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Author Archives: Alessandra Bryant

PROTECT RETCC hosts Trainee Virtual Coffee Hour with NIEHS Staff & Researchers

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 8, 2020

On the morning of Wednesday, June 24th the PROTECT Research Experience and Training Coordination Core hosted a Trainee Coffee Hour with NIEHS Health Science administration staff members  Dr. Heather Henry, Dr. Michelle Heacock, Dr. Danielle Carlin, and Brittany Trottier as our esteemed guests. Drs. Henry,  Heacock, and Carlin are all Health Science Administrators for the […]

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PROTECT responds to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 7, 2020

In the last few years, Puerto Rico has faced numerous catastrophic events, including the Zika virus outbreak in 2016, Hurricanes Maria and Irma in September 2017, ongoing droughts, and a series of ongoing, destructive earthquakes in 2020. Now, and like much of the US, the island is dealing with the COVID 19 epidemic.  The PROTECT Center […]

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PROTECT Project 2 Collaborator Kelly Bakulski Presents at SRP “Metals & Epigenetics” Mini-Symposium

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 30, 2020

New Project 2 Collaborator Kelly Bakulski recently participated in the mini-symposium on “Metals and Epigenetics” from the Columbia and Berkeley SRP Centers. We are proud of Kelly’s inclusion in this presentation and are pleased she was recognized for being a rising star in her field. To watch this mini-symposium, check out the recording on youtube. […]

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Huerta-Montañez elected to Executive Committee of the Council on Environmental Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 25, 2020

Earlier this month, PROTECT, ECHO, & CRECE pediatrician and scientist Gredia Huerta-Montañez was elected to the National Executive Committee of the Council on Environmental Health (COEH) of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Gredia currently serves as the Vice President of the Puerto Rico Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and will continue in […]

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EPA Appoints PROTECT’s Cordero and Veléz Vega to Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 25, 2020

On May 20th, the EPA announced the appointment of PROTECT Researchers José Cordero and Carmen (Mili) Veléz Vega among 26 other members to the Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC), out of a pool of 60 highly qualified candidates. The CHPAC is a body of external representatives from research, academia, healthcare, legal, state, environmental organizations […]

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Project 2 Post Doc Elana Elkin awarded the Edward W. Carney Trainee Award at the Annual Society of Toxicology Meeting

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 3, 2020

This April, Project 2 Post-Doctoral Researcher Elana Elkin received the Edward W. Carney Trainee Award at the 2020 Annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) Meeting for the scientific quality of her abstracts and overall impact to the fields of reproductive and developmental toxicology or teratology. Elana is not only an excellent researcher and a long time […]

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Project 2 Trainee Anthony Su receives the Eugene Feingold Excellence in Diversity Award

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 11, 2020

On Wednesday, April 22nd it was announced that Project 2 Trainee Anthony Su was awarded the Eugene Feingold Excellence in Diversity Student Award for his commitment to expanding diversity and inclusion at the University of Michigan. Anthony is a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences within the UMICH School of Public health […]

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PROTECT Study finds that among metals, maternal blood lead concentrations were strongly associated with increased risk of preterm birth

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 11, 2020

PROTECT explores how environmental exposures during pregnancy may impact preterm birth risk, specifically studying a Puerto Rican cohort due to higher levels of preterm birth compared to the U.S. mainland. In this instance, pregnant women in this cohort had relatively low blood lead (Pb) concentrations when compared to the general US population. However, despite the […]

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PROTECT Study finds further evidence that exposure to metals, phthalates, pesticides, among other chemicals contribute to negative birth outcomes such as miscarriage

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 7, 2020

A recent PROTECT study from Project 2 provides the scientific community with further evidence that exposure to chemicals such as metals (cadmium, arsenic, lead and chromium), phthalates (dibutyl phthalate, diethylhexyl phthalate), volatile organic compounds (trichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride), pesticides (dieldrin, atrazine, parathion) and polycylic hydrocarbons (naphthalene) may be harmful during pregnancy and ultimately cause adverse birth […]

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PROTECT Study Finds Decrease in Phthalate Exposure Coincides with Increase in Phthalate Replacement Chemicals in PROTECT Cohort

