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.]