Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Riverside

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  Below are a few photos from the Canyon Crest area of Riverside. 

A decorated house on Gracefield Way.

A close-up.

The front of another house with luminarios

Environmental Health Faculty Position at UC Berkeley

The School of Public Health is searching for an assistant or associate professor in environmental health.  If interested, more information can be found here. 

After the Rain

Below are a couple of photos from Riverside that were taken after the recent rain storms.

 From campus near the Science Lab building

 

Sycamore Canyon Park

 

Sycamore Canyon Park 

Talbot and William's work cited in NY Times article

A recent article on safety concerns with the booming manufacture of electronic cigarettes in China published in the New York Times quoted Prof. Prue Talbot and linked to ETOX graduate student Monique William's PLoS ONE article on metals found in the vapor of e-cigarettes.  The NYT article can be found here and Monique's article here.  Our congratulations to Prue and Monique for another recognition of the work that they are doing. 

ETOX Fall Social

On Friday, Nov. 21, the director of the Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, Yinsheng Wang and his wife Shuli, hosted the annual fall social at their house.  There was a good turn-out and good company.  Our thanks to Yinsheng and Shuli for hosting the dinner.  Below are some pictures from the event.

Yinsheng and Shuli

Toxicologist position at Precision Toxicology in San Diego

 Precision Toxicology, a rapidly growing, fast paced, patient oriented, and integrity driven company located in San Diego, California is currently looking for a Toxicologist to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have a BS or higher degree in Chemistry, Biology, Genetics or other life science, with an understanding of drug metabolism.

Additional requirements include excellent customer service/people skills including excellent written, grammar, and English speaking phone skills able to field phone calls from clients nationwide. Due to the fast paced growth oriented environment of Precision Toxicology the candidate should be a quick learner who is able to contribute their expertise to the production, research and development, and customer service departments.

Compensation will be based on experience and fit within the company structure.

To Apply, contact:

Richard Thomas, Ph.D
Chief Scientific Officer
Richard@Precisiontox.com

Visit their website at www.precisiontox.com.

My thanks to ETOX alumna Karen Riveles who sent me the above information. 

FAO JECFA Secretariat position open

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations has a opening for a Senior Food Safety Officer who will provide scientific advice and serve as the JECFA Secretary.  The position is located in Rome, Italy and requires 10 years experience in safety/risk assessment of chemicals in food.  More information can be found here.  The application deadline is December 10, 2014. 

ATSDR toxicologist positions available in its regional offices

The ATSDR is searching for 3 toxicologists to work in their regional offices - one in NY/NJ, another in Philadelphia and another in Chicago.  Information on each can be found at the following links.

 ATSDR R2, NY/NJ toxicologist:

ATSDR R3, Philadelphia toxicologist:

ATSDR R5, Chicago toxicologist:

Per OPM, the requirements for  classification of the toxicology series, can be found here. 

My thanks to ETOX alumnus Efrem Neuwirth who let me know about these positions. 

Sarjeet Gill Receives Recognition Award from the ESA

In September, Prof. Sarjeet Gill, member of the Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience and former director of the Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, was selected by the Entomological Society of America for its Recognition Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology.  Dr. Gill was selected in recognition of his research to understand the mechanisms of action of insecticidal toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis and Clostridium bifermantans.  More information on Dr. Gill's research and the award can be found at the ESA website.  The award will be presented at the annual ESA meeting in November.  Our congratulations to Sarjeet for this nice recognition.

Alicia Taylor wins 3rd place award at the SCCSOT meeting

The Southern California Chapter of the Society of Toxicology held its annual meeting yesterday in La Jolla, California.  Each year they have a competition for best graduate student poster.  Our congratulations to Alicia Taylor whose poster entitled, "Use of a model laboratory-scale septic system for studying emerging contaminants" was selected for the 3rd place award in the poster competition.  Alicia works with Prof. Sharon Walker who was a co-author on the poster.  Below are pictures of Alicia with her poster and receiving the award.  My thanks to ETOX alumna Virunya Bhat and current student Pavan Gollapudi who sent me photos of the event.