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 6, 2020

Phthalates are chemicals commonly used in industrial and consumer products that act as plasticizing agents, which serve to make materials softer or more flexible. These chemicals are typically found in consumer items such as food packaging and personal care products. Some of the common phthalates found in consumer products are di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-isononyl phthalate […]

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Project 5 Trainee Shayan Hojabri Receives Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 5, 2020

On Monday, April 27th PROTECT Project 5 Trainee Shayan Hojabri received the Northeastern University College of Engineering Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award for his tireless efforts as a Teaching Assistant for the Geotechnical Engineering Lab, to update materials, implement an electronic collaborative and data sharing platform, and develop and implement contingency plans for online teaching. Shayan […]

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PROTECT CEC Co-Director Carmen Vélez-Vega Appointed to EPA’s Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 9, 2020

Dr. Carmen M. Vélez-Vega, co-director of the PROTECT Community Engagement Core, has been appointed to the EPA’s Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC). The CHPAC consists of researchers, academics, healthcare providers, environmentalists, and members of the public who advise EPA on regulations, research initiatives, and communications regarding children’s health. The committee meets two or three […]

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Individuals with socioeconomic disadvantage among Puerto Rican cohort have elevated levels of oxidative stress according to recent PROTECT Study

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: March 25, 2020

Stress is generally defined as demands that tax or exceed the adaptive capacity of an organism, which can result in psychological and biological changes. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body which can ultimately cause adverse chemical reactions and may negatively impact health[1]. First author of our recent publication […]

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PROTECT Study finds increased levels of flame retardant and plasticizing chemicals associated with the use of personal care products among pregnant women in Puerto Rico.

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: March 20, 2020

In a recent Study published in Environmental Research Journal, PROTECT researchers detected metabolites of several organophosphate esters (OPE), a class of chemicals used in consumer products as flame retardants and plasticizers, in urine samples collected from women during pregnancy in Puerto Rico. This is concerning since some OPEs have been associated with adverse reproductive health […]

Posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, News on Premature Birth, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

Trainee Spotlight – Anthony Su

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: March 18, 2020

Anthony Su is a Ph.D. candidate from the University of Michigan School of Public Health who has been studying Toxicology and working on PROTECT under Project 2 Leader Dr. Rita Loch-Caruso since 2016. In Rita’s lab, Anthony’s research seeks to understand the mechanisms of trichloroethylene (TCE) toxicity during pregnancy. When asked about the responsibilities within […]

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April Webinar: Dr. Larry Lash, “Renal Toxicology of Trichloroethylene”

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: March 5, 2020

April Technical Webinar: Renal Toxicology of Trichloroethylene, Dr. Larry Lash – Watch on Youtube On Monday, April 13th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm EST, PROTECT will host its spring technical webinar of the 2019-2020 academic year. This webinar will feature Dr. Larry Lash, Ph.D. professor and associate chair of pharmacology at Wayne State University School of […]

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PROTECT Co-Director Alshawabkeh & Other SRP Leaders visit Capitol Hill

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: March 5, 2020

On Friday, February 28th PROTECT Co-Director Akram Alshawabkeh was among SRP Leaders who spoke with Congressional Staff on the strengths and impactful research coming out of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program. The group led by Akram also included SRP leaders Bevin Engelward (MIT), Lindell Ormsbee (University of Kentucky) and Margaret Reams (Louisiana State University) who […]

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PROTECT Researchers Meet in San Juan for Annual Retreat

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: March 4, 2020

Over 80 PROTECT researchers met at the Condado Plaza Hilton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to discuss future plans and harmonization for the centers. Although our cohort is based in Puerto Rico, our team is distributed across 6 universities. Due to the interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and geographically spread nature of the team, the PROTECT Annual […]

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PROTECT Team Attends 2019 Superfund Research Program Annual Meeting in Seattle

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: January 2, 2020

From November 18th-20th, 32 PROTECT Trainees, Researchers, and Staff attended the 2019 SRP Annual Meeting which was hosted at the Hyatt Regency in Seattle, Washington. This year’s meeting was organized by the University of Washington and the University of Louisville with the support of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Superfund Research Program.                 […]

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Project 2 Trainee Elana Elkin Receives the Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: December 9, 2019

PROTECT Project 2 Trainee Elana Elkin was recently granted the prestigious Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award at the Annual NIEHS Superfund Research Program Meeting in Seattle on Nov. 19th. Elana received this award to honor her work examining how environmental contaminant exposure affects placental development and function. When asked about Elana’s work and progress on her […]

