Environmental Health Sciences Research Center

University of Iowa College of Public Health

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Spotlight on EHSRC’s role in protecting Iowans’ health

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Closeup of a woman farmer with a straw hat on a small tractorThe EHSRC has released a new fact sheet detailing its role in environmental health sciences research aimed at protecting Iowans’ health. Funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the EHSRC is the only environmental health research center in the Great Plains/Midwest region. We focus on pressing state and regional issues including:

  • Protecting people from naturally occurring carcinogens like radon and arsenic
  • Keeping farmers healthy by controlling exposure to dust, fumes, and pesticides
  • Helping people with lung disease adapt to extreme weather and floods

Click here to view the fact sheet

Environmental health sciences research is an economic powerhouse in Iowa, with $2.38 in economic activity for every dollar invested. The economic benefits from EHSRC include:

  • $64.6 M in economic activity generated since 2007
  • Over 100 patents by EHSRC researchers since 2007
  • $9 in additional grants awarded for each $1 invested in our Pilot Grants

New fact sheet highlights the vital role that P30 EHS Core Centers play in fighting chronic disease

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Infographic showing increase in certain chronic diseases in US from 1990-2021 - 28% to 283%, depending on the disease. 133% for Parkinson's Disease, 75% for Alzheimer's and other dementias, 175% for total cancers, 283% for diabetes.Chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s Disease, chronic respiratory disease, and childhood neurodevelopmental disorders have increased dramatically in the United States over the past few decades. Research shows that these diseases are linked to environmental factors such as air pollution, microplastics, and harmful chemical exposures.

The P30 Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), an institute in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have released a fact sheet describing the essential role we play in combatting chronic diseases.

Click here to view the fact sheet 

 

Dr. Emma Stapleton Thornell using a pipette on a lab bench and smiling.NIEHS is at the forefront of conducting research that protects public health by revealing how environmental factors impact health and disease and supporting communities in responding to environmental disasters such as chemical spills and extreme weather events like hurricanes. NIEHS P30 environmental health research centers are at the core of this mission by advancing scientific understanding, addressing emerging public health threats, improving community health, and reducing health care costs.

NIH’s $47 billion investment in research in 2023 resulted in nearly double the economic activity, at $92 billion. NIEHS’ 2025 budget request is only 2 percent of this total, about $917 million. But the return on these dollars far exceeds this small investment. Environmental health research also informs public health policy actions, which can yield $1.25 to $39 for every $1 invested.

Click here for more details on how our environmental health research saves lives and boosts the economy.

Spring 2025 Pilot Grant RFA

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Dr. Shoshannah Eggers pipetting samples in a fume hood.The RFA for the Spring 2025 Pilot Grant Program (PGP) is now available! The PGP provides up to $40,000 for innovative, environmental health-related research proposals aligned with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Strategic Plan. Community engagement supplements up to $5,000 in additional funds are also available.

The expected start date for awards is April 1, 2025.

Deadlines:

  • January 15, 2025:  Preliminary communications as outlined in RFA
  • February 1, 2025:  Final Submission

Recent COVID-19 research

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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, EHSRC researchers have been doing important work to understand and treat this illness. Below are some recent activities by center members. Check out our  Response to COVID-19 page to read more.

Alejandro Comellas contributed to a study on post-COVID brain fog and fatigue, revealing a negative impact on daily activities, work/employment and interpersonal relationships. Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) is a poorly understood condition with significant impact on quality of life. This study aimed to better understand the lived experiences of patients with PASC, focusing on the impact of cognitive complaints (“brain fog”) and fatigue on (1) daily activities, (2) work/employment, and (3) interpersonal relationships. The team conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 15 patients of a Midwestern academic hospital’s post-COVID-19 clinic. Participants frequently used descriptive and metaphorical language to describe symptoms that were relapsing-remitting and unpredictable. Fatigue and brain fog affected all domains and identified subthemes included symptoms’ synergistic effects, difficulty with multitasking, lack of support, poor self-perception, and fear of loss of income and employment. Personal relationships were affected with change of responsibilities, difficulty parenting, social isolation, and guilt due to the burdens placed on family. Furthermore, underlying social stigma contributed to negative emotions, which significantly affected emotional and mental health. Our findings highlight PASC’s negative impact on patients’ daily lives.

 

Gary Pierce participated in a study team to evaluate the activity levels of college students during the pandemic. The Activity Questionnaire for Adults and Adolescents estimated physical activity and sedentary time before, early, and later in the pandemic. Barriers and facilitators to physical activity were assessed at early and later timepoints. Open-ended questions examined additional impacts. Comparing before vs. early/later pandemic assessments, respondents reported a significant decrease in physical activity metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes/week and a significant increase in sedentary MET-minutes/week. The top barrier was schoolwork (47.7%). The top facilitator was social support (21.5%). Responses to open-ended questions indicated that most individuals reported sitting more during the pandemic, with variation in physical activity patterns. Adverse changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior observed early in the pandemic were sustained.