 

Faculty position in Aquatic Toxicology at Cal State Long Beach

I first heard about this from the SOT Job Bank. 

California State University - Long Beach seeks broadly trained applicants investigating the mechanisms of toxicity and/or responses to toxic agents in aquatic environments at the molecular or cellular level. CSULB has a long tradition of training undergraduates and Masters students for careers in science by involving students in productive research and through a commitment to a scholarly approach to pedagogy. We have a diverse student body and our goal is to be a leader in placing students from groups underrepresented in science into research careers.  More information can be found at the CSULB website. 

Faculty Position in Mechanistic Toxicology at the University of Colorado

As described on its website, "The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center is seeking applications for a 12 month, full-time tenure-track faculty position at the assistant, associate or full professor level in the area of Toxicology, mores specifically focused on mechanistic toxicology. The research interests of the successful applicant will complement those of an existing group of successful and well-funded faculty. Current research interests include elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying effects of environmental toxicants, neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, nanotoxicology, toxicant-induced liver toxicity and systems approaches to elucidating toxicological mechanisms."  More information can be found here. 

Faculty Position in Environmental Toxicology at UCR

UC Riverside is searching for a new faculty member in Environmental Toxicology.  The position description is below.  Additional information and a link to apply can be found here. We are hoping that the recruitment will be a success and that an outstanding colleague will join our ranks soon. 

The College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) at the University of California, Riverside invites applications for a tenure track position in Environmental Toxicology at the rank of Assistant Professor. The position has an instruction component and a research component within the Agricultural Experiment Station (http://cnas.ucr.edu/about/anr). The successful candidate will develop a nationally recognized research program in Environmental Toxicology focused on human health and/or ecological effects of emerging or classical environmental contaminants.

The applicant must have a Ph.D. with preferably at least two years of postdoctoral experience. The applicant is expected to have expertise in evaluating toxicological responses in appropriate animal or cell-based models. Research may include one or more of the following areas that impact humans and/or ecosystems: adverse effects of contaminants in surface or drinking water, mode of action and molecular mechanisms of toxicological effects, including genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, and/or exposure to environmental contaminants and disease development. The candidate will have a home department in Environmental Sciences (http://envisci.ucr.edu) or Cell Biology and Neuroscience (http://cbns.ucr.edu) and is encouraged to work with faculty in related fields including Biochemistry, Chemistry and the newly established UCR School of Medicine (http://medschool.ucr.edu). The successful candidate is expected to be fully engaged in the teaching mission of the University, including formal classroom instruction and mentoring of graduate students in the interdepartmental Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program (http://etox.ucr.edu), as well as in related undergraduate programs. Additional information about the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences can be found at: http://cnas.ucr.edu.

Evaluation of applications will begin after October 27, 2014, but the position will remain open until filled. The desired start date of the applicant is July 1, 2015. Applications must include a vita, statements of research and teaching interests and at least 3 letters of recommendation. All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted through AP Recruit at: https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/apply/JPF00208. For questions on application procedures and requirements, please contact Beverly Mc Neil at beverly.mcneil@ucr.edu. For more information about the position, please contact Dr. Jay Gan, Chair of Search Committee, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, at jgan@ucr.edu. 

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

EPA Postdoctoral Positions

The EPA Office of Research and Development has announced plans to hire 40 postdoctoral fellows to support multiple toxicology-related centers and research laboratories.  If interested more information can be found here.  Applications are due by Oct. 31, 2014. 

Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Specialist Position

The Los Angeles Community College District is searching for a Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Specialist.  According to the website, "The position develops, implements, coordinates, promotes, and evaluates safety and risk management programs encompassing environmental and occupational health, safety, hazardous materials management, and emergency preparedness services and activities." If you are interested, more information can be found here. 

