My name is Rosanna Jiang, and I am a rising junior studying Environmental Science and Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, I am heavily involved in the performing arts community on two dance groups and entrepreneurial competitions. I am passionate about environmental conservation and addressing health inequities due to environmental exposures. This summer, I had the wonderful honor and opportunity to intern in Dr. Aalim Weljie and Dr. Rebecca Simmons’ labs, studying the metabolic and reproductive health effects of exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). 

What is your summer research project?

PFOA is widespread, highly resistant to degradation, and accumulates in humans due to constant exposure. In preliminary research of the effects of PFOA, it is known that PFOA targets certain organs, including the liver, kidney, and placenta. As a result, it can be harmful to metabolic and reproductive health. Our hypothesis for this summer is to study PFOA under the lens of a possible endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) that can alter the biological circadian clock and increase the risk of developing diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. 

Collaborating with Nikita Bharati, I worked with two experimental models to explore the effects of PFOA exposure at varying dosages. In Dr. Weljie’s lab under the guidance of Dr. Lisa Bottalico, we have conducting qPCR and circadian clock recording experiments on mouse hepatocytes. We also have been analyzing past metabolomic data in a similar recording experiment on hepatocytes — exposed to BPA, DEHP, and PFOA — and linking it to metabolic diseases. In Dr. Simmons’s lab, we run western blots on liver samples, testing lipoproteins that increased in a preliminary qPCR run, from Dr. Sara Pinney’s PFOA-exposed gestational female mice and their fetuses. 

What are the implications of your research?

PFOA is a per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, a class consisting of over 5000 chemicals and unique for its thermally and chemically stable backbone of carbon-fluorine bonds. PFAS is used for nonstick coatings and fire-fighting foams. As a result, there has been widespread contamination of this emerging and legacy contaminant in drinking water in the nation. Currently, there is no national regulation of PFAS levels in drinking water; states that have regulation over PFAS have drastic levels of tolerance, ranging from 5.1 (California, PFOA only) to 400,000 (Michigan, PFHxA) ppt. 

Prevalence of PFAS found in drinking water or ground water in the USA (Source: EWG) 

While PFAS does not sorb into fat tissue, it accumulates in blood, liver, lungs, kidney, and placenta with a very high human half-life. PFAS is particularly dangerous to people during windows-of-susceptibility, key developmental periods that are highly vulnerable to environmental exposures. Our specific research in Dr. Simmons’s lab focuses on the gestational period where exposures occurring at this time may result in fetal programming and cause a later onset of obesity or diabetes later in the child’s life. Consistent exposure and accumulation of PFAS may dysregulate the biological circadian clock and hormonal levels, increasing risk of developing metabolic syndrome, unbalanced energy homeostasis, and disrupted hormonal function.

What new skills have you gained through your research?

Beyond strengthening my skills in cell culture and western blot technique, I learned to analyze lipidomics data, measured using liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy. I have also learned more about how to plan experiments and troubleshoot common lab procedures. Primarily, we were challenged to set up our own western blots, optimizing the western blot procedures, antibody dilution, and protein concentration amounts. 

My name is Rahma Osman, and I am a rising junior at Penn, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in computational neuroscience and consumer psychology. Through STEER, I was given the opportunity to learn about my environmental surroundings and how it shapes human health in addition to the vital role we play in shaping our environment. 

What is your summer research project? 

This Summer, I worked with Dr. Jianghong Liu at the School of Nursing to conduct a systematic review on the overlap between air pollution and cortical thickness outcomes. This project required conducting large scale literature searches and collation of data into tables and figures. By examining different journals and databases, I was able to come up with inclusion/ exclusion criteria for studies to conduct a review on. Through this process, I learned about individual study findings, but more importantly about the literature search process. For example, what can qualify a systematic review for a meta-analysis or how findings can differ across populations and geographical locations. 

After spending a couple weeks of conducting literature searches to examine already existing data, I was able to find some gaps in research for which I proceeded to identify the pros and cons of what a systematic review can contribute. I decided to focus on changes in cortical thickness, examined through magnetic resonance imaging as a response to air pollution exposures. With an increase in newer brain imaging techniques and technologies, I saw this topic as something that required a review and analysis of data to determine if previous studies have had similar conclusions. 

