Events

The University of Kentucky Superfund Research Center (UKSRC), in collaboration with the Department of Civil Engineering and the University of Aristotle in Thessaloniki, Greece, and sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), are the proud organizers of the 2024 Central and Eastern European Conference on Health and the Environment (CEECHE) to be held July 15-19, 2024 at the University of Aristotle in Thessaloniki, Greece. The theme for CEECHE 20024, “Seeking Solutions for Environmental Exposures and Disease Risks,” aims to provide and advance new perspectives on environmental health science research, while also creating and sustaining professional networks for Central and Eastern European (CEE) scientists.

Environmentally induced diseases are a global health concern and account for nearly a quarter of all deaths worldwide. In Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern European regions, these impacts are further exacerbated by poor ambient air quality, high residual contamination of water and soils, chemical contamination by persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and long-distance transport of environmental contaminants such as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substance (PFAS), microplastics, and military-related pollution. The goal of CEECHE is to facilitate contextualized scientific discussions that lead to innovative solutions, thereby improving public health in the region and beyond.

CEECHE is a collaboration between US and European institutions, bringing together scientists, government agency representatives, and graduate students to address environmental health issues and foster collaborative research. The conference encourages scientific exchange and promotes understanding of the complex yet common links between health and the environment. The inaugural CEECHE conference was held in 2004 in Prague, Czech Republic; subsequent events took place in Bratislava, Czech Republic (2006), Cluj-Napoca, Romania (2008 and 2014), Prague, Czech Republic (2016), and Krakow, Poland (2018). The collaborative spirit at the heart of CEECHE makes it a unique and valuable opportunity for scientists in the field.

Abstract submissions are open and will close on April 15, 2024. Submit an abstract at: https://tinyurl.com/CEECHE2024ABSTRACT 

For more information about the conference: https://websites.auth.gr/ceeche2024/ 

Molly Frazar Lahey is presenting her Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Awardee Lecture on April 15, 11 a.m. – Noon ET. The lecture will highlight her research as a trainee at the University of Kentucky (UK) SRP Center and her current position as a Materials and Process Engineer for Boeing for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Artemis Program. Frazar Lahey received the Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award in 2021. If you are interested in attending, the Zoom link is now live (https://nih.zoomgov.com/j/1601922848?pwd=YWNVWVA5SUdreStFdHplNElPWVFjQT0...).

Link: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/centers/srp/training/wetter...

FLUOROS 2021 – An International Symposium on Fluorinated Compounds and Their Impacts on Human and Environmental Health will provide an opportunity for unbiased and multidisciplinary exchange of information regarding the latest developments and scientific advances on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The event will bring together scientists, government officials, industry professionals, non-profit organizations, journalists, and residents of PFAS-affected communities to share the latest knowledge and resources concerning the environmental and biomedical advances on PFAS and their work towards minimizing both human exposure and environmental effects related to PFAS. FLUOROS 2021 is being organized by the University of Rhode Island STEEP (Sources, Transport, Exposure, & Effects of PFAS) Superfund Research Program.

SRP2020 Annual Meeting
December 14–15, 2020

The National Institute of Environmental Health Science’s (NIEHS) Superfund Research Program (SRP) 2020 Annual (Virtual) Meeting, hosted by the Texas A&M Superfund Research Center, will be held Monday–Tuesday, December 14–15, 2020.

Included with Registration
Conference registration includes web-enabled access to conference events.

Registration Options

Non-trainees $125

Trainees (pre- and post-doctoral) $75

The extended registration deadline is Wed., Oct. 21, 2020, at 5:00 pm (Central time).

Please contact tamusuperfund@cvm.tamu.edu with any questions or concerns.

Click here to register!

The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Progress in Research webinar series highlights promising research from SRP Centers awarded grants in 2020. In this session, being held on November 19, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., awardees from North Carolina State University, University of Iowa, and Louisiana State University will describe their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps.

Registration is free and open to the public. 

The North Carolina State University SRP Center, "Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS," focuses on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are ubiquitous in the environment and have been associated with health effects such as cancer and thyroid, liver, and immune system toxicity. Despite this, these compounds have not been well-studied. Center scientists are investigating human exposure levels to PFAS in impacted areas, PFAS toxicity and the underlying mechanisms behind reduced thyroid and immune function, the potential for PFAS bioaccumulation, and effective remediation approaches for PFAS contamination.

The University of Iowa SRP (ISRP) Center, "Airborne PCBs: Sources, Exposures, Toxicities, Remediation," explores polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the health impacts stemming from inhalation of these toxic chemicals. Center scientists focus on neurodevelopmental and metabolic effects, particularly in adolescents, and the relationship to novel PCB exposure pathways in buildings such as schools. They aim to identify the mechanisms behind PCB interference with lipid metabolism, define the specific environments that contribute to inhalation exposure and its importance compared to dietary exposure, and develop cost-effective strategies to remove or reduce emissions.