UCOP postion for an Environmental Health and Policy Specialist focusing on Breast Cancer Research

The University of California Office of the President is searching for an Environmental Health & Health Policy Sciences Program Officer.  The position will have "primary responsibility in the area of environmental health and health policy sciences in the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP), including program development and planning, peer reviewer and applicant relations, grant/contract application and award management, and representing the program and disseminating research findings to a broad range of organizations and institutions concerned with breast cancer."  If you are interested, more information can be found here and by following the search instructions on that webpage. 

Summer internships at the CDC in Atlanta

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention sponsors a paid ten week summer internship called the Graduate Environmental Health program (GEH) that is available for graduate students with majors or interests deemed to be in support of environmental health missions at NCEH/ATSDR.  More information can be found here.  Allison Wilder, a former student in my risk assessment class, was one of the four students selected this past summer.  My thanks to her for letting me know about the program. She said that they would like more applicants from the West coast as most applications come from other parts of the country. 

Cynthia Larive receives ACS Volunteer Service Award

Dr. Cynthia Larive, a professor of chemistry, Divisional Dean, and an Environmental Toxicology Program faculty member, has been selected to receive the 2015 Award for Volunteer Service from the American Chemical Society. From the UCR website, "the award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the goals and objectives of the society".  Dr. Larive will receive the award next spring at the ACS national meeting in Denver, Colo. Our congratulations to Cindy for this nice recognition. 

Position at the EPA

The EPA is searching for biologists/ecologists to work in its Arlington, VA office.  The key duties are to:

- Provide technical leadership for environmental, ecological, and causal assessments.

- Advance the state of the science for conducting scientific assessments and studies.

- Evaluate potential impacts on water resources, with emphasis on energy extraction and production.

- Design and implement studies of the impacts of water availability on drinking water and aquatic resources.

You will spend 25-50% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

If you are interested, more information can be found here.  My thanks to ETOX alumnae Catherine Gibbons for forwarding the information. 

Essay by Chris Banks about transitioning into a government job

An essay by ETOX alumnus Chris Banks (Ph.D. 2010) describing his experience and thoughts about transitioning from a postdoctoral position into a position at California EPA has just been published in the SOT Communique blog.  It was written in recognition of National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week.  The article can be found here.  Our congratulations to Chris on the publication of his essay and for sharing his thoughts on his decision to work at CalEPA. 

Study Coordinator/Junior Toxicologist position

I received the following information from Jacob Jabbour, President of the Southern California Chapter of the Society of Toxicology that I thought might be of interest to some of the blog readers.   

Neurocrine is currently seeking a Study Coordinator/Junior Toxicologist in San Diego. This individual would work under the direction of the Toxicology Director to coordinate studies to allow timely conduct of GLP and non-GLP toxicity studies.  If you or anyone you know is interested in the position please be sure to see the attached document for more detailed information on the position’s roles and responsibilities.

Faculty postion in Environmental Sciences at Baylor University

I was forwarded the following information from Dr. Sascha Usenko earlier today.  If interested, please use the email address or web links below. Good luck. 

We are looking to fill an assistant or associate tenure track position in the Department of Environmental Science at Baylor University beginning August 2015. Successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a nationally competitive research program, while teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level. Immediate needs include environmental health science. Rank and salary are dependent on qualifications and experience. Additional information regarding the Department of Environmental Science, and this position announcement is available at www.baylor.edu/environmentalscience, Dr. Sascha Usenko, Search Committee Chair (Sascha_Usenko@Baylor.edu), or at http://www.baylor.edu/hr/index.php?id=81289. 

