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Oregon State University

Chemistry graduate student Ivan Titaley has been immersed in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) research within SRP Project 5 – Formation of Hazardous PAH Breakdown Products in Complex Environmental Mixtures at Superfund Sites under Dr. Staci Simonich.

Recently, Ivan was selected by Dr. Dayle Smith as a sponsored fellow at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to get hands-on training in modeling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This program is through the Office of Science and Engineering Education (SEE) at PNNL. The selection is commendable, and will allow Ivan to apply new modeling techniquesl in his own research on OPAHs and OHPAHs transformation processes.

To financially support Ivan on this unique training opportunity, he has been awarded an SRP Trainee Externship Award through the SRP Training Core. This activity provides important synergy between Project 5 and Core C – Biostatistics and Modeling.

Dr. Smith will provide mentoring for Ivan to perform computational chemistry work to predict the formation of oxygenated-PAHs (OPAHs) and hydroxy-PAHs (OHPAHs) from higher molecular weight parent PAHs. More specifically, Ivan will be working using the NWChem 6.5 computational chemistry software. Using thermodynamic data on potential OH-PAH-adduct, he will be able to show which compounds will form based on thermodynamic stability.

Congratulations, Ivan!

My name is Holly Dixon, and I am a new PhD student in the Dept. of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology (EMT) at Oregon State University (OSU). I grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon and completed my undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington in 2014.

During my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to complete a nuclear forensics internship at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and a chemical mixtures internship at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. By completing summer internships, I not only discovered that the field of toxicology is the perfect blend of my biology, chemistry, and research interests, but also that one of my career goals is to better understand people’s environmental exposure to toxicants.

I am excited by all of the opportunities I have had at OSU so far – both in my classes and research. I cannot wait to gain more specialized knowledge in toxicology and take part in a long-term research project. Through the EMT program’s supportive and motivated environment, I know I will grow as a student, researcher, and collaborator. I am currently working in Dr. Kim Anderson’s lab and learning about her different SRP projects (Project 4).

Recently I had the privilege of being recognized as an OSU ARCS Scholar. This award is for a new PhD student in the College of Agricultural Sciences. As an ARCS Scholar, I receive a stipend for three years to support my graduate studies.

Outside of studying and conducting research, I enjoy playing tennis and exploring the Pacific Northwest. I look forward to spending the next few years in Corvallis.

The SRP Training Core is pleased to support externship opportunities for SRP trainees to provide added experiential training specifically benefiting the trainee’s career goals. This new funding opportunity began in 2014.

Blair Paulik, a Trainee with Project 4, is the first to receive an Externship Award. Blair is receiving travel and lodging support to attend SETAC Europe 25^th Annual Meeting, which will be held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, from May 3-7 2015.

Blair Paulik

Attending this meeting will build her leadership and networking skills. She will also have the opportunity to present a part of her PhD research at this international meeting. Blair will be presenting about the impact of unconventional natural gas extraction on air quality.

Blair was elected to be the Vice Chair of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America Student Advisory Council (NASAC) for a 3-year term beginning fall 2014. She will be one of only a few students from North America to formally represent NASAC and SETAC North America on this global stage.

Blair will come back and share her experience with other SRP Trainees through the upcoming OSU SRP-led quarterly “brown-bag” web conferences with other SRP programs. She also plans to write about her experience to support other students. This opportunity will help Blair become a stronger mentor and bring visibility to our NIEHS SRP Trainee network.

Blair Paulik photo credit: Tyler Moss, Oregon State University — **SRP Trainee Blair Paulik**
*photo credit: Tyler Moss, Oregon State University*

Oregon State University Superfund Research Program trainees Blair Paulik and Lane Tidwell were selected to represent the College of Agricultural Science at the annual State of the University Address 2015 held in Portland Oregon on January 30^th.

Only one department from each college was selected to represent important work and trainee development that occurs in the college. PhD candidates Paulik and Tidwell highlighted the research the Food Safety and Environmental Stewardship Program in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology has been conducting for last 15 years in the Portland Harbor Superfund site.

Lane Tidwell photo credit: Hannah O’Leary, Oregon State University — **SRP Trainee Lane Tidwell**
*photo credit: Hannah O’Leary, Oregon State University*

While at the event the trainees were able to talk with many OSU alumni, stakeholders and supporters. Conversation topics ranged from current research occurring in the EMT department, the FSES program and the College of Agricultural Sciences to what the individual trainees hoped to do after graduation. Trainees Paulik and Tidwell were proud to represent the FSES program, the EMT Department and the College of Agriculture at this important outreach and engagement event with about 800 attendees.

State of the University Ballroom photo credit: Tyler Moss, Oregon State University — **State of the University Address Ballroom**
*photo credit: Tyler Moss, Oregon State University*

Congratulations to Erin Madeen from Project 1, the first recipient of a Trainee-Initiated Collaboration (TrIC) grant.

Erin will receive $2500 for travel and lodging to work with Ulrike Luderer MD, PhD, a Reproductive Toxicologist and expert in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) induced female infertility at UC Irvine.

Dr. Luderer will train Erin on methods to histologically analyze ovaries and testes from mice treated prenatally with the PAH, dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBC), in a Project 1 study. This unique training opportunity will help further research exploring how exposure of pregnant mothers to PAHs induces reproductive effects in their offspring.

This area of research is valuable as several individual PAHs are well documented to cause reproductive effects that include abnormal morphology, reduced fertility, infertility, and cancers. DBC has not previously been studied as a reproductive toxicant.

A comparison of BaP and DBC reproductive effects could be useful for risk assessors and modelers as PAHs occur in dynamic mixtures.

This is an exciting new collaboration with the Luderer Lab.

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Stories, Events, News, and Highlights

Tag Archives: training

Trainee Ivan Titaley Awarded Funds for Externship at PNNL

New Trainee Highlight – Holly Dixon

Blair Paulik Receives SRP Trainee Award for SETAC Europe Meeting

SRP Trainees Share Research at State of the University Address

Trainee-Initiated Collaboration (TrIC) Grants Support Integrative Projects

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