NIEHS - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - News
Sun Apr 24 04:36:58 EDT 2011
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NIH Investigators Find Link Between DNA Damage and Immune Response - Researchers offer the first evidence that DNA damage can lead to the regulation of inflammatory responses, the body's reaction to injury. The proteins involved in the regulation help protect the body from infection.

Submit Your Visionary Ideas About Environmental Health Research - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is seeking input from the public as well as researchers for its new strategic plan. To get involved, submit an idea for research or nominate a workshop participant.

New Robot System to Test 10,000 Chemicals for Toxicity - Several federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, today unveiled a new high-speed robot screening system that will test 10,000 different chemicals for potential toxicity. The system marks the beginning of a new phase of an ongoing collaboration, referred to as Tox21, that is working to protect human health by improving how chemicals are tested in the United States.

Media Advisory: NIH Joins SOT to Celebrate 50 Years of Toxicology Science - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will mark the 50th anniversary of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) at the SOT annual meeting in Washington, D.C., March 6-10, 2011.

NIH Launches Largest Oil Spill Health Study - GuLF STUDY to follow 55,000 cleanup workers and volunteers for up to 10 years. The GuLF STUDY (Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study) is the largest health study of its kind ever conducted among cleanup workers and volunteers, and is one component of a comprehensive federal response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The study is being conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, and is expected to last up to 10 years Many agencies, researchers, outside experts, as well as members of the local community, have provided input into how the study should be designed and implemented.

Media Advisory: Largest Oil Spill Health Study to Launch Along Gulf Coast - The GuLF STUDY (Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study), to help learn if oil spills and exposure to crude oil and dispersants affect physical and mental health, will launch in states along the Gulf Coast in February 2011. The study is being conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

NIEHS Grantees, NYU and WHOI, Discover Genetic Mutation Allowing Hudson River Fish to Adapt to PCBs - A research group led by an NYU School of Medicine scientist discovered a genetic variant that allows a fish in the Hudson River to live in waters heavily polluted by PCBs. In a study published in the February 18, 2011, online issue of Science, they report that a population of Hudson River fish apparently evolved rapidly in response to the toxic chemicals, which were first introduced in 1929, and were banned fifty years later. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications, especially as electrical insulators.

NIH Study Finds Two Pesticides Associated with Parkinson's Disease - New research shows a link between use of two pesticides, rotenone and paraquat, and Parkinson's disease. People who used either pesticide developed Parkinson's disease approximately 2.5 times more often than non-users. The study was a collaborative effort conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center in Sunnyvale, Calif. "Rotenone directly inhibits the function of the mitochondria, the structure responsible for making energy in the cell," said Freya Kamel, Ph.D., a researcher in the intramural program at NIEHS and co-author of the paper appearing online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. "Paraquat increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures. People who used these pesticides or others with a similar mechanism of action were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease."

Members of a Federal Advisory Group on Autism Mobilize in Response to a Mother's Plea - IMH, along with three other NIH Institutes, will be supporting a joint effort with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Autism Speaks, a private advocacy organization, to investigate reports of elevated prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) among children born to Somali immigrants living in Minneapolis, Minn.

HHS Proposed Recommendation on Fluoride - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today are announcing important steps to ensure that standards and guidelines on fluoride in drinking water continue to provide the maximum protection to the American people to support good dental health, especially in children. HHS is proposing that the recommended level of fluoride in drinking water can be set at the lowest end of the current optimal range to prevent tooth decay, and EPA is initiating review of the maximum amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water.

Media Advisory: National Toxicology Program Workshop: Role of Environmental Chemicals in the Development of Diabetes and Obesity - The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is hosting this workshop on Jan. 11-13, 2011, because there is a growing body of research showing that chemicals in our environment may be contributing to diabetes and obesity worldwide, and that chemical exposures need to be considered along with nutrition and diet. Six chemical classes will be discussed at the workshop, including 1) arsenic and other metals, 2) bisphenol A (BPA), 3) organotins and phthalates, 4) nicotine, 5) pesticides, and 6) persistent organic pollutants. For the first time, new computer-generated data, also known as high-throughput analysis, will be considered along with animal and human studies, as part of the NTP workshop. The workshop is organized by the NTP Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction, part of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The plenary sessions of the workshop can be viewed at http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/evals/diabetesobesity/.

