Formaldehyde News and Research

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Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is used to manufacture building materials and to produce many household products. Formaldehyde sources in the home include pressed-wood products, cigarette smoke, and fuel-burning appliances. When exposed to formaldehyde, some individuals may experience various short-term health effects. Formaldehyde has been classified as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Research studies of workers exposed to formaldehyde have suggested an association between formaldehyde exposure and cancers of the nasal sinuses, nasopharynx, and brain, and possibly leukemia.

Hair straightening chemicals linked to uterine cancer risk

A new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute aimed to analyze the association of hair product use with age-specific uterine cancer in a large, ethnically, and racially diverse population in the United States.

18 Oct 2022

Women using chemical hair straightening products at higher risk for uterine cancer

Women who used chemical hair straightening products were at higher risk for uterine cancer compared to women who did not report using these products, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health.

17 Oct 2022

If you’re worried about the environment, consider being composted when you die

Would you rather be buried or cremated when you die? If you feel the way I do, the answer is neither. I cringe at the thought of my body burning up at well over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit or being pumped full of toxic chemicals and spending the rest of eternity in a cramped box 6 feet underground.

11 Oct 2022

Can SARS-CoV-2 transmission occur from an infected dead body?

In new research, researchers determined whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could be transmitted from a dead body.

1 Sep 2022

Hydrogen peroxide kills 99.99% of SARS-CoV-2 on fabrics in 30 seconds

Three percent hydrogen peroxide eliminates 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 in all types of tested fabrics within 30 seconds.

22 Aug 2022

New approaches for getting and maximizing usable DNA from decades-old pickled specimens

Two levels underground, Chicago's Field Museum has a secret bunker. The sub-basement Collections Resource Center houses millions of biological specimens for scientists around the world to use in their research, including countless bottles and jars containing pickled fish, lizards, and snakes, arranged like a library.

30 Jun 2022

New scientific statement highlights the cardiopulmonary effects of e-cigarette use among adolescents

E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular among adolescents, and the latest available scientific evidence suggests the use of these products has adverse health effects that may accrue over time, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease over the course of the life of people who use e-cigarettes, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association published today in the Association's peer-reviewed journal, Circulation: Research.

21 Jun 2022

Study identifies cancer biomarkers based on a type of genetic modification

Biomarkers are often used during the management of cancer to guide treatment decisions and predict patient outcomes. However, it is often difficult to identify appropriate biomarkers that can be consistently reproduced and are easily analyzed with limited patient specimens.

18 May 2022

Study explores SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome's functional interactions with host cell

In a new study, a worldwide map of the SARS-CoV-2 genome-associated host proteins was developed by a team of researchers using the identification of RNA-binding protein by MS (ChIRP-MS) technique.

3 May 2022

UW Medicine responds to social media posts about specimens of fetuses with anomalies

The following statement is in response to social media posts made by an anti-abortion group that shared photos taken in the Birth Defects and Research Laboratory at the University of Washington.

1 Apr 2022

Histopathologic and molecular effects in the placenta after SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy

A recent study evaluated the molecular and histopathological effects in the placenta following a SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.

28 Feb 2022

Rapid evidence summary on SARS-CoV-2 surface survival and efficacy of ozone machines against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers of WC19EC conducted a rapid systematic literature review to assess the safety, effectiveness, and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 disinfection methods, including the ozone devices, in schools.

25 Feb 2022

Study suggests synthetic SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein coated lipid vesicles are an effective vaccine candidate

In a new study, a team of researchers developed a vaccine candidate with the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein coated onto lipid vesicles which resembles virus-like particles.

26 Jan 2022

New and improved method for imaging the structure of neural connections

The glory of tissue expansion technologies is that when structures, such as proteins that build nerve cell connections, are too small for a microscope to resolve, clever chemistry can make everything bigger and easier to see.

13 Jan 2022

Researchers create new monoclonal antibody treatment effective against both Delta and Omicron

In a new study, researchers conducted surface plasmon resonance experiments using commercially sourced SARS-CoV-2 protein reagents.

6 Jan 2022

Research reveals components of Sinbis virus ribonucleoproteins

To address this gap in research regarding the understanding of post-replicative alphavirus RNPs, scientists have created a novel proteome-wide approach known as viral RNA interactome capture (vRIC). This study is available in the bioRxiv* preprint server while awaiting peer review.

11 Oct 2021

Study shows efficacy of gamma irradiation of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate in mouse model

A new study reports a more rapid method of viral inactivation in an effort to increase the appeal of inactivated viral vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 Aug 2021

Spike-containing virus-like particles induce robust sterilizing immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in macaques

A team of international scientists has recently developed virus-like particles (VLPs) by coating liposomes with the synthetic spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2.

28 Jul 2021

DRI scientists awarded NIH grant to study the formation of dangerous compounds by e-cigarettes

Scientists with the Desert Research Institute Organic Analytical Laboratory in Reno, Nev., led by Andrey Khlystov, Ph.D., have been awarded a $1.5M grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the formation of dangerous compounds by electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes).

20 Jul 2021

Study examines SARS-CoV-2 replication in cells using super-resolution microscopy

Despite tremendous efforts by the global scientific community to curb the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), by developing more efficient testing protocols, therapies, and vaccines at a rapid pace, relatively little is known about the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 replication within cells.

18 Jun 2021