX faculty member, was recently selected by the Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society to receive its Education Award.  The Education award, a special recognition from the Society, was given to Dr. Eastmond in "recognition of his sincere dedication to student and young investigator members" of the Society. Dr. Eastmond was nominated by an impressive group of ETOX alumnae, and he is honored by the recognition from the former students and the Society.

U-Cigarettes Shown to Have Similar or Greater Potential for Toxicity as Compared to E-Cigarettes

A recent paper by Ester Omaiye, a postdoctoral fellow and ETOX alumna, Prue Talbot, a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and ETOX faculty member, and their colleagues has investigated the fluid and aerosol composition and in vitro toxicity of ultrasonic cigarettes (U-cigarettes) and have demonstrated that they have similar or greater potential for harmful effects when compared to the latest types of electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes).  Their article recently appeared in Chemical Research in Toxicology and has been highlighted in an Inside UCR news article.  Our congratulations to Ester, Prue and their colleagues for this important new study.  [The picture above is from the authors' Chemical Research in Toxicology article.]

Vaping Devices Containing Digital Games May Lead to More Addiction Among Youth

Prof. Prue Talbot, Professor of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and ETOX faculty member, and her research assistant Man Wong have recently published an article in the journal Tobacco Control warning that vaping devices containing digital games may entice more youth into vaping, lead to more vaping among users, and result in reinforced nicotine addiction.  Their research has recently been highlighted in UC Riverside News and been the focus of an article in the Los Angeles Times.  Our congratulations to Pure and Man for these recognitions of their research.  [The photo above is from the UC Riverside News article.] 

PFAS-degrading Bacteria Discovered by Research Team Led by Prof. Yujie Men

A research team led by Yujie Men, Associate Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and ETOX faculty member, has discovered a species of Acetobacterium bacteria that can degrade unsaturated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).  PFAS have strong carbon-fluorine bonds that are so resistant to degradation that they are considered "forever chemicals".  In addition to enabling the break down of unsaturated PFAS, Men and colleagues have identified the specific enzymes involved in the degradation pathways which should allow these and other bacteria to be engineered to also degrade saturated PFAS.  Men's work was recently published in the journal Science Advances and highlighted in UC Riverside News.  Our congratulations to Yujie and her team for this important advance. [Image above is from the UCR News article.]