Profs. Bahreini and Bailey-Serres recognized as being among the world's most cited scientists from 2002-2012

Environmental Toxicology faculty members, Roya Bahreini and Julia Bailey-Serres, have recently been recognized by Thompson-Reuters as being among the world's most influential scientists based on the large number of citations that their articles have received.  Their highly cited papers rank inthe top 1% by citations for their field and year of publication.  As described in an article in UCR Today, Prof. Bahreini’s research interests include airborne, ground-based and laboratory measurements of aerosol composition and microphysical properties; air quality; and aerosol direct- and indirect-effects on climate. Prof. Bailey-Serres works on providing modern solutions to agricultural challenges by unraveling the complexities of plant response to environmental challenges. Our congratulations to both Drs. Bailey-Serres and Bahreini for this nice recognition. 

Position at FDA in Environmental Assessment of Pharmaceuticals

Hiedi Bethel forwarded the following information to me about an interesting position opening at the FDA.  Please follow the link below if interested in more information. 

A research fellowship opportunity recently opened here at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Please distribute.

The candidate should have or be pursuing a doctoral degree in aquatic ecology, biology, biochemistry, toxicology or a closely related field, with education and/or experience primarily with low-dose chemical-induced (preferably from pharmaceuticals) perturbations of the endocrine systems of aquatic vertebrates.  Other useful qualifications include education and/or experience with other adverse endpoints, including stressor additivity/synergism and antimicrobial resistance; testing assays and strategies currently established at or undergoing development by other FDA Centers, agencies, and countries/regions; and the regulatory science framework regarding environmental assessments at CDER and other FDA Centers, agencies, and countries/regions.

As background, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) requires all Federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of their actions. To comply, FDA implements 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25, which includes a requirement for an environmental assessment (EA) if "extraordinary circumstances" indicate that the specific proposed action may significantly affect the quality of the human environment.  Some drugs with hormonal activity have been shown to affect the environment, and thus FDA is examining whether additional ecotoxicity testing should be required for applications submitted for drugs with hormonal activity. In addition, antimicrobial, additivity/synergism, and other properties have been implicated for possible adverse environmental and human effects.

See http://orise.orau.gov/fda/applicants/description.aspx?JobId=17033 for more details.

Bahreini lab participates in the FRAPPE study in Colorado

Prof. Roya Bahreini and her two Environmental Toxicology graduate students, Kennedy Vu and Justin Dingle, sent the summer working on the FRAPPE air pollution study in Colorado.  As described by Kennedy, their group "recently completed an intensive air quality study over the Colorado Front Range in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), NASA, and NSF. The campaign acronym “FRAPPE” (Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment) has an overall goal of studying the sources and sinks that may be contributing to the ozone problem in the greater Colorado area. We were representing UC Riverside and the Environmental Toxicology Program among two dozen teams with various instrumentation. This flight campaign utilized the spacious cabin of the C130 to house several instruments in which we deployed our Aerosol Mass Spectrometer and our Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift Spectrometer to measure aerosol composition and extinction. Over 80 flight hours later, we have successfully completed our missions with promising results. We will be spending the next few months critically analyzing our data which will drive policy and control measures for the future air quality of Colorado!" Kennedy provided the following photos.  For more information, please see the FRAPPE web page with its associated links.  It sounds like it was a great experience for our UCR participants.  My thanks to Kennedy for the information and the photos.

 Kennedy Vu, Prof. Roya Bahreini and Justin Dingle

Roya Bahreini and Justin Dingle

 Kennedy and Justin

Visit of Undersecretary Abdelbagi

Today, one of Roy Fukuto's last graduate students, Prof. Azhari Omer Abdelbagi, stopped by to visit.  He has had a very successful career at the University of Khartoum in Sudan.  In addition to his university work, he is currently serving as the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for the Republic of Sudan.  Below is a picture of Undersecretary Abdelbagi (middle) with Prof. Mike Adams (on left) and David Eastmond (on right).  It was good to hear of Dr. Abdelbagi's success.  He will be meeting with administrative officials later today, which will hopefully lead to closer collaborations between UC Riverside and those in the Sudan.

Toxicology positions at the FDA

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Services of the Food and Drug Administration is searching for toxicologists to fill positions at its Silver Springs, Maryland location.  If interested, more information can be found here. 