 

Paul Romitti co-authored a publication reporting a study on the relationship between trimester of SARS-CoV-2 infection, illness severity, and risk for preterm birth.  Data was analyzed for 6336 pregnant persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection in 2020 in the United States.  The study found that pregnant persons with critical COVID-19 or asymptomatic infection, compared to mild COVID-19, in the second or third trimester were at increased risk of preterm birth. Pregnant persons with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 did not show increased risk of preterm birth in any trimester.

 

Julia Klesney-Tait was part of a study to determine whether recipients of lung transplantation (LT) for COVID-19-related lung disease have comparable outcomes to other recipients with a similar level of lung dysfunction. Lung transplantation is an acceptable and potentially life-saving treatment option for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary fibrosis.  A total of 37,333 LT candidates from all causes were compared with 334 candidates from COVID-19-related respiratory failure. COVID-19 recipients were more likely to be younger (50 vs 57 years), male (79% vs 60%), require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (56.3% vs 4.0%), and have worse lung function (lung allocation score, 82.4 vs 47.8) at transplantation. Patients who received a transplant for COVID-19 had similar rates of mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, postoperative complications, and functional status at discharge compared with controls. There was no difference in overall survival or risk of death from COVID-19.

 

Brandi Janssen contributed to a study on how the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic affected food availability and accessibility for many older adults, especially those experiencing food insecurity. Food citizenship is a theoretical framework that encourages the use of alternate over industrial food sources and can characterize where foods are acquired and how food choices are made. The purpose of this study is to explore how Iowans aged 50 years and older made choices about what foods to acquire and where to acquire foods during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic using food citizenship as a theoretical framework.

 

In memoriam: Professor Emeritus Bill Field

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R. William “Bill” Field, professor emeritus of occupational and environmental health at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, died Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics at the age of 68 from refractory mantle cell lymphoma.

Field completed his PhD in preventive medicine and environmental health at the University of Iowa in 1994. He joined the UI faculty in 1998. He recently retired as a Professor from the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health with appointments in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology.

Bill is recognized internationally for his expertise in radon and radiation health effects, not only for his epidemiologic research into the radioactive gas, but for his advocacy and community engagement efforts to inform the public about radon’s human health risks and to mitigate radon exposures. He served on the Presidential Advisory Board for Radiation and Worker Health till his death. He served on other national and World Health Organization boards during his career. He established the Occupational Epidemiology Training Program at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. He worked with professional organizations to improve radon testing and to educate the public on health risks from radon. In 2022, the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) selected Field to receive the organization’s Radon Hero Award. Above all, he was a compassionate mentor who delighted in guiding his students towards independent careers in public health.

Bill was a valued member of the EHSRC for 16 years and most recently served as leader of the Population Health Research group, as well as having participated in the drafting of state legislation (IA), speaking engagements through community forums, academic conferences, and legislative summits.  His warm, collaborative spirit will be greatly missed by his friends and colleagues at the EHSRC.

Service arrangements and obituary.

Thorne recipient of 2022 University of Iowa Distinguished Chair

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Peter Thorne, professor of occupational and environmental health in the College of Public Health and deputy director of EHSRC, has been named a recipient of the 2022 University of Iowa Distinguished Chair.

The award is one of the highest bestowed on Iowa faculty. It recognizes tenured scholars of national and international distinction who are making a significant positive impact within the university, state of Iowa, and beyond through teaching, research, and/or scholarship.

“The University of Iowa Distinguished Chair rewards and recognizes some of the most exceptional members of our community of scholars, who have earned national and international distinction,” says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost.

Thorne, who also serves as the director of the Human Toxicology Program within the Graduate College, joined the Iowa faculty in 1988. His pioneering research is focused on environmental risk factors for inflammatory lung diseases, the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials and persistent chemical pollutants, and the health effects of climate change.

Thorne is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Academy of Sciences in translating complex environmental health science to public policy. He is serving a third, three-year term on the EPA’s Science Advisory Board and served two years as chair. Thorne was a member of the National Academy of Sciences Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology for six years. He is the current chair of the academy’s Committee on Toxicology.