Jackson Laboratory CEO Woychik to depart for NIEHS - Jackson Laboratory President and CEO Richard Woychik, Ph.D., announced today that he will leave the institution in January 2011 to accept a new position as deputy director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, N.C. "It has been a great honor to serve The Jackson Laboratory," Woychik said. "I will miss the many fine people who have contributed to the Laboratory’s success during my time here, and I am confident that the institution will continue to grow and prosper." Brian Wruble, chairman of the Jackson Board of Trustees, said, "We owe a tremendous debt to Rick Woychik. Under his leadership, the Laboratory has achieved a great deal, both scientifically and operationally. The Laboratory is financially stronger today than ever before in its history. We wish Rick the very best of luck in the future. He will be sorely missed."

Succimer Found Ineffective for Removing Mercury - Succimer, a drug used for treating lead poisoning, does not effectively remove mercury from the body, according to research supported by the National Institutes of Health. Some families have turned to succimer as an alternative therapy for treating autism. "Succimer is effective for treating children with lead poisoning, but it does not work very well for mercury," said Walter Rogan, M.D., head of the Pediatric Epidemiology Group at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of NIH, and an author on the paper that appears online in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Five NIH Leaders Elected to the Institute of Medicine - The National Academy of Sciences today announced that five leaders at the National Institutes of Health have been elected to the Institute of Medicine. Election to the IOM is one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health. The NIH officials elected are: Jeremy M. Berg, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS); Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS); Ira H. Pastan, M.D., chief of the laboratory of cell biology, Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute; Thomas E. Wellems, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the laboratory of malaria and vector research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and Carl Wu, Ph.D., chief of the laboratory of biochemistry and molecular biology, Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute. They are among 65 new members and five foreign associates of the IOM, which is a national resource for independently informed analysis and recommendations of issues related to human health. With their election, members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of time as volunteers for IOM committees, which conduct a broad range of studies on health policy issues.

University of Louisville to Host Community Forum on Social and Environmental Determinants of Health - The University of Louisville Center for Environmental Genomics and Integrative Biology (CEGIB) will host a community forum on the social and environmental determinants of health on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 4:30 p.m., at The Nia Center, 2900 W. Broadway.

Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), will lead the discussion. The panel also includes UofL scientists and representatives from Rubbertown Emergency Action network (REACT), West Jefferson County Community Task Force (WJCTF), Rubbertown Community Advisory Council (RCAC) and Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness.

Children, Males and Blacks are at Increased Risk for Food Allergies - A new study estimates that 2.5 percent of the United States population, or about 7.6 million Americans, have food allergies. Food allergy rates were found to be higher for children, non-Hispanic blacks, and males, according to the researchers. The odds of male black children having food allergies were 4.4 times higher than others in the general population. The research, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and appears in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, is the first to use a nationally representative sample, as well as specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) or antibody levels to quantify allergic sensitization to common foods, including peanuts, milk, eggs, and shrimp. The hallmark of food allergy is production of IgE antibodies to a specific food protein. Once IgE antibody is made, further exposure to the food triggers an allergic response. IgE levels are often high in people with allergies.

NIEHS to Fund $36 Million in Worker Safety Training - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is awarding $36 million in grants to 20 organizations that develop safety and health training for workers involved in hazardous waste operations and transportation, environmental restoration of contaminated facilities, and chemical emergency response. These training programs can receive annual funding for up to five years. Five awardees in the Gulf Coast region will use the money to continue ongoing safety and health training activities in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Oil cleanup experts and hazardous material trainers are providing curricula review and assistance with quality assurance to BP, while also delivering classroom and onsite safety and health training. Awardees will also be analyzing and documenting the effectiveness of oil spill response training to prepare for future efforts.