Cranor awarded the Romanell-Phi Beta Kappa Professorship in Philosophy for 2014-15

Carl Cranor, Professor of Philosophy and ETOX faculty member, has been awarded the prestigious Romanell-Phi Beta Kappa Professorship in Philosophy for 2014-15.  As described in the UCR press release (that can be found here), Dr. Cranor is well known for his research on the regulation of toxic substances, the ethics of risk, and the philosophy of law and science.  Our congratulations to Carl for this nice and well deserved recognition. 

Camacho visit

Homero Camacho (Ph.D. 2009) is on break from the Ponce Medical School in Puerto Rico where he is currently a student.  Last week, he stopped by to visit UCR.  Below is a photo of Homero in his old lab.  We wish him the best of success in his studies.

William's work on e-Cigarettes spotlighted on Al Jazeera America

Monique Williams is an Environmental Toxicology graduate student working with Dr. Prue Talbot and is studying the components and cytotoxicity of electronic cigarettes.  She was recently interviewed and her research spotlighted on a show produced by Al Jazeera America.  A video clip of the segment that features Monique can be found here.  Our congratulations to Monique and Prue for this nice recognition of their research. 

Project Manager Position within the Environment, Health and Safety Division of the OECD

There is an opening for a program manager in the  Environment, Health and Safety Division at the OECD (located in Paris, France, I believe).  The responsibilities involve working on the assessment of chemicals and pesticides.  They are looking for someone with practical experience in hazard assessment of chemicals and/or risk management of pesticides.  If you are interested more information can be found here. The deadline for applications is Aug.8, 2014. 

Alumni news - James Adams

James Adams (M.S., 1994) is a project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers in Portland, Oregon.  Below is a picture of him receiving the Project Delivery Team of the Year award in 2013 as the Project Manager for the Westmoreland Park Ecosystem Restoration Project. On the left is Brigadier General Anthony Funkhouser (Northwestern Division Commander) and on his right is Colonel John Eisenhauer (Portland District Commander).  Our congratulations to James for this nice recognition. 

Alumni news - Kelly Thrippleton-Hunter

Kelly Thrippleton-Hunter (Ph.D. 2009) sent her best wishes to the students participating in the annual student symposium.  She continues to work at Western Governors University where she team teaches Integrated Natural Science and Introduction to Biology. She and her husband recently welcomed a new addition to their family – Ryan Kenneth. Ryan joins a very excited big sister Ainsley May, who just turned 2 this May.  She sent along the following picture of her two cute children. 

Annual student symposium

The annual student symposium took place on June 20, 2014.  I was unable to attend but am told that it was very successful.  There were 37 student presentations and 6 individuals were selected for recognition.  The awardees and the titles of their presentations are listed below. 

T. Roy Fukuto Outstanding Student Presentation

Pengcheng Wang, “In vivo Replication Studies of O 2-alkyl Thymidine Adducts”

Honorable mention

Shuo Liu, “LC-MS/MS for the Detection of β-Glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil (Base J) in Genomic DNA of Trypanosoma brucei”

Honorable mention

Nicole Sparks, “Tobacco Induces ROS Accumulation and Osteogenic Dysfunction”

Honorable mention

Samuel Hinman, “Rational Design of Metallic Nanomaterials for Surface-Enhanced Biological Assays“

Best presentation by a 1^st year student

Lauren Walker, “Embryonic Stem Cell Test Revised: Use of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Test for Cardiac Developmental Toxicity”

Best presentation by a 1^st year student

Kennedy Vu, “Real-time Ambient Aerosol Composition and Extinction Measurements in Mira Loma, California”

My thanks to Dawn Loyola who sent the following pictures from the event. 

 The award winners with Drs. Wang, zur Nieden and Gill in the back.

