![]() |
2023 PNW-CTEHR Pilot Project Ignite Pitch Talks Pacific Northwest Center for Translational Environmental Health Research |
Applicants for the Pacific Northwest Center for Translational Environmental Health
Pilot Project Program will be sharing their research ideas in short Ignite Pitches.
This is a chance to learn about the state-of-the-art science, technology, and
stakeholder engagement ideas being pursued by members in the Center and ask questions about their latest
research ideas.
Speakers: Each speaker has 6 minutes to share their ideas followed by 4 minutes for questions.
![]() |
The Oregon Human Microplastics Project: assessing microplastics exposure via intake and microbiome survey to identify potential impacts on health Susan Brander OSU |
![]() |
New Determinants of TCDD Signaling Siva Kolluri OSU |
![]() |
Cometabolic Treatment of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane in Hydrogel Beads and the Evaluation of Toxicity Reduction Using Embryonic Zebrafish Assays Lew Semprini OSU |
![]() |
Non-calcemic vitamin D-hydroxyderivative 20(OH)D3 as preventive agent against UV induced DNA damage and spontaneous melanoma Arup Indra OSU |
![]() |
Neurotoxic Signatures of Drinking Water Contaminants Manuel Garcia-Jaramillo OSU |
![]() |
Stephania Cormier Respiratory Immunology Louisiana State University A&M Medical Center |
![]() |
ASP3IRE Center: Accelerating Research Translation For Children’s Environmental Health Molly Kile College of Public Health and Human Sciences Oregon State University |
Molly Kile is an environmental epidemiologist whose research focuses on understanding how exposures to chemicals influence human health. Her expertise is in conducting population-based environmental health studies and often works with communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental pollutants. She received her doctoral degree from Harvard School of Public Health in 2006 and is currently a Professor at the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University. She is currently the PI on two active NIEHS-funded R01s that are studying the effects of flame retardants on children’s neurocognitive and behavioral growth and private well water stewardship. She is also interim deputy director of the Pacific Northwest Center for Translational Environmental Health Research (P30) and the co-PI of the newly formed ASPIRE Center at OSU (P2C) that is focusing on accelerating the adoption of evidence-based policies, programs, and practices that promote children’s environmental health.
![]() |
Dysregulation Of Rna Metabolism In Arsenic Exposed Cells J. Christopher States Professor Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Louisville |
Arsenic exposure is a global public health problem. Arsenic is a multi-organ toxicant and chronic exposure causes multiple chronic diseases including cancer. Skin cancer is the most common cancer caused by arsenic exposure but the mechanism(s) of carcinogenesis remain unclear. This presentation focuses on dysregulation of RNA metabolism in an in vitro model of skin carcinogenesis by chronic low level arsenic exposure. Dysregulated expression of microRNA and mRNAs and alternative mRNA splicing and the intersection with chromosomal instability will be discussed.
![]() |
Amazon Prime for Inflammation - NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation Mechanism Reginald McNulty Assistant Professor Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, The University of California Irvine |
The NLRP3 inflammasome has been identified as a key immune sensor for tissue damage. Although NLRP3 inflammasome assembly/activation leads to the production of inflammatory messengers (called cytokines) that alert the host immune system to initiate inflammatory responses, its dysregulation often results in overt diseases due to uncontrolled inflammation. Unfortunately, exposure to a number of environmental toxicants including PFAS have been shown to induce NLRP3 inflammasome activation that in turn initiates an undesirable inflammatory response, thereby causing numerous pathologies. Although stimulating agents have not been demonstrated to directly bind NLRP3, they are able to trigger mitochondrial damage and subsequent release of mitochondrial contents that somehow signal the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. We seek to identify the mitochondrial ligand responsible for direct NLRP3 activation and probe the molecular determinants of recognition for this interaction.
Darryl Hood Ohio State University |
SBIR/STTR Opportunities Workshop . |
11:00:00 AM: Introduction | Robyn Tanguay |
11:05:00 AM: Basics of NIEHS SBIR and STTR programs NIEHS | |
ES priority areas and success stories | |
Example Programs NIEHS | |
Basic Program Requirements | |
Company Example #1 (OSU Faculty member) | Steven O’Connell |
MyExposome | |
Company Example #2 | Roarke Horstmeyer |
(Company working with OSU Faculty member) | Ramona Optics |
How can State of Oregon and OSU help? | Karl Mundorff |
Panel Discussion and Q/A | All |
NIEHS: Daniel T. Shaughnessy, Ph.D. Health Scientist Administrator Tel 984-287-3321 [email protected] |
MyExposome, Inc.: Steven O'Connell, MS PhD Senior Scientist/Co-founder Corvallis, OR 97330 www.myexposome.com |
Lingamanaidu V. Ravichandran, Ph.D. Health Scientist Administrator Tel 984-287-3309 [email protected] |
Ramona Optics: Roarke Horstmeyer, PhD 1000 W. Main St., Ste 2A Durham, NC 27701 www.ramonaoptics.com |
OSU: Karl Mundorff Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Director OSU Advantage Accelerator [email protected] |
![]() |
Basic Principles Of Human Health Risk Assessment For Environmental Chemical Mixtures With A Focus On Estimating Risks From Hydrocarbon Mixtures Margaret Pratt Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment US EPA |
Chemical risk assessments follow a multistep paradigm that involves identifying hazards associated with exposure to a chemical and developing quantitative dose-response information that, when combined with exposure information, is used to characterize risk and inform risk management decisions. Evaluating human health risk from exposure to mixtures rather than individual chemicals adds another level of complexity to this process. EPA’s Mixtures Guidance defines a chemical mixture as “any combination of two or more chemical substances regardless of source or of spatial or temporal proximity” and presents approaches for assessing the risks from chemical mixtures that depend on the nature of the available data. Information on the specific whole mixture of concern or a similar mixture are preferred, but frequently such data are not available. Component approaches are a third, commonly used option that allows for utilization of data on the individual components of a mixture in a process that is informed by what is known about the similarities of the mixture components. Further, a fraction-based approach consistent with EPA’s Mixtures Guidance addresses concerns regarding the effects of weathering and defines petroleum hydrocarbon fractions on the basis of expected transport in the environment and analytical methods used to identify and quantify such environmental contaminants. For petroleum hydrocarbon fractions, the fraction-based approach has been utilized to generate Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs), which are primarily derived for use by EPA’s Superfund Program. This presentation will provide an overview of approaches for estimating health risk from chemical mixtures with greater attention being given to hydrocarbon mixtures. Examples to be discussed in greater detail include estimating cancer risks from exposure to PAH mixtures using a component approach and use of a fraction approach for derivation of PPRTVs for complex mixtures of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or the policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
![]() |
Placental Barrier and Fetal Exposure to Mycoestrogens Lauren Aleksunes, Pharm.D, Ph.D Professor Rutgers University |
Exposure of babies to chemicals can increase the risk of disease later in life. This presentation will discuss factors that regulate the extent to which chemicals reach the baby through the placenta. Our research team is particularly interested in fungal-derived estrogenic toxins, known as mycoestrogens, that are present in the food supply and implicated in reproductive and developmental toxicities.
2022 PNWC-TEHR Pilot Project Ignite Talks TBA |
Applications for the Strategic Initiative Awards:
Applications for the Vanguard Awards: