School of Medicine researchers’ work on air pollution receives multiple awards at 2022 Society of Toxicology meeting

Salik Hussain, DVM, Ph.D., and graduate student, Nairrita Majumder, recently received awards at the 2022 Society of Toxicology annual meeting.

Each year, the Society of Toxicology recognizes scientists across career stages with a variety of different awards at their annual meeting.

Dr. Hussain, an assistant professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, an active investigator and executive committee member for the Center for Inhalation Toxicology (iTOX) and joint appointment holder in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, received the Young Investigator Achievements Award from the Inhalation and Respiratory Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology. The award recognizes a scientist that has made significant contributions in the field of Inhalation and Respiratory Toxicology and includes criteria of originality, creativity and impact of the scientist’s work on the field.

Dr. Hussain’s research examines the impact of air pollutants on lung healing. He is studying the impacts of inhalation co-exposures to ultrafine particles and ozone on lung function and lung regeneration after acute injury by reprogramming of lung stem/progenitor cells. His work on the pathophysiological mechanism of lung injury and regeneration has significant translation potential to improve the care of subjects with injured lungs either from acute exposures or chronic pulmonary diseases. Dr. Hussain’s current work is funded by the National Institute of Health’s (NIH)/NEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientist Award

Majumder, a fourth year Ph.D. student in Dr. Hussain’s research group, received the Nanoscience and Advanced Material Specialty Section Best Publication Award for her publication in the Redox Biology journal titled “Oxidized Carbon Black Nanoparticles Induce Endothelial Damage Through C-X-C Chemokine Receptor 3-Mediated Pathway.”

For Majumder, the annual meeting provided a platform to share the research from her publication.

“It was a great opportunity for me to present my research at the Society of Toxicology 2022 Annual Conference,” said Majumder.

Founded in 1961, the Society of Toxicology (SOT) is a professional and scholarly organization of scientists from academic institutions, government and industry representing the great variety of scientists who practice toxicology in the U.S. and abroad. The Society of Toxicology is the premier global toxicology organization with around 8,000 members.