 

Program Director Yinsheng Wang and former Director Sarjeet Gill

 

 

Risk assessment position in Nevada

The State of Nevada is looking for an environmental scientist to assist them in evaluating human health and environmental risk assessments.  The closing date is July 4, 2014.  For more information, please click here.

Toxicology Positions at DTSC

I recently received an email from Michael Wade with the Department of Toxic Substances Control.  The text of the message is below. 

 In our office, we have an opening at the Staff Toxicologist (doctoral plus 3 years experience) or Associate level (Doctoral with less than 3 years experience or a Masters degree).  We plan on having two more positions available in the near future.  I would be grateful if you could circulate the information about our openings in your Department.  I attached our announcement which is on our website (dtsc.ca.gov)  To be considered you have to be on the Staff or Associate Toxicologist list, after which you can submit an application.  Information about getting on the list is at http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/Employment/OpenExam.cfm       Information about the position is at http://jobs.spb.ca.gov/wvpos/search_p.cfm?dept=toxic&sort=title1,%20releasedate20desc&CFID=259966&CFTOKEN=72507986&jsessionid=88307164870c354c6e36

Applying for a job with the State of California can sometimes be confusing for people unfamiliar with the process.  I would be happy to answer questions about applying or to discuss the position with potential applicants.

Thank you,
Mike

Michael Wade, Ph.D., DABT
Senior Toxicologist
Human and Ecological Risk Office
Brownfields and Environmental Restoration Program Dept of Toxic Substances Control
8800 Cal Center Drive
Sacramento, California 95826

telephone:  (916) 255-6653
email:  mwade@dtsc.ca.gov

Toxicology/risk assessment positions in Minnesota

The Health Risk Assessment Unit of the Minnesota Department of Health is searching for staff toxicologists to fill three positions in environmental public health.  The positions will be located in St. Paul, MN.  For more information, please see the SRA website announcement. My thanks to ETOX alumnus Efrem Neuwirth for passing on the information. 

UCR well represented on the SOT meeting photo gallery

The Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program and particularly Dan Schlenk's research group is prominently represented on the SOT annual meeting photo gallery.  Below are three photos from the gallery.

Graciel Diamante with her poster

Lindley Maryoung describing her research at her poster

Prof. Dan Schlenk

Position in Riverside

The USDA is advertising for a Research Molecular Biologist (Plants)/Research Geneticist (Plants) who would be located in Riverside.  The job description indicates that the agency is "seeking permanent, full-time Research Molecular Biologist (Plants)/Research Geneticist (Plants) to: identify plant genes associated with salt tolerance and specific ion toxicity, investigate the molecular mechanisms and genetic diversity associated with plant salt-related stress tolerance, and develop new crop genotypes that are more tolerant of salinity and specific ions."  If you would like more information, see this link at the USA jobs site.   Thanks to Heidi Bethel for sending the information.

Virunya Bhat recognized at the SOT meeting

It was a very good meeting for ETOX student, Virunya Bhat.  She and Dr. Susan Hester of the EPA organized a workshop entitled,  “Toxicogenomic Technologies Can Improve the Assessment of Xenobiotic-induced Liver Injury and Inform Human Relevance”.  They also chaired the session.  I understand that their session was scheduled into a very large room and that it was filled.

On another note, Virunya's paper that was published in Toxicological Sciences was selected by the Risk Assessment Specialty Section as "One of the Best Papers Advancing the Science of Risk Assessment" for 2013.  Each of the authors received a certificate which was presented as the Specialty Section Reception.  Mine (Dr. Eastmond's) is shown below.  More information about Virunya's paper can be found here.  Our congratulations to Virunya for these two nice accomplishments. 

Photos from the SOT meeting (part 3)

Here are some more photos taken by ETOX student Pavan Gollapudi.

Lindley Maryoung

Graciel Diamante

Allison Kupsco and Prof. Dan Schlenk

 Pavan Gollapudi and Dr. Efrem Neuwirth

 Aileen Maldonado (Environmental Science graduate student)