What are the Implications of your research? 

 The overall purpose of my research is to determine whether there are changes in cortical thickness with an increase in air pollutant exposures. Cortical thickness is an important measure for understanding the progression of disease, identifying abnormal brain regions, and consequently, assessing possible treatment options. It’s important to note that structural manifestations to changes in our environment can serve as solid evidence for policy makers and politicians to respond to. With increasing research regarding such topics, we can raise awareness and evidence for a much needed change towards a greener earth. 

What new skills have you gained through your research? 

This summer I’ve gained a skill set that I will continue to use in the coming years. Conducting literature searches can be a strenuous and stressful process that doesn’t always lead to the outcome one expects. Dealing with lots of bumps in the road, I’ve learned how to conduct literature searches and assess criteria, how to analyze and synthesize sources into a comprehensible paper, and how to communicate effectively with a team. Performing research requires reading and analytical skills, but also lots of organization and time management, which was definitely a challenge for me coming into the program. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with distinguished scientists and educators through STEER. I was able to learn and practice vital literature skills, be more aware of my environment, and learn how we can all participate in environmental change in our communities. 

My name is Samara Pyfrom, and I am a rising junior and Meyerhoff Scholar at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s of science degree in Environmental Science and Geography. Being a native Marylander, my appreciation for nature stemmed from my experiences on and around the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. This appreciation quickly became a full commitment to conservation. In addition to conservation to the natural environment, my other passions include Environmental Justice, especially as it pertains to health outcomes.

This summer, under the mentorship of Dr. Marilyn Howarth, a champion for Environmental Justice, I investigated the role legacy pollutants play in soil lead levels in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a highly industrious city with significant historical use of lead in these. The outcomes of this research can have serious health implications for Philadelphia residents, especially children. I am grateful to the STEER program for allowing me to participate in this important research. Knowing that my research can be used to inform the public about potential environmental health risks is encouraging.

What is your summer research project?
This summer, I researched legacy pollution in Philadelphia and its potential effects on soil lead levels today. I wished to understand how the two could be linked, and what the current risk is for high-risk populations, like children. For this project I first researched historical lead industry in the city. Using this information, I found points throughout the city where lead was once used industrially. I then travelled to and collected soil samples at these locations. I also collected samples at local parks and schools were children are more likely to be exposed. I then tested the soil lead levels. Because of the negative health
impacts of lead, I wanted to understand how even historical sources might impact health today.

What are the implications of your research?
My research can be used for local Philadelphia residents to have a more informed understanding of their potential lead exposure. Lead in soil is just one part of lead exposure. The implications of my research might suggest the risk that historical pollutants might raise, even today. It reminds us that our current environment may not be reflective of potential hazards that still pose a risk.

What new skills have you gained through your research?
This research project has challenged me to work independently, and think critically about what my results might suggest. I have strengthened my skills working in ArcGIS, using databases, doing research in the field, and data analysis. These skills are preparing me further in my career as a research scientist.

My name is Eva Nee, and I will be starting my third year at Penn, majoring in biology with intended minors in chemistry and Asian American studies. I am also following the pre-med track. Since July 2021, I have worked in the Blair Lab with my mentor, Dr. Clementina Mesaros. In the STEER program, I had an amazing opportunity to continue working in the lab and start my own research project. 

What is your summer research project?

This summer, I explored the connection between exposure to pesticides and neurodegeneration. The aim of my project was to work towards a therapeutic approach for neurodegeneration by analyzing the lipid levels in cells. Previous studies have shown that environmental exposures— specifically pesticides— are strongly associated with Parkinson’s disease, although the exact intracellular mechanism by which this occurs remains unknown. In my experiment, I cultured human neuroblastoma cells that are commonly used as a model for Parkinson’s disease. Then, I exposed these cells to the pesticide rotenone. After 24 and 48 hours, I quantified and analyzed the lipids extracted from the cell samples, and I compared these results with the control cell samples. 

What are the implications of your research?

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people across the world. However, not much is known about the environmental mechanisms that may lead to neurodegenerative disease. After Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease. Because Parkinson’s disease has been associated with pesticide exposure, some cases of Parkinson’s disease may be preventable, and there may be new avenues for therapeutic approaches. Also, the pesticide rotenone is a commonly used insecticide, herbicide, and fish toxin. Based on the results of this study, we may be able to apply these findings to other neurodegenerative diseases and pesticides. 

