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.]

Lauren Walker Featured on the Society of Toxicology Blog

A personal essay by ETOX alumna Dr. Lauren Walker has recently been posted on the Society of Toxicology blog.  It is described as "part of a series designed to celebrate SOT member diversity and showcase the diverse pathways and experiences of its members". It is well written and provides insight into Lauren's educational and professional journey, emphasizing her interest in community outreach and service. The essay can be found here.  Our congratulations to Lauren for this nice recognition. The first comment written by SOT President Dori Germolec describes Lauren as "one of our rising stars".  

Prof. Carl Cranor to Retire After 53 Years at UC Riverside

Carl Cranor, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and one of the original members of the ETOX Graduate Program faculty, will formally be retiring at the end of this week after 53 years of research, teaching and service at UC Riverside.  Carl's research has been at the intersection of toxicology, the law, and morality, and he has had a distinguished career having received many awards including being elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and elected a Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini, an honor reserved for those recognized as being among the preeminent experts worldwide in the areas of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine.  A recent article on Carl's retirement and career can be found in UC Riverside News.  Our congratulations to Carl for a highly successful career.  I might mention that although formally retired, Carl will continue his professional and university work: He will be teaching a class again this fall.  [Note the photo above was taken by Sandra Baltazar Martinez and is from the UC Riverside News article.]

The 2024 Annual Student Symposium

On Friday May 24, the Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program held its 2024 Annual Student Symposium.  The event featured platform and poster presentations, GSA activities and breakfast, lunch and a dinner during which the awards were announced. The day was a recognized success with many fine presentations.  The Fukuto Award for Best Student Presentation was won by Garrit Clabaugh for “Chemical Synthesis of Site-specific Carboxylmethyl phosphotriester oligodeoxynucleotides and their formation in DNA”.  The Honorable Mention prize went to Zachary Hutchins.  The best 1st-year student presentation award went to Rebecca Yates , and John Hoang received the best 2nd year presentation award.  Lastly, the best postdoctoral award was won by Andrew Kellum.  A special thanks goes to the Student Symposium Committee (John Huang, Student Chair) and Prof. Joseph Genereux, Faculty Chair)) who organized the event, and to Prof. Linlin Zhao, who directs the Graduate Program and keeps it running smoothly. Below are pictures taken by several attendees and myself.  

Postdoctoral Position in Ecotoxicology at EPA

The EPA's Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, working collaboratively with the Office of Research and Development and the Endocrine Disruption Screening Program is searching for a postdoctoral fellow to develop Physiologically-Based Toxicokinetic (PBTK) Models in Ecological species. The position, which is open to US citizens, can be located in located in either Washington DC, Research Triangle Park NC, or here in Duluth, MN. More information on the position can be found at https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/EPA-OCSPP-2024-04.

The posting is set to close on 6/21/2024, but could close earlier if an applicant is selected. Since applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis, interested applicants are encouraged to apply or reach out to Agency contacts as soon as possible. 

Our thanks to ETOX alumna Dr. Sara Vliet for letting us know of this promising opportunity.  

Prof. Ozkan Invited as US Delegate to UN Panel on Carbon Capture

Mihri Ozkan, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and ETOX faculty member has been invited to serve as a U.S. delegate and an expert presenter for a United Nations panel that will meet in Austria during July to explore carbon capture and storage technologies to combat climate change.  In recent years, Dr. Ozkan's research has focused on methods to capture carbon and help mitigate the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  More information on Dr. Ozkan and her work can be found in this Inside UCR news magazine article. Additional details on her carbon capture methods can be found in a Jan. 2024 Inside UCR article.  Our congratulations to Mihri on this important recognition. [Photo above is from the Inside UCR article.]

Prof. Prue Talbot's Study on eCigarette Use and Covid Susceptibility Highlighted by SOT

A recent study by Prue Talbot, Professor of Cell Biology and ETOX faculty member, and her research group indicating that eCigarette users may be more susceptible to Covid was recently highlighted on the UC Riverside News website and on the Society of Toxicology's Linked-in page.  Our congratulations to Prue and her research group for this recognition.