News Archive
PROTECT researcher’s work published in Science
PROTECT investigator Ferdi Hellweger's work was recently published in the journal Science. In collaboration with his graduate student, Neil Frederick, and Erik van Sebille from the University of New South Wales, Australia, Professor Hellweger quantified the role of...
Congratulations to recent PROTECT graduates!
Ten PROTECT trainees recently graduated from their respective programs. We would like to congratulate them on their accomplishments, thank them for their service in PROTECT, and wish them well in the next step in their careers! Miguel Anzalota (Core C) completed his...
PROTECT visiting scholar completes tenure at NU
Dr. Jie Peng, Associate Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at Hohai University in Nanjing, China, recently completed his tenure as a visiting scholar with the PROTECT Center at Northeastern University. Under the guidance of Professor Akram Alshawabkeh (Project 5),...
PROTECT researchers quoted in Washington Post
On September 1, 2014, the Washington Post published an article by Jill U. Adams entitled, "Are parabens and phthalates harmful in makeup and lotions?" in which John D. Meeker (Project 1) and Julia Brody (Core F: Community Engagement) are quoted as experts in chemical...
September 2014 Spotlight: PROTECT trainees present at the 2014 ISEE conference
PROTECT trainees Kelly Ferguson, Lauren Johns, and Luis Rivera (Project 1) recently presented their research at the 2014 ISEE conference in Seattle, WA. This was the 26th annual meeting of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE). This year's...
PROTECT Trainee Cotto Receives Outstanding Poster Award
Irmarie Cotto Ramos, PROTECT Trainee at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez (Project 4), recently attended the "Fourth International Conference on Emerging Contaminants in the Environment (EmCon2014)" held in Iowa City on August 19-22, 2014. She received an...
EPA Reaches Agreement with CEMEX to Protect Water Quality in Puerto Rico
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that it reached an agreement with Cemex Concretos, Inc. and Cemex de Puerto Rico, Inc. (CEMEX) to settle the companies’ violations of requirements to control stormwater discharges under the Clean Water Act....
Cordero gives invited talk to trainees at SSR annual meeting
PROTECT Co-Director and Human Subjects Core leader Jose F. Cordero recently gave an invited talk to the trainees at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction hosted in Grand Rapids, MI. This talk, entitled "Risk Factors for Preterm Births in...
August 2014 Spotlight: “Born Too Soon” – PROTECT featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education released a in-depth look at the PROTECT project, entitled "Born Too Soon: Can pollution lead to premature births?" The piece, written by Paul Voosen, reviews how the various disciplines within the project fit together to create a...
Alshawabkeh receives prestigious ASCE award
Akram Alshawabkeh (PROTECT Program Co-Director/Project 5 Leader), along with Mishac Yegian, Ece Esellar-Bayat, and Seda Goyker, has been awarded the 2014 ASCE Thomas A. Middlebrooks Award for the group's research on liquefaction mitigation by Induced Partial...
Trainee Gonzalez receives K.C. Donnelly Externship
Human Subjects Core trainee Andrea L. Gonzalez (Advisor: Jose Cordero) has been awarded a K.C. Donnelly Externship. She will be conducting her 12 week externship at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, with Victor De Jesus, Ph.D., the Chief of the...
July 2014 Spotlight: PROTECT Data Core Leader named Distinguished Professor
The PROTECT team would like to congratulate David Kaeli, PROTECT Data Core Leader, on his appointment as Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University's College of Engineering. Professor Kaeli is renowned nationally and internationally for his scholarly...
Puerto Rico Task Force for Preterm Birth honored by March of Dimes
The Puerto Rico Task Force for Preterm Birth was recently recognized by the local March of Dimes chapter for its effort to improve maternal health and reduce infant mortality in Puerto Rico. PROTECT's José F. Cordero, MD, MPH (Co-Director, Core B Co-Leader, and Core...
PROTECT Researcher Visits Clinics to Discuss Challenges in Maternal Immunization
Dr. Liza Anzalota Del Toro, MD, MPH (Cores C and F) recently visited PRYMED (Ciales) and Morovis Community Health Center in Puerto Rico to discuss challenges in maternal immunization. Both clinics participate in PROTECT by referring their pregnant patients to Dr....
June 2014 Spotlight: PROTECT awarded five-year renewal grant
PROTECT has received a five-year, $13.5 million renewal award from the National Institutes of Health to continue its interdisciplinary investigation into the complex relationship between contamination and preterm birth. Click here to access the full article.
Alshawabkeh presents invited plenary at IAP2014 in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
Dr. Akram Alshawabkeh, PROTECT co-director and Project 5 leader, presented an invited plenary lecture at the 2014 International Conference on “Interfaces Against Pollution (IAP2014)”, held in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, May 26 - 28, 2014. Dr. Alshawabkeh described...
PROTECT represented at RISE2014
Five members of PROTECT presented at this year’s Research, Innovation, and Scholarship Expo. RISE is an annual exhibit of exciting new research at Northeastern University that can be translated into real-world applications. Below are descriptions of their posters,...
May Highlight: Training Core’s Kristin Hicks receives NUCOE Outstanding Staff Award
Kristin Hicks, Executive Director of the PROTECT Training Core, received the 2014 Northeastern University College of Engineering Outstanding Staff Award. Kristin’s responsibilities have included the coordination and implementation of educational initiatives,...
May Webinar: “Environmental Metabolomics: A Dual-Platform Biomonitoring Approach to Assess Toxicant Exposure and Metabolic Response”
Environmental Metabolomics: A Dual-Platform Biomonitoring Approach to Assess Toxicant Exposure and Metabolic Response Kurt D. Pennell, Ph.D., P.E., Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Tufts University Kurt Pennell is Professor and Chair of the...
April Webinar: “Two Perspectives on Ethical Review of Research Involving Human Subjects”
Two Perspectives on Ethical Review of Research Involving Human Subjects Daniel Wikler, Ph.D., Mary B. Saltonstall Professor of Population Ethics, Professor of Ethics and Population Health, and Co-Director of the Program on Ethical Issues in Global Health Research,...
PROTECT researcher Monica Ramirez-Andreotta to speak at the next research call along with BU SRP for the Collaborative on Health and the Environment
On Thursday, April 24th from 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET, PROTECT Investigator Monica Ramirez-Andreotta (Core F) will be participating in a Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) research call, titled: "Healthy Urban Gardens: Your Soil and You." This is part of the...
March 2014 Highlight: Monica Ramirez Presents on Water Impacts
On February 26th, in collaboration with the Museum of Science Boston, PROTECT Investigator Monica Ramirez-Andreotta presented a lecture on water quality and impacts on human and environmental health. A video recording of Dr. Hahn's and Dr. Ramirez-Andreotta's...
PROTECT researchers present at Manatí Medical Center conference to promote influenza vaccination during pregnancy
PROTECT researchers, Dr. José Cordero (Core C Leader) and Dr. Liza Anzalota (Core C Recruitment Coordinator), worked in collaboration with the Manatí Medical Center (MMC) in Puerto Rico to offer an educational activity for physicians to promote influenza vaccinations...
PROTECT researchers present EPA CLU-IN Webinar
PROTECT researchers Ingrid Padilla, PhD, Project 4 Leader, and David Kaeli, PhD, Core D Leader, presented a CLU-IN Webinar, hosted by the EPA and sponsored by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program. Their presentation, titled, "Application of the PROTECT Data Management...
PROTECT Trainee Mary Penny starting a co-op Opportunity in Environmental Field Testing
Mary Penny, a Civil Engineering undergraduate at Northeastern University, and one of our PROTECT trainees, is starting a co-op opportunity with Environmental Partners Group, Inc. in Quincy, MA where she will conduct field testing for a drinking water supply. Mary has...
View photos from the PROTECT annual retreat in Puerto Rico!
The PROTECT team had another successful retreat in Puerto Rico on January 17th and 18th! PROTECT Researchers, staff and trainees representing all of the projects and cores attended, along with members of the PROTECT External Advisory Committee, who provided valuable...
2014 PROTECT Annual Retreat in Puerto Rico
The PROTECT team had another successful retreat in Puerto Rico on January 17th and 18th! PROTECT Researchers, staff and trainees representing all of the projects and cores attended, along with members of the PROTECT External Advisory Committee, who provided valuable...
January Webinar: “Spinning Community – University Partnerships”
Spinning Community - University Partnerships Dr. Jonathan London, Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis Dr. Jonathan London is an Assistant Professor in the Human and Community Development, Department of Human Ecology, at the University of...