Teresa Heinz and the Heinz Family Foundation Announce Recipients of $1 Million Heinz Awards - Teresa Heinz and the Heinz Family Foundation today announced the winners of the 16th annual Heinz Awards, honoring the contributions of 10 innovative and inspiring individuals whose work has addressed environmental challenges. Each recipient receives an unrestricted cash prize of $100,000. "We're living in a time of unprecedented global change. Our planet is facing rising temperatures and our communities are affected by toxic chemicals that weren't on the market a hundred years ago," said Teresa Heinz, chairman of the Heinz Family Foundation. “We’re recognizing innovators who are tackling some of the most vexing problems facing our planet."

NIH to Launch Gulf Oil Spill Health Study - The National Institutes of Health will launch a multi-year study this fall to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf region. The Gulf Worker Study, announced by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., in June, is in response to the largest oil spill in U.S. history, caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Collins pledged $10 million in NIH funding for the study's initial phases. To help expedite the launch of the study, BP will contribute an additional $10 million to NIH for this and other important health research. The BP funding will come through the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GRI). The GRI is a ten-year, $500 million independent research program established by BP to better understand and mitigate the environmental and potential health effects of the Gulf spill. The NIH will have full autonomy regarding the distribution of the $10 million, with input from external scientific experts in environmental health and who are familiar with the Gulf region.

Atrazine Causes Prostate Inflammation in Male Rats and Delays Puberty - A new study shows that male rats prenatally exposed to low doses of atrazine, a widely used herbicide, are more likely to develop prostate inflammation and to go through puberty later than non-exposed animals. The research adds to a growing body of literature on atrazine, a herbicide predominantly used to control weeds and grasses in crops such as corn and sugar cane. Atrazine and its byproducts are known to be relatively persistent in the environment, potentially finding their way into water supplies. The research, which is available online and will be featured on the cover of Reproductive Toxicology (Volume 30; Issue 4), found that the incidence of prostate inflammation went from 48 percent in the control group to 81 percent in the male offspring who were exposed to a mixture of atrazine and its breakdown products prenatally. The severity of the inflammation increased with the strength of the doses. Puberty was also delayed in the animals who received atrazine.

New Breast Cancer Committee to Establish Federal Research Agenda - A newly formed advisory committee will develop and coordinate a strategic federal research agenda on environmental and genetic factors related to breast cancer. The 19-member Interagency Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Coordinating Committee (IBCERCC) was established by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), to review all breast cancer research efforts conducted or supported by federal agencies. The committee will develop recommendations for the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and other federal agencies, to improve existing research programs related to breast cancer research. Additionally, the IBCERCC will create a comprehensive plan to expand opportunities for collaborative, multi-disciplinary research, and develop a summary of advances in federal breast cancer research.

NIH-Supported Study Finds Novel Pathway May Open Doors for New Blood Pressure Treatments - Researchers have found that increasing certain proteins in the blood vessels of mice, relaxed the vessels, lowering the animal’s blood pressure. The study provides new avenues for research that may lead to new treatments for hypertension. "The paper demonstrates that cytochrome P450 plays an important role in the management of high blood pressure, a disease of enormous public health concern," said Darryl Zeldin, M.D., acting clinical director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and senior author on the paper.

NIH Institutes Renew Dedication to Asthma Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment - May 4, 2010 marks World Asthma Day, when public officials, health organizations, and patient groups around the world take action to increase public awareness of the global burden of asthma and promote better asthma diagnosis and treatment. For decades, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has supported groundbreaking research that has led to improvements in outcomes for people with asthma. As the NIH’s leading Institutes in this field, we at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI); the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) renew our dedication to asthma prevention, diagnosis, and management.

NIH-led Interagency Group Identifies Research Needs to Study Climate Change and Human Health Impacts - A report released today by a federal working group highlights 11 key categories of diseases and other health consequences that are occurring or will occur due to climate change. The report, A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/climatereport), provides a starting point for coordination of federal research to better understand climate’s impact on human health. The recommendations of the working group include research to identify who will be most vulnerable, and what efforts will be most beneficial.

Targeting the Blood-Brain Barrier May Delay Progression of Alzheimer's Disease - Researchers may be one step closer to slowing the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease. An animal study supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, shows that by targeting the blood-brain barrier, researchers are able to slow the accumulation of a protein associated with the progression of the illness. The blood-brain barrier separates the brain from circulating blood, and it protects the brain by removing toxic metabolites and proteins formed in the brain and preventing entry of toxic chemicals from the blood.