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Fall 2019 Technical Webinar: “Single cell bioinformatics and metabolomics: Methods and Tools for environmental health research” by Dr. Lana Garmire

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: November 27, 2019

On Monday December 9th from 1:00-2:00pm EST, PROTECT will host a technical webinar titled “Single cell bioinformatics and metabolomics: Methods and Tools for environmental health research” presented by Dr. Lana Garmire. Dr. Garmire is a tenured professor working in the Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics at University of Michigan Medical School. Her research areas […]

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Trainee Spotlight – Shi Dong

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: November 26, 2019

Shi Dong is a Research Assistant who has been working with PROTECT at Northeastern University under the mentorship of Data Core Leader Dave Kaeli for the last 5 years. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering and researching “High Performance Computing and Big Data.” In his current role, Shi is responsible for doing […]

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PROTECT Study evaluates how CVOC chemicals are distributed and travel through the Karst System of Northern Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: November 22, 2019

Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds (CVOCs) are a type of chlorinated solvent that are commonly used in industrial, business, and home settings. Some examples of common products which contain CVOCs include industrial solvents, metal surface degreasers, paint removers, and textile cleansing agents.. They are highly volatile, slightly soluble in water, and resistant to degradation, meaning they […]

Posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees | Comments closed

Five PROTECT Trainees Receive Individual Development Plan Awards

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: November 22, 2019

At the recent 2019-2020 Trainee Orientation, PROTECT welcomed the new class of student researchers and honored the 2018-2019 Individual Development Plan (IDP) Award Winners. The following 5 trainees were given IDP Awards for their exceptional efforts to complete their Individual Career Development Activities: Shayan Hojabri, Elienisse Rodriguez, Nancy Cardona, Luisa Feliciano, Amailie Santos-Rivera. Each of […]

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PROTECT Welcomes the 2019 Class of Student Researchers at Trainee Orientation

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 16, 2019

On Monday, September 16th, the PROTECT team kicked off the 2019-2020 academic year with the annual Trainee Orientation and Welcome. This multi-institutional meeting hosted by the Training Core is held every fall as a means of introducing new student trainees to PROTECT. The event also serves as an update for all attendees on the progress the PROTECT […]

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Trainee Spotlight: Jill Riddell

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 15, 2019

Jill Riddell is a PROTECT trainee from West Virginia University currently pursuing her PhD in Geology under the mentorship of Dr. Dorothy Vesper. For the last two years, she has been supporting PROTECT’s Project 4 research on sediment characterization by using a variety of soils and geochemical techniques to characterize karst sediments to help find […]

Posted in Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees, Trainee Spotlight | Comments closed

Fall 2019 Professional Development Webinar: “Publishing Environmental Health Research: Tips for Authors” by Dr. Sally Darney

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 9, 2019

CHECK OUT THE RECORDING HEREPresentation Available Here On Monday October 21st from 1:00pm-2:00pm EST, PROTECT will host our first professional development webinar of the 2019-2020 academic schedule. This webinar, featuring Dr. Sally Darney, the Editor-in-Chief from the Environmental Health Perspectives Journal who is not only a scientific writing expert but also holds authority on how […]

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PROTECT Undergraduate Research Fellow Tom Onsi wins poster award at UMICH Undergrad Research Opportunity Program Summer Research Symposium

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 4, 2019

On Wednesday July 31st, undergraduate M-Scholars Fellow Tom Onsi won a poster award at the 2019 University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Summer Research Symposium for his poster titled: “Extracellular vesicle production changes in response to toxicants in placental villous tissue”. This event is the culminating event for all University of Michigan students participating in […]

Posted in Project 2 (Toxicology), PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees | Comments closed

Low-cost activated carbon promises scalable water disinfection

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 4, 2019

Water security has always been high on the list of human sustainable development goals, because we rely on clean water for drinking, washing, and recreational purposes. However, widespread contamination continues to severely threaten the security of water supplies. Among these contaminants, water pathogens are of particularly great concern as they have been directly linked to […]

Posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, Project 5 (Green Remediation), PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Study links common chemicals to preterm births in Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 2, 2019