PROTECT Trainees and Researchers Presented at the SETAC Annual Meeting in November, 2013
PROTECT Trainees and Researchers presented at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America 34th Annual Meeting, on November 17th - 21st in Nashville, TN. The SETAC Annual Meeting is a 5-day event with training and learning opportunities...
PROTECT Researchers at UPR receive grant to promote flu vaccination for pregnant women in Puerto Rico
PROTECT Co-Director and Core C Leader, José F. Cordero, MD, MPH, and PROTECT Core C Study Director, Liza Anzalota, MD, MPH, have received a grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health to promote...
PROTECT Trainees Present Posters at SRP Training and Outreach Event at the Museum of Science in Boston
PROTECT Project 5 and Project 3 trainees presented their research posters at an SRP Training and Outreach event hosted by the Boston University Superfund Research Program at the Museum of Science in Boston, MA, on November 18th, 2013. This provided a venue where SRP...
December Highlight: PROTECT publishes new findings on Environmental Phthalate Exposure and Preterm Birth
This week PROTECT Project 1 leader, John D. Meeker, ScD, and trainee Kelly Ferguson, MPH, published an article in JAMA Pediatrics on the relationship between preterm birth and chemical phthalate exposure during pregnancy. The JAMA article highlights the prevalence of...
U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act in Support of Preterm Birth Research
On November 14th, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the PREEMIE reauthorization act, which "reauthorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) research and programs on preterm birth, including improving national data tracking on preterm birth, and...
December Webinar: “Beyond Risk Communication: Community-Based Research, Dialogue, and Policy Engagement to Protect Environmental Health in Yupik Communities of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska”
Beyond Risk Communication: Community-Based Research, Dialogue, and Policy Engagement to Protect Environmental Health in Yupik Communities of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Vi Waghiyi, Tribal Member, Native Village of Savoonga, Environmental Health and Justice Program...
November Trainee Highlight: Lily Rajic
Ljiljana “Lily” Rajic is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Dr. Akram Alshawabkeh’s lab. She is working on advancing the electrochemical oxidation and reduction of trichloroethylene (TCE) in flow-through systems as part of Project 5, which is developing sustainable...
March of Dimes Releases 2013 Premature Birth Score Card
Today the March of Dimes released it's 2013 Premature Birth Score Card. Puerto Rico again received an F, just one of 4 Fs in the entire U.S. Overall the U.S. received a C. See the entire score card...
PROTECT Trainee Norma Torres wins Scholarship from Puerto Rico Society of Engineers
PROTECT trainee Norma Torres (UPRM, Project 4) has won a scholarship from the Puerto Rico Society of Engineers, the first ever of its kind for an environmental engineer. She will formally receive the award during a ceremony on November 24, 2013. Congratulations Norma!
PROTECT attends the SRP annual meeting
21 members of PROTECT (trainees, administrators and faculty) attended this year's SRP meeting in Baton Rouge. In addition to presenting posters, PROTECT director Akram Alshawabkeh and trainee postdoc Kelly Hogan co-moderated the session on "Risks of Pollutants during...
Air Pollution linked to High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
A recent study has linked air pollution to high blood pressure in pregnant women. High blood pressure is one cause of premature birth. While the work is not yet conclusive, it points to further indications of the impact of environmental health on pregnancy. Learn...
October 2013 Spotlight: Recent Research
In September, the PROTECT article “Urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations among pregnant women in Northern Puerto Rico: Distribution, temporal variability, and predictors” was accepted for publication in Environment International. The paper documents recent...
U.S. Senate passes PREEMIE reauthorization act in support of preterm birth research
On September 27th the U.S. Senate passed the PREEMIE reauthorization act, which "reauthorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) research and programs on preterm birth, including improving national data tracking on preterm birth, and conducting...
September webinar: “Engaging Partners and Stakeholders from the Grassroots to the Treetops”
Dr. Andrea Hricko Professor of Clinical Preventive Medicine and Director of Community Outreach and Engagement Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center To view Dr. Hricko’s biography, go to http://keck.usc.edu/profiles?facid=483 This webinar will be...
Consumer Products Giant P&G to Eliminate Phthalates from Product Line
Proctor & Gamble recently announced that it will stop using phthalates in its personal care products (PCPs) by the end of 2014. Phthalates, used to make plastics more flexible and keep scents in perfumes and lotions from evaporating, are one of the chemicals of...
