What does the future of environmental health science research look like? During the 20th annual Science Day celebrations, early-career researchers and mentors gathered to answer this question. For the first time in three years, fellows came together in person to share their research, celebrate successes and interact with the broader NIEHS community.
The event, held on January 22 in the Rod Bell Auditorium and Building 101 Lobby, included eight short presentations, 73 research posters, and a wrap-up awards ceremony. Topics range from the impact of early-life trauma on breast cancer to the use of a laboratory method called cell-free DNA as a biomarker for certain developmental disorders.
“This day continues to recognize the outstanding research being conducted across all three NIEHS divisions, with a special emphasis on highlighting the achievements of our incredible fellows and trainees,” said NIEHS Scientific Director Darryl Zeldin, MD.
![Mungjin Yi, Ph.D. (right) and Jason Watts, M.D., Ph.D. (left)](https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/sites/niehs-factor/files/2024/01/science-highlights/science-day-body1.jpg)
Celebrate and support early career researchers
Academician of the Year and Best Oral Presentation Dr. Virginia Savy was awarded the Reproductive Medicine Group.
Savi’s presentation focused on the impact of higher calcium levels at fertilization on short- and long-term health outcomes. She explained that a 10-fold increase in calcium levels before fertilization resulted in slower embryonic development, reduced litter size, and stunted growth in mice.
Jury members praised Savi’s presentation for its polished and well-organized presentation, noting that her research contributes to the growing body of evidence that changes in the calcium environment at fertilization can significantly affect the health of future offspring.
![Carmen Williams, MD, PhD (left) and Virginia Savy, PhD (right).](https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/sites/niehs-factor/files/2024/01/science-highlights/science-day-body2.jpg)
Mentor of the Year Awarded to Carmen Williams, M.D., Ph.D., who directs the Reproductive Medicine Group.
“I have been associated with Dr. Williams for 16 years, and her support has guided my academic career,” said Dr. Wipawee Winuthayanon, a mentor at the University of Missouri. “She was a great teacher and mentor, but the key was she made you feel like you could do anything.”
The Office of Researcher Career Development coordinates the selection process for the Researcher of the Year and Mentor of the Year awards.
Forty-seven on-campus scientists and 10 researchers from local universities served as judges for the poster competition.The following people received Best Poster Presentation Honors for the top 10% of speakers.
- Tyler CoseyNMR Group, “Characterization of Vicilin Buried Peptides in Cross-Reactive Legume, Solanum, and Nut Species Using Human Monoclonal IgE.”
- Dr. Ciro AmatoReproductive Developmental Biology Group, “Antiandrogen exposure disrupts chromatin accessibility and gene expression in the developing mouse penis.”
- Dr. Chi RupingMale Reproduction and RNA Biology Group, “TENT5A regulates the heat stress response by trailing Atxn2 transcripts.”
- Dr. Joe BrielleDivision of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, “Mutations leading to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency increase the risk of diabetic complications in men of African ancestry.”
- Dr. Chen YuyingReproductive and Developmental Biology Group, “Somatic cell fate specification and segregation in the fetal ovary.”
- Dr. Mert IkuzPediatric Neuroendocrinology Group, “Missense mutations in Smchd1 disrupt placental and cardiac development in mice.”
- Dr. Zoe WrightNucleolar Integrity Group, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off U: Understanding the Drivers of Nsp15 Preference in dsRNA Substrates.”
![From left to right: Ru-Pin Alicia Chi, Ph.D.; Yuying Chen, Ph.D.; Mert Ikuzi, Ph.D.; Joe Briere, Ph.D.; and Tyler Cosey](https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/sites/niehs-factor/files/2024/01/science-highlights/science-day-body3.jpg)
“This is always an incredible event thanks to the hard work and dedication of our judges, support staff and presenters,” said Dr. Hans Luecke, Deputy Director of Science and Head of the Science Day Organizing Committee. “This is a great opportunity to share scientific results and get feedback on ongoing research projects at NIEHS.”
(Dr. Ben Richardson is a Presidential Management Fellow in the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison.)