UNC SRP Fall 2020 e-newsletter

Program Newsletter | Fall 2020

Welcome to UNC SRP

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Reflections from the Well, the quarterly UNC Superfund Research Program e-newsletter. The UNC SRP is a multidisciplinary research center, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

UNC SRP researchers discovered a major breakthrough in studying the health impacts of arsenic exposure by using a method of gene replacement to create a humanized mouse model that metabolizes arsenic similar to humans.

Since March of this year, researchers within the UNC SRP have been adapting to lab shut-downs and re-openings, new lab protocols to limit exposure to the coronavirus, and adjusting to the everyday uncertainties that have come into play during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UNC SRP Community Engagement Core (CEC) hosted their first Public Health Action Committee (PHAC) meeting via Zoom. We are excited to welcome our new PHAC members to the team.

Upcoming Events

ESE Centennial Seminar
with William Suk

December 10, 2020 at 12pm

Solutions for environmental health protection developed through the NIEHS Superfund Research Program

Click here to register

Trainee Highlights

UNC SRP trainees from Project 5 provided oral and poster presentations at the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in May 2020.

Mikayla Armstrong
Does modifying commercial reverse osmosis membranes with solvent activation and additional polymerization result in improved membrane performance?

Riley Vickers
Estimating fluid pressure gradients within crosslinked aromatic polyamide using molecular dynamics

SRP in the News

Cutting edge mouse model research co-led by Mirek Styblo, PhD, featured in Environmental Health Perspectives

Ilona Jaspers, PhD, featured in NIEHS Stories of Success, Discovering How Air Pollution Affects Lung Health

Report-back publication co-authored by Sarah Yelton, MS, highlighted in NIEHS Environmental Factor

Awards and Presentations

Owen Duckworth, PhD, and Matthew Polizzotto, PhD, hosted a session at the Soil Science Society of America Meeting that focused on Arsenic and other contaminants in groundwater (November 2020)
Kathleen Gray, PhD, presented at NCSU Toxicology Program Seminar Series, Engaging Lay Publics in Environmental Health Sciences Research & Education (September 2020)
Kathleen Gray, PhD, served as panelist at Oliver Smithies Nobel Symposium (September 2020)
Rebecca Fry, PhD, presented to the National Academies of Sciences (August 2020)
Owen Duckworth, PhD, earned Jackson Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy Award (July 2020)

Publication Highlights

Matching Rodents to People: A Humanized Mouse Model of iAs Methylation (October 15, 2020)
Identifying Issues and Priorities in Reporting Back Environmental Health Data (September 16, 2020)
Arsenic Metabolism in Mice Carrying a BORCS7/AS3MT Locus Humanized by Syntetic Replacement (August 11, 2020)
Anglers’ Views on Using Signs to Communicate Fish Consumption Advisories (May 21, 2020)

Visit the UNC SRP website

view this email in your browser

Welcome to UNC SRP

New mouse model for arsenic exposure research

UNC SRP team tackles COVID-19

Meet our new Public Health Action Committee

Upcoming Events

Trainee Highlights

SRP in the News

Awards and Presentations

Publication Highlights