PROTECT Trainee David Cantonwine joins Brigham and Women’s
Our congratulations to PROTECT Trainee David Cantonwine, who recently joined Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital as a Perinatal Epidemiologist with the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, as well as Harvard Medical School as a Senior Lecturer. At BWH/HMS, Dr....
PROTECT at March for Babies
On August 18, 2013 the PROTECT Core C Team participated in the March of Dimes' March for Babies in San Juan. Trainees, nurses, and faculty were on hand to participate. In addition to participating in the walk itself, the Core C team manned a booth that explained the...
Monica Ramirez-Andreotta promoted to Assistant Professor
Monica Ramirez-Andreotta, M.P.A., Ph.D. (former trainee with UA SRP Center, who had joined Northeastern as a postdoc with the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute) is now Assistant Professor of Health Sciences at Northeastern. Dr. Ramirez-Andreotta...
Postdoc Kelly Hogan wins UMich Fellowship
Project 2 Postdoctoral Associate Kelly Hogan was awarded a two-year fellowship in the University of Michigan Postdoctoral Translational Scholars Program (PTSP), a program of the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research. All scholars are required to conduct...
PROTECT at the EPA Community Involvement Conference
This week members of the PROTECT team attended the EPA Community Involvement Conference in Boston. Center Manager Mariah Nobrega, Human Subjects and Sampling Core Director Liza Anzalota, and incoming Community Engagement Core co-Leader Carmen Velez all participated...
PROTECT featured in Puerto Rico newspaper
On July 30th PROTECT was featured in El Nuevo Dia, Puerto Rico's most widely-read newspaper. The story, entitled Retos del Parto Prematuro ("Challenges of Preterm Birth"), raised awareness of the problem of preterm birth on the island and described the PROTECT study....
PROTECT hosts high school students, teacher
PROTECT PI and co-Director Akram Alshawabkeh hosted local high school students and a teacher as part of Northeastern Center for STEM Education's summer programming. The month-long program gives opportunities for hands-on research. This year, Dr. Alshawabkeh hosted...
2013 PROTECT Academy
In June 2013, the Training Core and Research Translation Core jointly offered the PROTECT Academy Interdisciplinary Introductory Seminar Series focused on Environmental Health Disciplines for Non-Experts. The purpose of these seminars was to provide non-experts in the...
EREM 2013 conference co-hosted by PROTECT
On June 23-26, PROTECT co-hosted the 12th International Symposium on Electrokinetic Remediation (EREM2013). Organized by Prof. Akram Alshawabkeh (PROTECT co-Director and Project 5 leader), EREM2013 brought over 80 participants from 22 countries to Northeastern's...
PROTECT Academy now available for viewing
This June was the first offering of the PROTECT Academy. The purpose of these webinars was to provide non-experts in the topic areas with an introduction to the primary concepts, basic terminology, and applicability of that field to the understanding of environmental...
PROTECT featured as part of the SWIM Water Innovation Exhibition
SWIM is a gathering of senior executives in the water technology and engineering industry working in collaboration to further Massachusetts position in the global marketplace. This year's conference was held on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at Northeastern; it convened top...
John Meeker Appointed as Associate Dean for Research
Project 3 Leader John Meeker has been appointed as the University of Michigan School of Public Health's Associate Dean for Research. Congratulations John!!
David Kaeli Receives Award from HSA Foundation
Core D Leader Prof. David Kaeli has been named a Heterogeneous Systems Architecture (HSA) Distinguished Professor. As part of this honor, his laboratory, the Northeastern University Computer Architecture Research Group, has also been designated a HSA Academic Center...
Northeastern Trainees Present at RISE2013
Northeastern Project 5 Trainees Lily Rajic and Noushin Fallahpour presented at Northeastern's Research Innovation and Scholarship Expo (RISE) on March 22, 2013.
April Webinar “Teaming Up with Gardeners Neighboring a Superfund Site: Characterizing the Uptake of Arsenic by Homegrown Vegetables and Communicating the Potential Risks”
Teaming Up with Gardeners Neighboring a Superfund Site: Characterizing the Uptake of Arsenic by Homegrown Vegetables and Communicating the Potential Risks Monica Ramirez-Andreotta, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Social Science Environmental Health Research...
PROTECT Research Highlighted on Puerto Rican TV News
PROTECT Core C researcher Braulio Jimenez was interviewed in a recent news story on the rate of preterm birth in Puerto Rico. The story, presented by WAPA-TV, discussed PROTECT's investigations into the role of environmental contamination and preterm birth. The video...