What new skills have you gained through your research?

Through my research this summer, I learned many new technical lab skills. For example, I learned how to conduct Pierce protein assays; plate, culture, and split cells; and use the lab’s high resolution-liquid chromatography mass spectrometer. I also had the opportunity to further refine my everyday lab techniques, such as pipet work, using the sonicator, and managing the nitrogen evaporator. Outside of the lab, I learned several new data processing systems. I became familiar with the programs that the lab frequently uses to analyze samples, specifically lipid and mass spectrometry software. Finally, I became more educated in neurodegenerative diseases as I read through numerous journal articles for background information and experimental design ideas. Overall, the STEER program helped me develop and strengthen crucial research skills.

My name is Kamalini Sengupta. I’m a rising senior at Bryn Mawr College, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in philosophy. I’ve been working in Dr. Nirinjini Naidoo’s lab at the Perelman School of Medicine since the summer of 2021, exploring the effects of sleep loss and circadian rhythm shifts in mice. The STEER program has allowed me to expand on this project, and my research skills in general. 

What is your summer research project?

Studies show that repeated sleep loss can lead to cellular stress and cause proteins to misfold. Our cells have a troubleshooting mechanism in place to deal with these misfolded proteins, called the unfolded protein response (UPR). As we age, the UPR becomes weaker and proteins start to accumulate, causing neurodegeneration. My project this summer has been studying whether sleep depriving young mice increases UPR activity later in life. I have been looking for a UPR marker protein called CHOP between control mice and mice that have been sleep deprived for 8 weeks. The mice were collected at different timepoints to determine temporal progression in UPR activity. This data will then be compared to results of cognitive-behavioral testing to see if there is a link between memory impairment and cellular stress.   

What are the implications of your research? 

Loss of sleep is incredibly prevalent in the US, especially among shift workers. Shift work has been shown to create problems with safety, performance, and overall well-being. These problems can be dangerous in certain settings, such as healthcare. Being a college student, I also know that sleep loss is common among my peers. Results from this study could stress the importance of sleep hygiene to prevent the early onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 

What new skills have you gained through your research?

Through my work at the Naidoo lab, I have learned how to perform immunohistochemistry staining, which is a method of localizing and semi quantifying specific proteins in tissue using antibodies. Working on this project has also taught me how to problem solve and create plans to get somewhat daunting tasks completed efficiently. I am incredibly grateful to the STEER program and my mentors at the Naidoo lab for teaching me skills that will not only be useful in future research, but in other academic and extracurricular pursuits, as well.

My name is Helena Blobel and I am a rising junior at Cornell University, studying biological sciences with a concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology. I participated in the STEER program in Philadelphia, as I am from the suburbs nearby in Lower Merion. After college, my plans include either graduate school or medical school. 

What is your summer research project? 

This summer, I worked with Dr. Corlett Wood. My research project was to study root-knot nematodes, a common, detrimental crop parasite that infects the roots of plants. My aim was to refine methods for harvesting and observing the infectious juvenile nematodes in a sterile environment in order to study them. This meant that I worked with hydroponics to grow them without soil, and pluronic gel plate experiments to examine their behavior. 

What are the implications of your research?

The hydroponics allowed me to create a source of nematode juveniles in a more controlled environment than in soil, streamlining the process of studying them and reducing potentially harmful disinfectant usage. The plate experiments allowed me to observe nematode attraction to various types of plants. These methods are useful for understanding their infectivity and therefore finding solutions to the significant agricultural losses they cause every year. The methods are widely applicable and could be used to study other agricultural pests.

What new skills have you gained through your research?

In addition to my individual work with hydroponics and gel plates, I contributed to several other projects in the lab. These projects studied various predictors of nematode infection, including the presence of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, age of plant at infection, and plant genotype. Through these projects, I gained many skills, such as plant care in growth chambers and greenhouses, harvesting of plants, and recognizing nematode colonies and bacterial colonies with microscopy. Additionally, with the help of my principal investigator, I have gained experience with understanding scientific literature in the ecology field and effectively presenting data.

