Probiotic Seen to Counteract Adverse Flame Retardant Effects in Mice

A research team led by Maggie Curras-Collazo, Professor of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and ETOX faculty member, has observed that supplementing the maternal diet of mice with the probiotic Limosilactobacillus reuteri (LR) can help prevent negative effects from exposure to PBDE flame retardants.  Treatment of pregnant mice with LR corrected most of the behavioral and metabolic abnormalities caused by PBDE exposure such as delayed weight gain in the adult male offspring and exaggerated digging, hyperactivity and altered glucose metabolism and insulin levels in adult female offspring.  More information about their results and their research can be found in a recent UCR News article.  Our congratulations to Maggie and her research group for this promising research advance.  

Prof. Mihri Ozkan Selected as a Ambassador for the National Academy of Inventors

Mihri Ozkan, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and ETOX faculty member, has recently been selected to serve as an Ambassador for the National Academy of Inventors and will be traveling across the country to promote academic innovation. The Ambassador Program which works in partnership with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has a mission to celebrate the impact of academic invention, expand access to invention education and resources, and inspire the next generation of inventors, according to the academy. More information on Dr. Ozkan's appointment can be found in this UCR News article.  Our congratulations to Mihri on this nice recognition.  

Prof. Ashok Mulchandani Selected to Present the 2024 Faculty Research Lecture

Ashok Mulchandani, Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and an ETOX faculty member, has been selected by the University of California, Riverside Academic Senate to give the 2024 Faculty Research Lecture.  This is the 72nd annual Faculty Research Lecture and is considered to be one of the highest honors bestowed by UC Riverside on a faculty member.  His lecture, entitled, "Nanoengineering of field-effect transistor biosensors for better healthcare” will be given on December 9 at 3 pm at the Alumni and Visitors Center.  Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by Nov. 15.  Our congratulations to Ashok for this impressive recognition.  

Prof. Samantha Ying and Colleagues Receive Grant to Improve Sustainable Agriculture

Samantha Ying, a professor in the Environmental Sciences Department and an ETOX faculty member, and six other faculty members at UC Riverside and Sacramento State University have been awarded $1.5 million in grants from the California Department of Food and Agriculture to lead three inter-related projects to enhance speciality farming in California. As described in a recent UC Riverside News article, the initiatives will focus on youth engagement, sustainable waste management, and advanced agricultural technologies. We congratulate Samantha and her colleagues on the award, and wish them success.  

Danielle Stevenson's Phyto and Fungal Bioremediation Work is Receiving Widespread Attention

The phyto and fungal bioremediation work of Dr. Danielle Stevenson, a recent ETOX alumna, in the brownfields of Los Angeles is receiving widespread attention.  Her work was the focus of an extended interview in a recent Yale360 article entitled "Turning Brownfields to Blooming Meadows, With the Help of Fungi".  Earlier this year her work was the focus of an article in the Guardian newspaper entitled "Solar-powered vacuum cleaners’: the native plants that could clean toxic soil".  Our congratulations to Danielle for the success of her work and the recognitions that it is receiving. [The first photo above is from the Guardian article and the second is from the Yale360 article.]

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. In addition, NIEHS also spotlighted the study in its Environental Factor as one of its extramural papers 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.]