PROTECT UPRM Trainee wins NSF Fellowship
Norma Torres Torres, a Masters student working on PROTECT Project 4, has won a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for the 2013-2014 academic year. Congratulations Norma!!
PROTECT recruits 500th participant!
The first week of April saw very exciting news - the 500th woman has been recruited into the cohort of participants! This is an important milestone that will enable the program to reach its goal of 800 participants by March 2014.
March Webinar: “Assessing Quality and Remedial Performance for Contaminated Sediments”
Assessing Quality and Remedial Performance for Contaminated Sediments Daniel Reible, Smith Chair of Environmental Health Engineering, University of Texas in Austin Dr. Reible is the Bettie Margaret Smith Chair of Environmental Health Engineering in the Department of...
UN, WHO Panel Report Calls Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals ‘Global Threat’
An international team of experts reported on February 19 that evidence linking hormone-mimicking chemicals to human health problems has grown stronger over the past decade, becoming a "global threat" that should be addressed. The report is a joint effort by the World...
February 14 Webinar: “Physiological and Molecular Adaptations to Pregnancy: Influence on Chemical Exposure and Toxicity”
Dr. Lauren Aleksunes, from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, will present a talk titled, "Physiological and Molecular Adaptations to...
NIEHS Director Linda Birnbaum Visits PROTECT Partner UPRMSC
On Monday February 4, NIEHS Director Dr. Linda Birnbaum visited the University of Puerto Rico in a talk coordinated by Core C Investigator Dr. Braulio Jimenez. During Dr. Birnbaum's visit, she gave a lecture entitled "Future Research at the National Institute of...
PROTECT welcomes new personnel
We would like to welcome the newest members of the PROTECT community! Dr. Matias Mudarra, a Postdoc Associate and karst hydrogeologist, Victor Vargas, a graduate student in Environmental and Water Resource Engineering, and Maraida Balager, an undergraduate in Chemical...
2013 PROTECT Annual Retreat Held in Puerto Rico
The 2013 PROTECT retreat was held January 17-20, 2013 in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Three full days of meetings reviewed the progress PROTECT has made as a center. Each individual project and core summarized their accomplishments, objectives, and plans for renewal....
PROTECT joins with Social Science Environmental Health Institute to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring
On December 3rd environmental activists, scholars, students, and community members met to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Rachel Carson’s landmark work Silent Spring and to launch the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute (SSEHRI) at...
December 12 Event — “Alternatives for Managing the Nation’s Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites”
Presenter: Michael Kavanaugh, chair of the report-authoring committee. Dear PROTECT Community, You are invited to join a public webinar on Wednesday, December 12 at 1:00pm ET, exploring Alternatives for Managing the Nation's Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites, a...
PROTECT researcher at UMichigan awarded $1.4M grant from Preventing Preterm Birth Initiative
PROTECT researcher and University of Michigan professor Rita Loch-Caruso is part of a team at the University of Michigan that has earned $1.4 million in support from the Preventing Preterm Birth Initiative, part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand...
Jose Cordero quoted in Fox News Article on Preterm Birth
PROTECT co-director and Core C leader Jose Cordero was recently quoted in a Fox News article about the alarmingly high rate of preterm birth in Puerto Rico. Said Dr. Cordero: “Preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn death, and babies who survive face an...
World Prematurity Day
November 17th is World Prematurity Day. As Jennifer Howse, President of March of Dimes notes in a recent message to supporters: Even though its preterm birth rate has declined for the 5th year in a row, the United States still ranks 131st in the world. This trend is...
PROTECT Cohort Recruits 400th Woman!
Friday November 8th, PROTECT recruited its 400th woman into the study cohort being led by the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus team (see picture). This exciting milestone marks the half-way point into the cohort of 800. Learn more about the data being...
November Webinar – “Looking Through an Environmental Justice Lens: Community Engagement, Policy and Practice”
Looking Through an Environmental Justice Lens: Community Engagement, Policy and Practice Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome, Federal Policy Analyst for West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. (WE ACT for Environmental Justice) Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome is WE ACT’s Federal...
2012 Superfund Research Program Annual Meeting Held in North Carolina
For more information on the 2012 Superfund Research Program Annual Meeting, visit their website. Project leaders, core leaders and students represented the PROTECT program at the Superfund Research Program Annual Meeting during the 25th Anniversary of the SRP....