My name is Aurora Yuan, and I am from a small town in New Jersey called Cranbury. I am a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania studying Neuroscience and Chemistry. I am interested in the intersection of the environment, health, and neuroscience. Throughout the STEER program, I have had the exciting opportunity to work with Dr. Jianghong Liu of the Nursing School here at Penn, and we were broadly interested this summer in studying air pollution exposure and its effects on human health across the lifespan. 

What is your summer research project? 

My summer research project primarily focused on a systematic review on the association between air pollution and cognition, as mediated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes. Systematic reviews are robust ways of gathering and synthesizing previous data and literature on a topic to answer questions of interest, and are also important in making recommendations for future work. I conducted an extensive search of previously published literature on this topic using several search engines like PubMed, Cochrane, PsycInfo, etc. We ended up including 11 papers in the review that met the inclusion criteria. Air pollution was identified as the environmental exposure for this systematic review, and within our sources all types of air pollution ranging from PM10 to nitrogen oxides were included. Measurements of exposure of air pollutants varied but often included land use regression models and geocoding of residential addresses. 

We stratified our results by children and adolescents, and compared this to adults and seniors who are more prone to cognitive decline and dementia diagnoses. Some papers measured MRI outcomes through volumes of different structures of the brain such as the prefrontal cortex, and others looked at the functional connectivity between different important networks with the brain such as the Default Mode Network (DMN). The third facet of this project focused on cognitive outcomes, which were diverse in the methods of measurement but included tests on cognitive domains like memory, attention, and processing speed. Information from these papers was then dissected and organized, and results were presented in tables and synthesized in the discussion.

What are the implications of your research? 

This research has far-reaching implications in several fields of study spanning environmental science, public health, and neuroscience. We chose this topic because it was a novel systematic review as no previous one had looked at cognitive effects from air pollution exposure based on MRI findings.

Air pollution is an important environmental exposure, especially because the incidence of air pollution is increasing in most places around the world. Because of this, it is imperative for us to understand the mechanisms and how air pollutant exposure ranging from childhood to adulthood exposure, can impact different areas and connectivity of the brain. From there, we can also understand how this impacts cognition and how it may have an impact on future medical diagnoses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Many people around the world are impacted by air pollution, so it’s incredibly important to synthesize previous literature and understand these relationships, and also provide some direction for future research, public health, clinical, and policy decisions. For example, we might consider for clinical purposes, assessing individuals with known high or medium levels of air pollution exposure with MRI scans of the brain as well as cognitive testing in order to identify and/or prevent future decline. 

What new skills have you gained through your research? 

I gained a lot of skills throughout my time in the lab working on my project. I learned how to conduct thorough and extensive literature searches for both my systematic review, and also on previous topics that we considered such as lead exposure and behavior, and air pollution and Parkinson’s disease. Another important skill that will be very valuable in the future is understanding how to analyze and synthesize sources, and being able to draw conclusions from this. This is a huge part of writing a systematic review and was a skill I applied a lot when writing my paper. Writing a good systematic review takes critical thinking, creativity, and questioning of scientific ideas as well as developing novel ideas for implications and future research. These were all skills I felt I gained throughout my work this summer in my independent project research as well as my contributions to a few other projects in the lab. I helped a bit with a few other projects that Dr. Liu was contributing to, like editing manuscripts and addressing comments from reviewers on manuscripts. These contributions and mentorship helped me to gain invaluable skills and knowledge about the research process.

My name is Alana Schreibman, and I am a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania from Sarasota, Florida. I am majoring in Earth Science and minoring in Chemistry and Chinese Studies. My academic interests are at the intersection of human health, environmental science, and social justice.

What is your summer research project? 

This summer, I worked in the Himes Lab under Dr. Blanca Himes on predicting geospatial adult asthma exacerbation risk in Philadelphia using electronic health record (EHR) data, with a focus on comparing EPA-derived ground-level pollution to remotely-sensed pollution. This project required leveraging large amounts of data to model exacerbation risk for a cohort of asthma patients. We set exacerbation counts over the study period as the outcome of interest, and used two approaches: a proportional odds model and a generalized additive model with two-dimensional smoothing based on latitude and longitude from de-identified patient addresses. EHR-derived data was from University of Pennsylvania Hospital System 2017-2019 patient encounters. We also integrated socioeconomic variables, namely Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and three nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) measures: in situ EPA AirData, TROPOMI satellite tropospheric column density, and satellite-derived ground estimates.