This publication was recently featured and honored in the NIEHS Newsletter Papers of the Month PROTECT researchers have identified an association between exposure to chemicals found in many common consumer products and a shorter duration of pregnancy, thus increasing the risk of preterm birth. More specifically, the scientists found that higher urinary concentrations of phthalate […]

Posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Premature Birth, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Trainee Jill Riddell completes KC Donnelly Externship at University of Arizona SRP in Tucson

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: August 29, 2019

Jill Riddell is a geology PhD Student at West Virginia University working on PROTECT Project 4, which focuses on tracing the passage of pollutants and other chemicals while it is transported through the Karst regions. Jill’s specific research, which is advised by Dr. Dorothy Vesper, focuses on evaluating polystyrene microspheres (small, hollow, sphere-shaped particles) as […]

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Trainee Spotlight – Nancy Cardona

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: August 9, 2019

Nancy Cardona is a trainee from University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus who worked under the mentorship of Dr. Carmen Velez-Vega within the Community Engagement Core from August 2015 until February 2019. While she was working with us, Nancy revised translational materials for reporting scientific results back to cohort members, participated in report back […]

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PROTECT’s Phil Brown successfully hosts 2nd National Conference on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances at Northeastern University

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: August 2, 2019

From June 10-12th, 2019, over 250 community activists, government officials, state legislators, scientists, journalists, lawyers, academics, and students all convened on the Northeastern University campus in Boston for the 2nd National Conference on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. The purpose of the conference was to foster alliances across sectors (government, academics, NGOs, and community groups) to […]

Posted in Enrichment Core B (Research Translation), News on Environmental Health, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT, CRECE, & ECHO Researchers held meeting at University of Michigan

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 24, 2019

On July 10th-11th PROTECT, CRECE, and ECHO researchers from Northeastern University, University of Michigan, and University of Puerto Rico came together to discuss research progress and protocol harmonization across the three projects. The meeting was held at the University of Michigan where researchers discussed the Puerto Rican cohort participant visit schedules, forms and questionnaires, data […]

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PROTECT DMAC Demonstrates State-of-the-art Data Management Framework as a Model for Multidisciplinary Research

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 18, 2019

Almost all of today’s automated systems generate some form of data either for diagnostic or analysis purposes. A data management framework and repository are commonly employed whenever a large amount of data is collected, providing a capability to deliver secure and reliable storage, data exploration and data sharing.  Designing an effective data management framework plays […]

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Trainee Spotlight – Norma Torres

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 27, 2019

Norma Torres is a PhD candidate pursuing a Civil Engineering Degree at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez, focused in the area on Environmental and Water Resources Engineering. Since spring 2011, Norma has worked under the mentorship of Project 4 Principal Investigator Dr. Ingrid Padilla. Ingrid Padilla’s mentorship helped Norma improve the quality of […]

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Concentrations of phenols, parabens and triclocarbans appear in higher levels among Puerto Rico cohort compared to mainland U.S.

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 24, 2019

Recent environmental articles have increasingly focused on the potential dangers of chemicals that seem ever present and almost unavoidable in many facets of modern life. At CRECE, PROTECT and ECHO, we study many different chemicals which are present in the environment and lifestyle products to see how they impact pregnancy outcomes and children’s development in […]

Posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Premature Birth, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Study intermediate report: associations between demographic risk factors and preterm birth in the first 1000 participants

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 24, 2019

Since PROTECT has started studying the environmental causes of higher levels of preterm birth in Puerto Rico preterm birth rates have dropped significantly; from 18% of all births in 2011 which was considered the highest in the world, to 11% by 2017.[1] However, this rate still ranks amongst the highest rates in the world; especially […]

Posted in Enrichment Core F (Community Engagement), News on Premature Birth, PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

PROTECT study finds that chemicals found in many household consumer products were widely associated with hormone concentrations in pregnant women

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 14, 2019

Since plastic became known as the “miracle material that has made modern life possible” in 1950, humanity has produced 9.2 billion tons of plastic. [1] Plastics are produced using a large variety of materials which are often harmful to the environment and have been commonly found in human tissue. [2] PROTECT studies Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals […]

Posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Premature Birth, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