October 29 Webinar: “Serum Concentrations of Brominated Flame Retardants in the United States General Population.”
Dr. Andreas Sjödin will be giving a presentation titled "Serum Concentrations of Brominated Flame Retardants in in the United States General Population." After receiving his PhD in Environmental Chemistry in May of 2000 from Stockholm University in Sweden, Dr. Andreas...
Dorothy Vesper gives poster presentation at IAH Congress
PROTECT Researcher, Professor Dorothy Vesper of the Dept. of Geology at West Virginia University presented a poster on the "Development of Hydrogel Tracer Beads as Proxies for NAPL Contamination in Karst Aquifers" at the International Association of Hydrogeologists...
October Webinar – “The Trials and Tribulations of Superfund’s Early Years”
The Trials and Tribulations of Superfund's Early Years Craig E. Colten, Professor of Geography at Louisiana State University Professor Colten is the Carl O. Sauer Professor of Geography at Louisiana State University and his work generally fits into the fields of...
PROTECT-related Spanish Language Webinar, September 18th
Karst Features and Water Resources in Florida and Puerto Rico By Arturo E. Torres Hydrologic Studies Chief U.S. Geological Survey Florida Water Science Center-Tampa This webinar was offered IN SPANISH on September 18, 2012 - click here to see the WebEx. Abstract:...
PROTECT Researchers win major grants
Two recent grants of note have been awarded to PROTECT researchers. Core D Investigator Ferdi Hellweger has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation entitled "Anthropogenic Nutrient Input Drives Genetic, Functional and Taxonomic Biodiversity in...
Alshawabkeh work profiled in SRP Research Brief
PROTECT Director and Project 5 leader Akram Alshawabkeh and his team recently saw their work in novel methods for groundwater decontamination published by the SRP as part of its Research Briefs series. The Research Brief, published in July, highlights a recent paper...
PROTECT Researchers Attend ATSDR-SRP Dialog Meeting
The PROTECT program was well represented at ATSDR’s meeting on the Chamblee Campus in Atlanta, Georgia with the theme “Connecting Research and Practice: A Dialogue between ATSDR and the NIEHS Superfund Research Program.” This event fostered collaborative research,...
Lauren Tetz presents at SRP Trainee Webinar Series 8/1 at 1pm
PROTECT Postdoc Lauren Tetz will be presenting as part of the SRP Trainee Webinar Series. This is a series of webinars throughout the year highlighting the outstanding research/activities conducted by trainees (graduate students and post-docs). Lauren's presentation...
PROTECT Trainee Luis Rivera Defends Thesis
Congratulations to Project 3 trainee/researcher Luis Rivera, who defended his PhD in Environmental Health at the University of Michigan, School of Public Health on April 30th, 2012! Originally from San Juan Puerto Rico, Luis received his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology...
PROTECT Grad Student Cassie Korte wins Poster Awards
Project 2 Graduate Student Cassie Korte (PhD Candidate, University of Michigan) won two poster awards this spring. The first presentation was awarded as part of the Society of Toxicology Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Specialty Section at the Annual Society...
Meeker gives talk on Endocrine Disruptors [VIDEO]
Project 1 Leader John Meeker recently gave a TED-style talk on Endocrine Disruptors as part of the UMich Environmental Sciences Department's 125th anniversary celebration.
PROTECT Trainees Secure Professorships
Project 5 Postdocs Dr. Chris Butscher and Dr. Xuhui Mao have both recently secured professorships in their respective home countries of Germany and China. Dr. Mao is at Wuhan University, where he received both his Bachelor’s Degree and PhD in Environmental Science...
March of Dimes releases Global Action Report on Preterm Birth
The March of Dimes has released its most recent report on preterm birth, entitled Born Too Soon. Read the full report here; more information including maps and posters, is here. From the March of Dimes, a description of the report: Born Too Soon provides the...
PROTECT Trainee Cassie Korte wins poster award
PROTECT Project 2 Trainee Cassie Korte has won a poster award at the Graduate Academic Conference at Michigan State University
PROTECT Trainee Lauren Tetz Defends Thesis
PROTECT Trainee (Project 2) Lauren Tetz successfully defended her thesis on April 16, 2012. Our congratulations to the newly-minted Dr. Tetz! Read more about her thesis topic below. MONO-2-ETHYLHEXYL PHTHALATE STIMULATES CELLULAR RESPONSES RELEVANT TO PARTURITION...