At Iowa, Thorne directed the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center for 20 years and served as head of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health for 12 years. He has led the Pulmonary Toxicology Facility core since 1993. Thorne was awarded the 2017 UI Scholar of the Year and the 2018 Iowa Board of Regents Award for Faculty Excellence. He teaches courses on health effects of climate change, global environmental health, and human toxicology. He has mentored 25 PhD students, 30 master’s students, and 18 postdoctoral fellows. With his students and staff, he has published more than 290 peer-reviewed publications.

 

This post first appeared on the College of Public Health website and was adapted from an Iowa Now story. 

Keri Hornbuckle discusses airborne PCBs in Keystone Science Lecture

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Approaches for studying airborne exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) — and helping communities reduce such exposure — were discussed by Iowa Superfund Research Program (ISRP) Director Keri Hornbuckle, Ph.D., during her Feb. 4 Keystone Science Lecture. The NIEHS-funded program is housed at the University of Iowa.

PCBs are a large group of chemicals that persist in the environment. They have been associated with conditions such as diabetes, liver toxicity, skin ailments, and immune, neurological, and respiratory issues. The substances can be found in products ranging from adhesives and paints to insulation and electrical equipment. Although the chemicals were banned in the U.S. in 1979, potentially harmful exposure to PCBs is an ongoing concern, according to Hornbuckle.

Potentially dangerous byproducts

A group of 209 PCB mixtures known as Aroclors were produced by the company Monsanto in the middle of the 20th century for use in electrical transformers, fluorescent light ballasts, hydraulic fluid additives, building materials, and flame retardants. Sale of Aroclors was banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1975. However, non-Aroclor PCBs continue to be manufactured, largely as byproducts of certain industrial processes, noted Hornbuckle.

She explained that exposures are ubiquitous in the U.S. because of how the substances vaporize into the air, especially on hot days. Although it has been assumed that exposure comes primarily through diet because of how PCBs bioaccumulate in fish and other animals, it is now known that inhalation is another important route of exposure. Hornbuckle, who leads the ISRP Analytical Core, discussed how research methods optimized for assessment of the chemicals have provided new insights about sources of airborne PCBs, exposures, and potential for remediation.

Quantifying exposure

Hornbuckle’s team developed a set of sampling and analytical methods to provide the highest quality PCB data. For example, they use an instrumental method for detection and quantification of the chemicals that uses triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The approach allows scientists to measure PCBs with a level of accuracy and precision comparable to that provided by high-resolution mass spectrometry but at lower cost.

According to Hornbuckle, the method enables her team to better understand sources of airborne PCB exposure. She noted that the scientists study the release of the substances in cities, rural areas, and school classrooms.

Beginning in 2009, ISRP Project 4 began sampling for airborne PCBs in Chicago, and researchers discovered the prevalence of airborne non-Aroclor PCBs. The scientists determined that past systems for measuring the chemicals had been developed using Monsanto mixtures, which meant that modern PCBs produced as byproducts of manufacturing had gone unnoticed.

Interestingly, one driver of PCBs being emitted into the air involves the heat of the day, not proximity to manufacturing sites.

“The variability of PCBs across the city of Chicago is mostly driven by temperature,” Hornbuckle explained. “The hotter it is, the more they’re released into the air.”

Another surprising finding is that living in rural areas does not equate to lower levels of PCB exposure. In addition, some children experience the highest levels of PCBs in their classrooms.

Reducing health risks

“Many American schools were built in the middle part of the last century, and PCBs were widely added to building materials because they do make resilient materials that don’t need replacement — think lighting, window caulking, masonry joints, paint, and carpets,” Hornbuckle said.

Mitigating the risk of exposure in schools is challenging, she noted. There is no federal program to remove PCB contamination once it is discovered, and schools with resources to address the problem are likely in high-income areas. Because expensive remediation — removal of the substances — is often not feasible in low-income districts, more vulnerable populations can experience the most exposures.

Hornbuckle suggested that school districts can target the worst exposure areas by testing for PCBs on a room-by-room basis.

She said that the state of Vermont is undertaking such a campaign in its schools — combing for sources of PCB exposure, room by room. And a side benefit of many schools around the country updating their ventilation and air filtration systems to slow the spread of COVID-19 is that these measures lower exposure to PCBs as well.

“When you’re trying to determine toxicological risk and opportunities for remediation, some level of focus is needed,” Hornbuckle said. “It’s important to create a strategy for remediation that is cost-effective and that allows for [exposure] measurement when you’re done.”

During a lively Q&A discussion, NIEHS and National Toxicology Program Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D., noted that he grew up in northeastern Wisconsin on the Fox River, which became contaminated with PCBs.

“It is rather sobering to realize just how contaminated that area was,” he said, adding that in many places, PCBs are just one set of chemicals to which people are exposed.

“A major research challenge is to better understand how all of these exposures can influence health and disease,” noted Woychik.