Training Core Presents the PROTECT Academy Seminar on Big Data Analytics

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: June 12, 2019

On Friday, June 21st from 10-11:30 am EDT the PROTECT Training core will be hosting the PROTECT Academy Seminar on Big Data Analytics for PROTECT researchers, staff, and trainees to attend. This seminar will be a new addition to the PROTECT Academy Interdisciplinary Introductory Seminar Series focused on Environmental Health Disciplines for Non-Experts presented to […]

Posted in PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Team, PROTECT Webinar Series, Research Core D (Data Management & Modeling), Training Core | Comments closed

Trainee Spotlight – Stephanie Eick

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 28, 2019

Stephanie Eick is a recent PhD graduate in Epidemiology from the College of Public Health at University of Georgia and PROTECT Trainee working under the mentorship of Co-Director Dr. Jose Cordero since August of 2016. Additionally, Stephanie worked under the direction of Michael Welton on PRIME team; a multidisciplinary research and training group for graduate […]

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PROTECT, CRECE, & ECHO Researchers Meet in Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 24, 2019

On Friday, May 17th, more than 30 PROTECT, CRECE, and ECHO researchers, research staff, trainees and nurses met at the Condado Plaza Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico to discuss research status, recruitment, plans and data management for the three research projects. Co-Directors Akram Alshawabkeh, José Cordero and John Meeker started off the meeting by […]

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PROTECT/CRECE/ECHO Researchers Visit Community Health Centers & Clinic Partners in Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 22, 2019

On Thursday, May 16th PROTECT researchers met in Puerto Rico to visit 4 different Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and clinics where participants for the PROTECT, CRECE, & ECHO Cohorts are recruited. PROTECT/CRECE/ECHO researchers and staff participated in the clinic visits, including Akram Alshawabkeh, José Cordero, Anne Magrath, Ingrid Padilla, Carmen Vélez Vega, John Meeker, […]

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CEC Director Dr. Carmen Velez Vega & Research Coordinator Hector Torres Zayas Lead Report Back Workshop

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 8, 2019

Back in March of this year, CEC Director Dr. Carmen Velez Vega & Research Coordinator Hector Torres Zayas coordinated and lead a workshop titled, “Report Back Strategies for the Dissemination of Research Findings,” for the Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities (CCRHD) Community Engagement Core.  This workshop focused primarily on the mobile app (DERBI) […]

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PROTECT Trainees Max Aung and Amber Cathey present at the Society for Reproductive Investigation 66th Annual Scientific Meeting in Paris

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 8, 2019

Between March 12-16th, 2019, PROTECT Project 1 Trainees Max Aung and Amber Cathey attended the 66th Annual Scientific Meeting hosted by the Society for Reproductive Investigation in Paris, France. This year the meeting focused on a “From Innovation to Impact” theme and welcomed over 1,300 attendees, breaking the overall attendance record. [1] Max Aung presented […]

Posted in Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), Project 2 (Toxicology), PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees | Comments closed

Project 2’s Rita Loch-Caruso received the Mentorship Award at the 2019 Society of Toxicology Meeting

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: May 3, 2019

In March at the 2019 Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting Project 2 Leader Rita Loch-Caruso was presented with the Women in Toxicology Mentorship Award. From Saturday, March 9th to Thursday March 14th, PROTECT researchers attended the 58th Annual SOT Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland where Rita received this recognition after being secretly nominated by 22 of […]

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PROTECT Hosts the 2019 Annual Northeast SRP Meeting at Northeastern University

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 23, 2019

From April 3rd-4th the PROTECT team hosted the 2019 Annual Northeast SRP Meeting at the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute where SRP researchers, staff, and trainees from Boston University, Columbia University, University of Rhode Island, Harvard University, Dartmouth College, MIT, Brown University, and University of Pennsylvania joined together to discuss their ongoing work and […]

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PROTECT’s Phil Brown presents at the Cambridge Science Festival

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 23, 2019

Phil Brown, Director of the Research Translation Core and Co-Director of the Community Engagement Core, joined with research translation core leaders Jennifer Kay (MIT SRP) and Wendy Heiger-Bernays (BU SRP) for a presentation at the annual Cambridge Science Festival (Please see presentation below). The Festival was established in 2007 and now includes 10 days of […]

Posted in Enrichment Core B (Research Translation), Enrichment Core F (Community Engagement), PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Training Core Leader Tom Sheahan appointed Senior Vice Provost for Curriculum and Programs at Northeastern University