April Webinar – “The Quiet Epidemic: Causes and Classification of Preterm Birth”
The Quiet Epidemic: Causes and Classification of Preterm Birth Thomas F. McElrath, Associate Professor of Obstetrics at Harvard Medical School and Attending Physician, Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital This webinar is designed to: Discuss the...
Cordero works with EPA, Mt. Sinai to Promote Children’s Environmental Health Awareness
PROTECT co-PI and Core C Leader Jose Cordero is collaborating with the EPA and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine to raise awareness of children's environmental health, particularly in Puerto Rico. This one day, free-of-cost, conference will provide attendees with the...
Hellweger wins EPA Environmental Merit Award
PROTECT Core D Researcher Prof. Ferdi Hellweger has won the Environmental Merit Award from the New England Office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in recognition of his exceptional work and commitment to the environment in 2011. EPA’s Environmental...
PROTECT researcher links amniotic fluid to chemical exposure in fetuses
An article in Science of the Total Environment co-authored by Project 2 Leader Rita Loch-Caruso has described work by her and her colleagues showing that PBDEs (a chemical found in flame retardants and considered to hurt brain development) are present in amniotic...
PROTECT Researchers to Present at April 2 RiskeLearning Web Seminars
Project 2 Leader Rita Loch-Caruso and Project 1 Leader John Meeker presented an NIEHS SRP Risk e-Learning webinar in the series Early Life Exposures - Long-Term Health Consequences The session, which addressed PCE and Phthalates, was held on April 2, 2012. This...
March Trainee Skill-Builder Workshop – Rethinking the Design of Presentation Slides: The Assertion-Evidence Structure
Rethinking the Design of Presentation Slides: The Assertion−Evidence Structure Michael Alley Associate Professor, Engineering Communication Pennsylvania State University, University Park Abstract Presentation slides affect the success of a scientific talk much more...
Alshawabkeh Seminar at Columbia SRP – March 19, 2012
PROTECT PI and co-Director Akram Alshawabkeh will present at the Columbia SRP on March 19th. This follows a presentation earlier this year at Northeastern by Columbia SRP Director Joseph Graziano as part of the PROTECT webinar series (click here to view Dr....
PROTECT Trainee wins Karst Scholarship
Amanda Laskoskie, a PROTECT Trainee pursuing her Master's at West Virginia University, was recently awarded with the 2012 Karst Waters Institute's William L. Wilson Scholarship in Karst Science Award. The award was presented to her advisor, Dr. Dorothy Vesper, on...
Alshawabkeh elected ASCE Fellow
PROTECT PI and Project 5 Leader Prof. Akram Alshawabkeh has been appointed as a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the profession. Our congratulations!
2012 PROTECT Annual Retreat Held in Puerto Rico
The 2012 PROTECT retreat was held February 23-26, 2012 in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Three full days of meetings were punctuated by team dinners and student poster receptions. Student posters and photos from the three days are below. Our thanks to the Advisory Committee...
February Webinar – Mitch Beard
The Effective Use of Data Management Software in Environmental Projects Mitch Beard, CEO and Founder of EarthSoft, Inc. Mitch Beard is CEO and Founder of EarthSoft, Inc. EarthSoft’s EQuIS software is the most widely used environmental data management software in the...
January Webinar – Glenn Rice
Exposure Assessment Approaches for Environmental Chemical Mixtures Dr. Glenn Rice Environmental Health Scientist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Glenn Rice has served as an Environmental Health Scientist in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National...
2011 Changes to National Priority List sites in Puerto Rico
2011 brought several changes to the National Priority List of sites in Puerto Rico Removed: Barceloneta Landfill Added: Cabo Rojo Ground Water Contamination Added: Hormigas Ground Water Plume Currently there are 15 active NPL sites in Puerto Rico, 1 proposed, and 6...
December Trainee Skill-Builder Workshop – Proposal Development
Proposal Development Stacy-Ann Christian & Sara Clabby Office of Research Administration and Finance Northeastern University Stacy-Ann Christian is Lecturer and Associate Director of Research Administration and Finance at Northeastern University. Her...
Alshawabkeh appointed George A. Snell Professor of Engineering
In recognition of his scholarship, technical and professional leadership, teaching, university citizenship, positive example, and strong contribution to the reputation, impact,and success of the College and University, Professor Akram N. Alshawabkeh has been appointed...