Leading Toxicologists Highlight Advances to Safeguard Public Health: NIEHS and NTP Research Showcased at SOT Annual Meeting - The governments leading toxicologists and environmental health scientists will share their latest scientific accomplishments, offer continuing education courses, discuss funding and training opportunities, receive input on future research priorities, and more, at the Society of Toxicology (SOT) annual meeting. Staff from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the National Institutes of Health, and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) will speak at more than 30 different sessions and present 60 posters on topics ranging from improving toxicity testing to translational research. Many NIEHS grantees will also showcase their research. For the first time this year, live updates will be provided by conference participants on the NIEHS and NTP web sites. "If you are interested in knowing what researchers and toxicologists in government, academia and industry are doing to advance the pace of biomedical research and safeguard the public's health, the SOT meeting is the place to be," said NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D. "For toxicologists, this is our Olympics." The SOT Annual Meeting is the largest toxicology meeting and exhibition in the world, attracting approximately 6,500 scientists from industry, academia, and government. When: March 7-11, 2010. Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting - All events will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information about the SOT annual meeting, visit http://www.toxicology.org/AI/MEET/AM2010/

FDA Update on Bisphenol A (BPA) for Use in Food - Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical that has been present in many hard plastic bottles and metal-based food and beverage cans since the 1960s. Studies employing standardized toxicity tests have thus far supported the safety of current low levels of human exposure to BPA. However, on the basis of results from recent studies using novel approaches to test for subtle effects, both the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health and FDA have some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children. In cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research is carrying out in-depth studies to answer key questions and clarify uncertainties about the risks of BPA.

NIH-Funded Study Unveils Potential Genetic Links to Lung Disease Risk - A new study involving data from more than 20,000 individuals has uncovered several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function. The research, an analysis that combined the results of several smaller studies, provides insight into the mechanisms involved in reaching full lung capacity. The findings may ultimately lead to better understanding of lung function and diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.

News Advisory - Scientific Panel Evaluates Soy Infant Formula Safety - Members of the media are invited to attend a press availability period at noon on Friday, December 18, 2009 that will follow a scientific meeting evaluating the safety of soy infant formula. An independent panel of 14 scientists will evaluate the most current research on soy infant formula to determine whether exposure to soy infant formula is a risk to human development. The expert panel will also indentify data gaps and research needs. The panel is convened by the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

Scientists Explore Role of Environmental Stressors in the Developmental Origins of Disease - Experts from around the world will gather December 7 - 10 at the Loews Hotel in Miami, Florida, to examine the animal and human data supporting a hypothesis that subtle effects during fetal and postnatal development can lead to functional deficits and increased disease risk later in life.

NIH Teams Up With The Lancet and Leading International Organizations to Address Public Health Impacts of Climate Change: New Strategies Promote Health and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Today, new studies published in The Lancet show that strategies to reduce greenhouse gases also benefit human health. The Lancet series highlights case studies on four climate change topics — household energy, transportation, electricity generation, and agricultural food production. Researchers say that cost savings realized from improving health will offset the cost of addressing climate change and, therefore, should be considered as part of all policy discussions related to climate change. Key researchers and public health officials gathered in the Unites States and Britain gathered together via satellite simulcast to unveil new research.

NIEHS Awards Recovery Act Funds to Focus More Research on Health and Safety of Nanomaterials - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, is increasing its investment in understanding the potential health, safety and environmental issues related to tiny particles that are used in many everyday products such as sunscreens, cosmetics and electronics. The NIEHS will award about $13 million over a two-year period, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to bolster the NIEHS’s ongoing research portfolio in the area of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Engineered nanomaterials are very tiny materials about 100,000 times smaller than a single strand of hair. They represent a significant breakthrough in material design and development for industry and consumer products, including stain-resistant clothing, pesticides, tires, and electronics, as well as in medicine for purposes of diagnosis, imaging and drug delivery.