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 23, 2019

On Monday, April 22nd it was announced that PROTECT Training Core Director Tom Sheahan is appointed Senior Vice Provost for Curriculum and Programs at Northeastern University, effective July 1, 2019. In his new role, Tom will oversee academic program development, governance and inter-college coordination, program assessment integration, and university-wide curricular initiatives.  In addition, he will […]

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PROTECT Participates in Environmental Justice Panel at CitSci2019

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 22, 2019

PROTECT Community Engagement Core Co-Leader Dr. Carmen Vélez Vega was a featured panelist on the Environmental Justice special panel at CitSci2019, held on March 15, 2019, in Raleigh, NC. The panel, “Environmental Justice and Community Science: A Social Movement for Inpowerment, Compliance, and Action,” featured four panelists presenting case studies in community-driven research and was […]

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Trainee Spotlight: Elana Elkin

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 16, 2019

Elana Elkin is a PhD candidate from the University of Michigan working in the discipline of Toxicology under the mentorship of Project 2 Investigator Rita Loch-Caruso. Her dissertation is focused on her research as a PROTECT Trainee and is titled, First-Trimester Placental Cellular Responses to Trichloroethylene Metabolite S-(1, 2-Dichlorovinyl)-L-Cysteine Exposure. Elana has been a trainee […]

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PROTECT Project 2 Researchers receive awards, recognition, and praise at the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting 2019.

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 12, 2019

From Saturday, March 9th to Thursday March 14th, PROTECT researchers attended the 58th Annual Society of Toxicology Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. The Annual SOT Meeting has a global presence, consisting of “…members from 60+ countries and is dedicated to enhancing the impact and relevance of toxicology around the globe.”[1] When asked about the meeting PROTECT […]

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PROTECT Report Back Team hosts community meeting with study participants in Arecibo, Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: April 5, 2019

On the afternoon of Saturday, March 23rd, the PROTECT Community Engagement Core spent the afternoon celebrating and hosting a Report Back session with participants at the Clinical Laboratory Toledo in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. This activity was organized as a part of our ongoing efforts to engage our participants in the study results and research, and […]

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Trainee Spotlight: Kaleigh McAlaine

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: March 12, 2019

Kaleigh McAlaine is a fourth year Environmental Engineering student with a minor in Marine Biology at Northeastern University, and recently completed her co-op with ROUTES in December 2018. During her co-op, Kaleigh worked under the mentorship of ROUTES & PROTECT Director Akram Alshawabkeh, participating in his research on the development of groundwater remediation technologies at […]

Posted in Project 5 (Green Remediation), PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees, Trainee Spotlight | Comments closed

March Webinar: Dr. Leo Trasande, “Sicker Fatter Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Our Health and Future”

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: February 21, 2019

March Webinar: Sicker Fatter Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Our Health and Future … and What We Can Do About It, A Conversation with Author and Leader in Children’s Environmental Health, Dr. Leo Trasande On Monday, March 11th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm EST, PROTECT will host its spring webinar of the 2018-2019 […]

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PROTECT and Silent Spring Institute’s Report Back App deemed a model for future research at the PEPH Conference

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: January 8, 2019

On Thursday, December 13th, the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences  (NIEHS) hosted a two-day conference for the Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH) Annual Meeting, where various environmental health science professionals came together to discuss the topic of reporting back research results. Members of PROTECT’s Community Engagement Core (CEC) discussed the significance of PROTECT’s […]

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Trainee Spotlight: Morgan Hines

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: January 8, 2019

Morgan Hines is a 5th year Biology & English Student from Louisville, Kentucky and a member of both the University Scholars & Honors Programs. Morgan’s first position as a ROUTES scholar was within the Speech and Neurodevelopment Lab (SNL) of Dr. Emily Zimmerman in Fall 2017, which is a part of Project 1 within the […]

Posted in Enrichment Core F (Community Engagement), PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling), Trainee Spotlight | Comments closed

Project 5’s Long Chen Promoted to Associate Research Scientist

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: January 2, 2019

On December 1st, 2018, PROTECT Project 5’s Long Chen was promoted to Associate Research Scientist. After working under the leadership of Akram Alshawabkeh as a Post Doc since early December 2017, Long’s work ethic, leadership abilities, and accomplishments continue to guide his success. In his new role, Long will be assuming the administrative responsibilities of the […]