December Webinar – Dana Boyd Barr
Biomonitoring of exposure to environmental chemicals and toxins Dana Boyd Barr Professor of Exposure Science and Environmental Health Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Dr. Dana Boyd Barr is a Professor of Exposure Science and Environmental Health at...
John Meeker appointed Associate Chair of UMich Dept of Environmental Health Sciences
Project 1 Leader Prof. John Meeker has been appointed Associate Chair of the UMichigan School of Public Health's Department of Environmental Health Sciences. From the entire PROTECT team - our congratulations to John! Excerpts from the announcement below: Professor...
November Trainee Skill-Builder Workshop – Research Translation and Innovation: Results to Patents
Research Translation and Innovation: Results to Patents Anne-Marie Dinius, Intellectual Property Manager, Center for Research Innovation, Northeastern University This webinar will answer the question – how do the results I obtain in the lab turn into patentable...
2011 Superfund Research Program Annual Meeting Held in Kentucky
Project leaders, core leaders and students represented the PROTECT program at the Superfund Research Program Annual Meeting in Lexington, Kentucky from October 23-26, 2011. We are pleased to congratulate PROTECT student Lauren Tetz, from the University of Michigan,...
November Webinar – Joseph Graziano
Poison in the Well: Exposure, Consequences and Remediation of Arsenic in Bangladesh Dr. Joseph Graziano Professor of Environmental Health Sciences & Pharmacology, Columbia University Director of Columbia University SRP Dr. Joseph Graziano's research career has...
October Trainee Skill-Builder Workshop – The Scientific Method and Experiential Learning Projects
The Scientific Method and Experiential Learning Projects Tom DeSutter, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Science North Dakota State University Tom received his BS and MS degrees from South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD) in 1994 and 1998,...
October Webinar – Daniel Madrigal
Beyond Newsletters and Brochures: Communicating Findings to Study Participants and Community Members of a NIEHS/EPA Children's Center Daniel S. Madrigal Community Outreach Coordinator Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH) Mr. Madrigal is the...
2011 Let’s Talk About Water Symposium
This symposium presented an in-depth discussion and critical thinking about the complex water issues facing society, particularly toxic chemical pollution of drinking water. A film screening was hosted and followed by an informal discussion over lunch, and then an...
PROTECT Co-Hosts 2011 Research & Industrial Collaboration Conference
On October 13, 2011, PROTECT co-hosted the 2011 Research & Industrial Collaboration Conference (RICC), with a focus on Research to Reality (R2R). This was the 12th annual RICC, and the second that PROTECT has participated in. PROTECT PI/co-Director Prof....
September Trainee Skill-Builder Workshop – Research Ethics
Ethical and Regulatory Issues in Conducting Human Subjects Research Delia Wolf Assistant Dean for Regulatory Affairs & Research Compliance and Director for the Office of Human Research Administration Harvard School of Public Health Dr. Delia Wolf is a nationally...
Akram Alshawabkeh funded under NSF earthquake research grant
PROTECT co-Director Akram Alshawabkeh is co-PI of a new National Science Foundation grant to develop a cost-effective method to prevent ground failure during earthquakes. Ground failure is a major cause of destruction to buildings constructed on water-saturated sandy...
September Webinar – Dr. Eric Suuberg
The Brown SRP - Overview and Recent Results on the Vapor Intrusion Problem Eric M. Suuberg Professor of Engineering - Brown University Co-Director of the Brown SRP Professor Suuberg's research interests center on energy and environmental areas, involving study of fuel...
First PROTECT Baby Born
PROTECT is proud to announce the first baby in the study cohort was born on August 19, 2011. Our congratulations to the family! Learn more about the Human Subjects and Sampling Core which is working directly with the women (and babies) in the study cohort here.
PROTECT Graduate Student wins the KC Donnelly Externship award
PROTECT graduate student Celys Irizarry was awarded with the KC Donnelly Externship. This award is given by the National Institutes of Health Sciences Superfund Research Program to promote transdisciplinary and translational research among early investigators and...
PREEMIE Act Reauthorization Bill Introduced In Senate, House
The 2006 PREEMIE Act, abbreviated from the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who Deliver Infants Early Act, developed a public-private agenda aimed at reducing preterm labor and delivery. On July 28, 2011 Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and...