NIEHS Awards Recovery Act Funds to Address Bisphenol A Research Gaps - Researchers studying the health effects of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) gathered in North Carolina to launch an integrated research initiative to produce data that will allow for a comprehensive assessment of its possible human health effects. Researchers who just received funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to study BPA were brought together to meet with scientists from academia and government already working on the compound. The meeting was held Oct. 6, 2009 at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The meeting is part of an effort to support human and animal research that will help determine if current exposures to BPA in the general population pose a potential health risk. NIEHS is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and has the lead in supporting research to study the potential effects that chemicals, such as BPA, may have on human health. President Obama allocated $5 billion in Recovery Act funds to the NIH, with about $14 million going to NIEHS for research on BPA.

A Call to Copenhagen - Health Effects of Climate Change: Major Study Unveiled, Evaluates Strategies to Reduce Green House Gas Emissions - Members of the press are invited to the unveiling and policy discussion of a major international study on the Public Health Impacts of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions being published in Lancet, just in time for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring the event which will feature speakers from around the world gathered in Washington, DC and at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine participating via live video conferencing.

Sister Study Exceeds Recruitment Goal: Now the Real Work Begins - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, has many reasons to celebrate this October as it recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The NIEHS Sister Study began recruiting women for this landmark study during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October 2004 and this October has reached a milestone. It has recruited nearly 51,000 women from all walks of life, whose sisters had breast cancer, to participate in this long-term study that is focusing on uncovering environmental and genetic factors that influence breast cancer risk. These sisters and researchers have joined together in a long-term commitment to help prevent breast cancer.

NIH Funds Grantees Focusing on Epigenomics of Human Health and Disease - The National Institutes of Health announced today that it will fund 22 grants on genome-wide studies of how epigenetic changes -- chemical modifications to genes that result from diet, aging, stress, or environmental exposures -- define and contribute to specific human diseases and biological processes.

Electronic Nose Sniffs out Toxins - Imagine a polka-dotted postage stamp-sized sensor that can sniff out some known poisonous gases and toxins and show the results simply by changing colors. Support for the development and application of this electronic nose comes from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Sun Exposure May Trigger Certain Autoimmune Diseases in Women - Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight may be associated with the development of certain autoimmune diseases, particularly in women, according to a study by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

A Child's IQ Can Be Affected by Mother's Exposure to Urban Air Pollutants - A mother’s exposure to urban air pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can adversely affect a child’s intelligence quotient or IQ, a study reports. PAHs are chemicals released into the air from the burning of coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic substances such as tobacco. In urban areas motor vehicles are a major source of PAHs.

Researchers at the Most Comprehensive Study of Earliest Possible Causes of Autism to Hold Media Conference Call - Leading autism researchers from coast-to-coast will hold a media teleconference to launch one of the largest research studies of its kind to investigate early risk factors for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The research network, called the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), will follow a cohort of up to 1,200 pregnant women who already have a child with autism. The study is considered one of the best-equipped to discover biological markers and environmental risk factors for autism. The researchers will be joined on the call by the study’s funders, the National Institutes of Health and Autism Speaks. WHEN: TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2009, 1:00 PM EST. DIAL-IN: (888) 508-3712; Passcode: 1369035.

Well Water Should Be Tested Annually to Reduce Health Risks to Children - Private well water should be tested yearly, and in some cases more often, according to new guidance offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, took a lead role in working with the AAP to develop these recommendations and draft a new AAP policy statement about the things parents should do if their children drink well water.

World Asthma Day: May 5, 2009 - Today, on World Asthma Day, we at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), components of the National Institutes of Health, stand together with the international community to renew our dedication to understand the causes of asthma and to find better ways to treat, prevent and manage this disease.

New Data Analysis Shows Possible Link between Childhood Obesity and Allergies - A new study indicates there may be yet another reason to reduce childhood obesity — it may help prevent allergies. The study published in the May issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showed that obese children and adolescents are at increased risk of having some kind of allergy, especially to a food. The study was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), both parts of the National Institutes of Health.