What are the implications of your research? 

Philadelphia asthma prevalence rates are consistently higher than national rates, and exacerbations are still large contributors to asthma-related mortality. NO₂ (independently and as part of a pollutant mixture) and socioeconomic disadvantage have been associated with asthma exacerbations. Past work has demonstrated that these variables are spatially heterogeneous across Philadelphia; therefore, we aimed to understand their correlation with exacerbations. 

Our choice to use EHR-derived data and multiple different NO₂ measurements are both important to the implications of our research. EHR is a valuable alternative to traditional epidemiologic research that has limitations, but captures large, diverse cohorts, including vulnerable populations. These cohorts live in geographically diverse areas, allowing for a strong assessment of spatial risk. Additionally, EPA pollutant monitors are sparse and cannot completely capture variation within urban areas. Accordingly, we incorporated NO₂ data derived from TROPOMI, which has a very fine spatial resolution. In short, we aimed to use these methods for a fine-scale assessment of spatial asthma risk across Philadelphia. We hypothesized that this is important for understanding factors underlying the city’s health disparities and for evaluating the utility of our methods for future research.

What new skills have you gained through your research?

This project has deepened my understanding of working with large data sets, including benefits, inherent biases, and best practices for analysis. Specifically, understanding how to clean and analyze EHR-derived data is a skill that I will use frequently in future research. I also improved my skills in R and working in high-performance computing environments, and gained a better understanding of biomedical and environmental informatics literature.

Eva-Maria Collins, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Biology at Swarthmore College, an Adjunct Associate Professor in Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in Physics at the University of California San Diego. She is also an Affiliate Member of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology and is part of the Environmental Neuroscience Core. Dr. Collins is a valuable member of CEET due to her influential work in and outside the lab.

A trained physicist, Dr. Collins uses a multi-disciplinary approach to study emergent properties of biological systems. Her research is funded by the NSF, the NIH, and private foundations and focuses on three major areas: Biomechanics, Neuroethology, and Neurotoxicology. Her lab has pioneered rapid chemical screening in the freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica (patent pending). By using non-mammalian organisms in their research, Dr. Collins and her team can study the developmental effects of various toxins more efficiently and reduce the use of mammals in research.

The promise of this new, large-scale, non-mammalian organismal screening method and the educational work of Dr. Collins has been recognized in the toxicology community. In 2019, Dr. Collins’ postdoctoral researcher Dr. Danielle Ireland won the CAAT Next Generation Humane Science Award, in 2020, Dr. Collins and her team were awarded with the Toxicological Sciences Paper of the Year Award for their comparative research on developmental toxicity in zebrafish and planarians, and in 2021 Dr. Collins was awarded a Society of Toxicology Faculty Research Grant. Her team’s most recent work is part of the special issue Rising Stars in Neurotoxicology: 2021 in the journal Frontiers in Toxicology, Section Neurotoxicology.

Dr. Collins is committed to engaging the public and training the next generation of scientists to identify and understand the effects of chemical pollutants on communities. She has worked with over 80 undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds and majors. Dr. Collins has developed undergraduate courses that incorporate authentic hands-on research experiences, spanning from systems biology to developmental neurotoxicology. Through a collaboration with the Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility at Swarthmore College, Dr. Collins has facilitated connections between her students and members of the local community in Chester to discuss waste management programs and environmental justice. She has also mentored two female undergraduates on the development of an environmental justice module for middle school students in the Science for Kids program. This module teaches students to reflect on how the environment and pollution affect aquatic organisms. Students are guided to formulate hypotheses, test their hypotheses through hands-on laboratory experiments using planarians, and record their observations. This module also teaches students about the environmental landscape of Philadelphia by analyzing the location of superfund sites in Philadelphia and how the location of these sites contribute to environmental injustices in our city.  

Dr. Collins’ work is an excellent example of how toxicology research can be translated to younger audiences and how to make connections between laboratory, classroom, and communities. Students and community members can be engaged and empowered to consider and solve problems that they care about. Furthermore, this work can provide young people with skills that will help them succeed in school and demonstrate how scientific research can make a positive impact on their everyday lives.