Citations:
Jahnke JC, Martinez A, Hornbuckle KC. 2022. Distinguishing Aroclor and non-Aroclor sources to Chicago air. Sci Total Environ; doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153263 [Online 20 January 2022].

Bannavti MK, Jahnke JC, Marek RF, Just CL, Hornbuckle KC. 2021. Room-to-room variability of airborne polychlorinated biphenyls in schools and the application of air sampling for targeted source evaluation. Environ Sci Technol 55(14):9460–9468.

By Kelley Christensen. Kelley Christensen is a contract writer and editor for the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison.

This article was originally published in Environmental Factor, published by the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.

Dr. Field recognized as National Radon Hero

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The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) has selected Bill Field, University of Iowa professor emeritus of occupational and environmental health and member of the EHSRC, to receive the organization’s 2022 Radon Hero Award. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated leadership in reducing the health effects of radon exposure, the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The award is based on the recipient’s contributions to this effort, the breadth and scope of their services, and sustained commitment to mitigating radon risk.  He was previously awarded Honorary Membership to CRCPD in 2010.

Official presentation of the CRCPD Radon Hero Award will occur during the organization’s annual radon meeting in October 2022.

Field is recognized as one of the foremost authorities on radon, not only for his research into the radioactive gas, but because of his advocacy and outreach efforts. He helped identify radon as the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and remains dedicated to educating the public about the health risks of radon and ways to reduce exposure in homes, schools and at work.

 

This post was originally posted on the UI College of Public Health website. 

Lehmler Receives 2021 John Doull Award

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EHSRC Director Dr. Hans-Joachim Lehmler was presented the 2021 John Doull Award at the annual Central States Society of Toxicology (CSSOT) Meeting, held virtually this year.  As part of the award ceremony, Dr. Lehmler delivered a presentation titled, “PCB metabolism and neurotoxicity: highlights from a transatlantic journey.”

The John Doull award is presented each year by the CSSOT to honor the contributions of its members to the discipline of toxicology and the chapter.  Each year there is a call for nominations prior to the Fall meeting. The winner of the award receives a medal.

Lehmler joined the University of Iowa in 2003 and currently leads a productive chemical toxicology laboratory linking the metabolism of current and emerging environmental contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and environmental bisphenols, to their adverse health effects. He is internationally recognized for his studies on the disposition and toxicity of chiral PCBs. His current NIEHS-funded research employs novel animal models, including germ-free mice, transgenic animals, and population-based animal models, to characterize how the metabolism of chemical hazards affects toxic outcomes.

Dr. Lehmler serves as the Director of the NIEHS-funded Environmental Health Sciences Research Center (EHSRC) at the University of Iowa. In addition to his role as EHSRC Director, Dr. Lehmler is among the leadership team of the Exposure Science Facility and serves as the director of the Career Development Program of the EHSRC.

He also is the Deputy Director of the Iowa Superfund Research Program. Under this program, Dr. Lehmler leads a new Research Project investigating the neurotoxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in adolescence. This Research Project brings together a multidisciplinary research team to study how local PCB metabolism in the brain affects neurotoxic outcomes in an adolescent rat model. Dr. Lehmler also leads the Synthesis Core of the Iowa Superfund Research Program and is a member of the leadership team of the Analytical Core.

He serves as Academic Editor of PLOSone and on NIH and DoD grant review panels. In addition, he is actively involved in the Central States Chapter of the Society of Toxicology and previously served as the Chapter’s secretary/treasurer for six years.

Scientific Communication Webinar Recording

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This year the Iowa Governors Conference on Public Health has been moved online. A benefit of this is that presentations are available for anyone to watch! The Community Engagement Core’s Jackie Curnick presented about “Scientific Communication Approaches to Improve Environmental Health Literacy” on April 15, 2020. Watch the presentation here! (presentation starts around 7 minutes 30 seconds)

 

EHSRC in the fight against COVID-19

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EHSRC investigators wear many hats, both inside and outside of their membership with the Center.  Many have been active contributors in response to the emerging questions and needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. As experts in the fields of respiratory health, industrial hygiene, engineering, aerosol science, patient care, vaccine development, and community engagement, they are tirelessly offering up their expertise to the cause by developing new technologies and interventions, working the front lines of patient care, delving into the complex infrastructural challenges, and advising governmental authorities and the general public. We are proud to count them among our members and pay tribute to their ongoing efforts in this fight.

Read more here 

New Videos!

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View some new content by the EHSRC!

This video focuses on how to read a Consumer Confidence Report:

 

We also have 5 videos of the Research Translation Mini Series, they can be viewed here:

Seminars