Member Highlight: Elaine Symanski, Ph.D., GC-CPEH Deputy Director & TRSC Director The inaugural Houston Regional Air Quality Summit was held on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Cullen Building, Baylor College of Medicine. Co-hosted by the FIFA World Cup Houston Host Committee Sustainability Subcommittee and co-sponsored by GC-CPEH, the Summit convened community members, policymakers, industryContinueContinue reading “2025 Houston Regional Air Quality Summit”
Category Archives: Center News
Exercise Boosts Memory: Dr. Zheng Sun’s Alzheimer’s Research
Member Highlight: Dr. Zheng Sun, GC-CPEH GE2 Theme Co-Lead GC-CPEH GE2 Co-lead and associate professor of medicine – endocrinology Dr. Zheng Sun, together with colleague Dr. Hu Chen, assistant professor of pediatrics, at Baylor College of Medicine have been studying the effects of exercise in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model which was published in Alzheimer’sContinueContinue reading “Exercise Boosts Memory: Dr. Zheng Sun’s Alzheimer’s Research”
HELMER TALKS ABOUT VETERANS, TOXIC EXPOSURE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE
Member Highlight: Dr. Drew Helmer, CEC Director and CEET Co-Lead GC-CPEH CEC Director and CEET Co-lead Dr. Drew Helmer, together with colleagues Drs. Mhd Hasan Al Mekdash and Tarek Kandakji examined how concerns about toxic exposure contribute to veterans’ use of social media. The project was conducted through the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness,ContinueContinue reading “HELMER TALKS ABOUT VETERANS, TOXIC EXPOSURE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE”
Announcing Round 7 Full Pilot Projects
We are proud to announce the six projects selected for Round 7 of the Full Pilot Program. These innovative studies reflect the creativity and commitment of our investigators and will generate important new insights to advance environmental health research and improve community well-being. Bingning Dong Kevin Lanza Michael Mancini Guy Nir Melissa Suter Onur TurkogluContinueContinue reading “Announcing Round 7 Full Pilot Projects”
GC-CPEH Members Advance Early Detection of Measles Through Wastewater Surveillance
Member Highlight: Drs. Eric Boerwinkle and Joseph F. PetrosinoGC-CPEH Full Members Advance Early Detection of Measles Through Wastewater Surveillance GC-CPEH Full Members Dr. Eric Boerwinkle (UTHealth Houston School of Public Health) and Dr. Joseph F. Petrosino (Baylor College of Medicine) played key roles in a landmark study that identified the measles virus in Houston wastewaterContinueContinue reading “GC-CPEH Members Advance Early Detection of Measles Through Wastewater Surveillance”
GC-CPEH Team’s Study Featured as Environmental Factor Paper of the Month
A study co-authored by GC-CPEH members Drs. Hallberg, Ameredes, Buffington, and Laezza was featured as an Environmental Factor “Paper of the Month” (April 2025). This NIEHS-funded mouse study found that maternal exposure to low levels of the common pesticide deltamethrin impaired brain activity and triggered autism-like behaviors in male offspring only. The research revealed changes at theContinueContinue reading “GC-CPEH Team’s Study Featured as Environmental Factor Paper of the Month”
Aagaard Talks Microplastics With NIEHS Director in Environmental Factor
Dr. Kjersti Aagaard, a well-known physician-scientist and professor at BCM, recently had a conversation with Dr. Rick Woychik, who directs NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program. They discussed Dr. Aagaard’s work on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), which is helping to increase understanding of their pervasiveness and potential health effects. Dr. Aagaard, a GC-CPEH Full MemberContinueContinue reading “Aagaard Talks Microplastics With NIEHS Director in Environmental Factor”
Whitworth, Symanski and Northrup Investigate Drivers of Perinatal Health Disparities
Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Southern University (TSU) and UTHealth Houston were awarded a grant to study how structural racism effects maternal and infant health in the Houston area. Read the full article at Baylor College of Medicine News.
King and Colleagues Launch New Patient Program
Three researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, including our own center member Katherine King, launch a new clinical genomic sequencing program to help patients with an undiagnosed condition. Read more about the new program on the BCM From the Labs blog.
Symanski and Team Featured in NIEHS News
NIEHS featured the work of center member Elaine Symanski and team on addressing metal recycling pollution in Houston. The partnership, the Metal Air Pollution Partnership Solutions (MAPPS) study, co-developed an action plan and recently published their results to sustainably address community concerns. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/translational/peph/newsletter/2023/08/ Elaine Symanski, Heyreoun An Han, Sheryl McCurdy, Loren Hopkins, Juan Flores, InkyuContinueContinue reading “Symanski and Team Featured in NIEHS News”