Posted in Project 5 (Green Remediation), PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Project 4 Trainees Autum Downey & Jill Riddell Present at the Geological Society of America 130th Annual Meeting

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: December 4, 2018

PROTECT Project 4 team members recently presented study findings that organic carbon concentration in cave sediments can be used as tracer of input from Hurricane Maria and other Natural Disasters at a recent geological researcher’s conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. On Tuesday, November 6th, PROTECT Trainees Autum Downey and Jill Riddell presented a poster with these […]

Posted in Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees | Comments closed

Kelly Ferguson, Former PROTECT Trainee, Wins NIEHS Mentor of the Year

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: November 14, 2018

PROTECT Collaborator and former trainee Dr. Kelly Ferguson recently won the 2018 NIEHS Mentor of the Year Award. Presented by the NIEHS Trainees Assembly (NTA), this award aims to honor an NIEHS scientist who has used training to support NIEHS fellows and trainees scientifically and personally. To qualify, a mentor could be a Principal Investigator, […]

Posted in Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees | Comments closed

PROTECT Researchers evaluate Hurricane Maria’s Impact and suggest a ‘Visionary Rebuilding’ plan for Government Institutions

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: November 8, 2018

The impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on the island is massive, with over a thousand lives lost and over $90 billion dollars in damage, part of which decimated the electric grid and 80% of the agricultural sector. Many Puerto Ricans were left homeless and a total of 215,000 people left the island for the […]

Posted in Enrichment Core F (Community Engagement), Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among pregnant women may contribute to adverse birth outcomes

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 30, 2018

Pregnant women and their fetuses represent susceptible populations to environmental contaminants. Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among pregnant women may contribute to adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth. This study assessed longitudinal urinary PAH metabolite concentrations over two time points in pregnancy cohorts in Boston (N = 200) and Puerto Rico (N = […]

Posted in News on Premature Birth, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Welcomes the 2018 Class of Student Researchers at Trainee Orientation

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 30, 2018

On Monday, September 17th, the PROTECT team kicked off the 2018-2019 academic year with the annual Trainee Orientation and Welcome. This multi-institutional meeting hosted by the Training Core is held every fall as a means of introducing new student trainees to PROTECT. The event also serves as an update for all attendees on the progress the PROTECT […]

Posted in PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees, Training Core | Comments closed

PROTECT Study shows widespread presence of phthalates from multiple sources in karst aquifers in Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 29, 2018

Phthalates are widely used in many consumer products; DEHP is the most frequently used plasticizer in the market. Their extensive use results in spatially-widespread sources that are difficult to identify. Their presence in groundwater is related to land use patterns and is influenced by hydrogeologic characteristics. Phthalate contamination is important to evaluate in eogenetic karst […]

Posted in News on Environmental Health, Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Project 5 Continues Partnership with e.THROUGH Project: Welcoming Professor Juan Manuel Paz, Celebrating the Research of Eduardo Mateus & Alexandra Ribeiro

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 18, 2018

Juan Manuel Paz is Assistant Professor at the University of Malaga (UMA), Spain. He obtained his PhD at the Technical University of Denmark and performed postdoctoral research in different institutions in Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden. He also was research scholar at Northeastern University for 5 months in 2011, so we are happy to have […]

Posted in Project 5 (Green Remediation), PROTECT Team | Comments closed

How important are subsurface sediments to the overall function of karst aquifers?

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 17, 2018

All aquifers contain a “matrix” – the solid component through which the water flows – but karst aquifers also contain sediments that can move dynamically between mobile (readily transported) and stationary (stored) pools. Both pools of sediments can influence contaminant mobility and storage as well as hinder or enhance remediation efforts. PROTECT Researchers & Trainees […]

Posted in Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

November Webinar: Tracey Woodruff, “Without Consent: Chemical Exposures and Our Health”

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: October 16, 2018

On Monday, November 26th from 1:00 – 2:00pm EST, PROTECT will host the first webinar of the 2018-2019 academic schedule. This webinar will feature Tracey Woodruff, a recognized expert on environmental pollution exposures during pregnancy and effects on prenatal and child health as well as on her innovations in translating and communicating scientific findings for clinical and policy […]