The Louisiana State University SRP Center, "Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (EPFRs)," studies an emerging class of contaminants which are produced during thermal treatment of hazardous wastes and have been shown to induce cardiac and pulmonary dysfunction in exposed populations. They are investigating mechanisms of EPFR-induced health impacts, determining how EPFRs form, stabilize, and decay, and demonstrating a link between EPFR exposure and poor respiratory health in children. The research goal is to understand how to attenuate EPFR formation, facilitate EPFR decay, and limit exposure to EPFRs.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020, from 12 to 1 pm, ET
"Global Health Leadership in Practice"
Dr. Fernando Ortega
Professor, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Please register via this link for updates.

Dr. Fernando Ortega is a researcher and professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. His areas of interest are community development and health, medical anthropology, and exposure to heavy metals. Dr. Ortega also focuses on tropical diseases, parasitsm, and ethnomedicine. Currently, he instructs graduate courses at the USFQ School of Public Health and collaborates on research projects with the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry. He holds a PhD from Oregon State University in Public, Community, and Global Health and MA from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru in Cultural Anthropology. https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-ortega-31530bb/?originalSubdomain=ec

The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Progress in Research webinar series highlights promising research from SRP Centers awarded grants in 2020. In this session, being held November 9, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., awardees from Northeastern University and University of Alabama at Birmingham will describe their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps. 

Register here. 

The Northeastern University SRP Center, "Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT)," conducts research on pregnant mothers in Puerto Rico and the relationship between contaminant exposures in drinking water, socioeconomic factors, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. They study a variety of toxicants such as chlorinated volatile organic compounds, phthalates, metals, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the mechanisms by which these chemicals can contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Center scientists also investigate how extreme weather events can exacerbate exposures and work to develop methods to reduce exposure risk.

The University of Alabama-Birmingham SRP Center, "Impact of Airborne Heavy Metals on Lung Disease and the Environment," studies airborne heavy metal pollution and its impact on respiratory health in the area surrounding the 35th Avenue Superfund site in downtown Birmingham. This community is predominantly African American and has higher levels of chronic lung diseases compared to neighboring control areas irrespective of smoking, socioeconomic status, or demographics. Center scientists are developing tools to measure toxicants in the field, studying the efficacy of materials for contaminant removal, and working to understand the connections between environmental degradation and lung health.

The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Progress in Research webinar series highlights promising research from SRP Centers awarded grants in 2020. In this session being held on Wednesday, October 28 at 1pm-3pm, awardees from University of Kentucky, Oregon State University, and Baylor College of Medicine will describe their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps.

UKSRC will begin the webinar at 1pm with three featured speakers: Dr. Kelly G. Pennell, Director of UKSRC; Dr. Pan Deng, Assistant Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences; and, Dr. Angela Gutierrez, Post-Doctoral Scholar in Chemical Engineering.  

The purpose of these webinars is to facilitate a dialogue between the researchers, field practitioners, and stakeholders in the early stages of research progress so that these new projects are on a trajectory for successful technology transfer and application by end users.

Wednesday, October 28, 2020, Legacy and Emerging Contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, PFAS)
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT
Registration

The webinars are free and open to the public. 

2020 Chlorinated Conference
May 31-June 4, 2020 | Portland, Oregon

The Twelfth International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds will be held May 31-June 4, 2020, in Portland, Oregon, at the Oregon Convention Center.

The Call for Abstracts is now available. The Conference is still accepting Conference Sponsors. 

Battelle’s Chlorinated Conference is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive meetings on the application of innovative technologies and approaches for characterization, monitoring and management of chlorinated and complex sites. The 2018 Conference was attended by 1,832 environmental professionals from 30 countries. More than 1,000 platforms and posters were presented in 80 breakout sessions, and seven panel discussions were conducted.

Conference website: https://www.battelle.org/newsroom/conferences/chlorinated-conference

Session II - Identifying Hallmarks and Key Characteristics Thursday, May 28, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. EDT Session II Registration In the second session, presenters will discuss new methods to understand potential disease risk by identifying hallmarks or key characteristics associated with disease. These methods may provide a way to link exposures to disease earlier in the disease's progression. Speakers: Martyn Smith, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley SRP Center Michele La Merrill, Ph.D., University of California, Davis Ron Kohanski, Ph.D., National Institute on Aging Moderator: Heather Henry, Ph.D., NIEHS Superfund Research Program