NIEHS Teams with Federal and City Groups to Conduct Disaster Response Training Exercise - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Education and Training Program (WETP) will take part on May 1 in a disaster training exercise with several other agencies in Cincinnati, Ohio. The exercise will include a table top instructional activity to respond to a simulated explosion and dispersion of chemicals from a Cincinnati business, as well as displays and stations for the participants to conduct hands-on work. The training exercise will begin with briefings at the Millennium Hotel Cincinnati, followed by activities at the nearby Riverside Transit Center during the April 30 – May 1, 2009 NIEHS WETP Conference: "Local, State and Federal Partnerships for Chemical Preparedness and Response" (http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/events.cfm?id=2474). The NIEHS WETP is administered by the NIEHS, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Countries Unite to Reduce Animal Use in Product Toxicity Testing Worldwide: U.S., Canada, Japan and European Union Sign International Agreement - Representatives from four international agencies, including the director of the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), today signed a memorandum of cooperation that could reduce the number of animals required for consumer product safety testing worldwide. The agreement between the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Union will yield globally coordinated scientific recommendations on alternative toxicity testing methods that should speed their adoption in each of these countries, thus reducing the number of animals needed for product safety testing. The memorandum is available at http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/docs/about_docs/ICATM-MOC.pdf

First Sister Study Results Reinforce the Importance of Healthy Living - Women who maintain a healthy weight and who have lower perceived stress may be less likely to have chromosome changes associated with aging than obese and stressed women, according to a pilot study that was part of the Sister Study. The long-term Sister Study is looking at the environmental and genetic characteristics of women whose sister had breast cancer to identify factors associated with developing breast cancer. This early pilot used baseline questionnaires and samples provided by participants when they joined the Sister Study.

Hear About Emerging Trends in Toxicology Research: NIEHS and NTP Research Showcased at SOT Annual Meeting in Baltimore - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will have a major presence at the annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) meeting in Baltimore, Md. Scientists from the NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), which NIEHS administers, as well as their grantees and collaborators, will share the newest advances, applications and thinking in the field of toxicology. The SOT Annual Meeting is the largest toxicology meeting and exhibition in the world, attracting approximately 6,500 scientists from industry, academia and government. Toxicology plays an important role in understanding the effects that chemical agents have in our environment. Attending or arranging phone interviews will allow reporters to meet Linda Birnbaum, the new NIEHS/NTP director; hear about the new criteria NTP will be using to evaluate non-cancer studies; learn about new research funding opportunities including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; and hear about cutting-edge science.

Research Finds New Cause of Ozone Wheezing and Potential Treatments - Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, and Duke University have discovered a cause of airway irritation and wheezing after exposure to ozone, a common urban air pollutant. Using an animal model, the researchers were also able to identify several ways to stop the airways from narrowing. These findings help identify potential new targets for drugs which may eventually help physicians better treat emergency room patients suffering from wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.

Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., Named New Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - Dr. Raynard S. Kington, acting director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the appointment of Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., as director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Dr. Birnbaum, who is currently a senior advisor at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where she served for 16 years as director of the Experimental Toxicology Division, will begin her appointment in January 2009.

ADHD Medications Do Not Cause Genetic Damage in Children - In contrast to recent findings, two of the most common medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not appear to cause genetic damage in children who take them as prescribed, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Duke University Medical Center.

Healing Process Found to Backfire in Lung Patients - A mechanism in the body which typically helps a person heal from an injury, may actually be causing patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to get worse, researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and their collaborators have found.

NIH's National Children's Study Enters Next Phase: Increase In Number of Centers Recruiting Volunteers, Collecting Data - The National Institutes of Health announced today that its comprehensive study to examine the effect of genes and the environment on children’s health had entered the next phase of operations. At a briefing on the latest developments in the National Children’s Study, NIH officials named the study centers funded for 2008.

NIH Announces Funding for New Epigenomics Initiative - The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces funding for the new NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Program. Epigenetic processes control normal growth and development, and epigenomics is a study of epigenetic processes at a genome-wide scale. The NIH will invest more than $190 million over the next five years to accelerate this emerging field of biomedical research. The first grants will total approximately $18 million in 2008.

NIEHS Invests $21.25 Million to Find Environmental Causes of Parkinson’s Disease - The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced today that it will award three new grants totaling $21.25 million over a five-year period to study how environmental factors contribute to the cause, prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other related disorders.

NTP Finalizes Report on Bisphenol A - Current human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is of “some concern” for effects on development of the prostate gland and brain and for behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children, according to a final report released today by the National Toxicology Program (NTP).