Posted in PROTECT Webinar Series, Training Core | Comments closed

Welton granted NIEHS Award to Study Impacts of Traumatic Experiences & Prolonged Recovery due to Hurricane Maria on Preterm Birth Outcomes

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: September 27, 2018

Michael Welton is Post-Doctoral Research Fellow & Teaching Associate in the College of Public Health at University of Georgia. Welton works with the Human Subjects & Sampling Core within PROTECT as well as the Human Subjects Core in CRECE, and has been working on the NIH funded ZIP Study (Zika in Infants and Pregnancy) for […]

Posted in News on Environmental Health, News on Premature Birth, PROTECT Research, PROTECT Team, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

PROTECT Welcomes New Team Members, and Celebrates our Recent Departures’ Contributions & Future

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: September 20, 2018

 PROTECT welcomes Patrick Compton, a new PhD student at Northeastern University studying Civil Engineering with a concentration in Environmental and Water Systems. Patrick graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2013 with a BS in Environmental Engineering and spent the next five years on active duty as a Civil Engineering Officer. He has worked on […]

Posted in Project 5 (Green Remediation), PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees | Comments closed

PROTECT Center Holds Research Staff Team Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: August 22, 2018

The Protect Center held an extended meeting in San Juan where our Research Team, Human Subjects & Sampling Core, as well as key members of the Executive Committee had a chance to present and discuss what they are working on and go over our current research strategies.  The PROTECT Center also had researchers and contributors […]

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PROTECT Presents at the 2018 International Conference on Children’s Health and the Environment, at the National University of Seoul

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: August 14, 2018

PROTECT researchers Dr. Carmen M. Vélez Vega and Zaira Rosario presented in the 2018 International Conference on Children’s Health and the Environment, better known as INCHES 2018. Dr. Vélez Vega presented on the work of PROTECT’s Community Engagement Core, while Zaira Rosario presented on the research conducted under CRECE. Dr. Vélez Vega was also part […]

Posted in Enrichment Core F (Community Engagement), PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Team, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

PROTECT Trainee Norma Torres Featured in SRP Newsletter

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: August 7, 2018

The July Edition of the SRP Newsletter “Trainee Spotlight” features PROTECT Project 4 trainee Norma Torres, highlighting her work with Dr. Ingrid Padilla on contaminant distribution in karst aquifers. Norma has been with PROTECT since 2011, during which time she has received two Individual Development Plan Awards from PROTECT as well as the prestigious Ford […]

Posted in Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Team, PROTECT Trainees, Trainee Spotlight | Comments closed

Cave Sediments & Hurricanes: Digging into the Past

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 27, 2018

Puerto Rico is finally starting to recover from Hurricane Maria, but the huge storm may continue to influence the cave and karst systems for generations. A group of PROTECT researchers met in Puerto Rico in July to collect sediment samples from a cave and spring to start addressing this question. Caves can trap and store […]

Posted in News on Environmental Health, Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Researcher Dorothy Vesper Elected as GSA Fellow

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 27, 2018

In May 2018, PROTECT Project 4 researcher Dorothy Vesper was elected as a Geological Society of America Fellow. New GSA Fellows are nominated by existing Fellows in recognition of their contributions to the field of geoscience, and are elected during the spring GSA Council meeting. Dr. Vesper was nominated by Madeline Schreiber of Virginia Tech […]

Posted in Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Team Members Attend the 15th “Sinkholes Meeting”

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 25, 2018

Current and past members of PROTECT attended the 15th “Sinkholes Meeting” (15th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst) in Shephardstown, WV, during April 2018. The Sinkholes Meeting is one of the oldest interdisciplinary conferences focused on karst and the associated issues. The conference proceedings includes blind, peer-reviewed manuscripts for publication. […]

Posted in Events, News on Environmental Health, Project 4 (Fate & Transport), PROTECT Events and Presentations, PROTECT Team | Comments closed

PROTECT Welcomes Eduardo Mateus & Alexandra Ribeiro to the Team

By Alessandra Bryant | Published: July 25, 2018

We are delighted to welcome Professors Eduardo Mateus and Alexandra Ribeiro as visiting scholars from the Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research (CENSE),  Faculty of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon (FCT NOVA) in Portugal. They will be working with Professor Akram Alshawabkeh and the PROTECT Center for the next few months on advanced […]

Posted in Project 5 (Green Remediation), PROTECT Team | Comments closed

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