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Meichen Wang, assistant professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, has been selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) as one of three winners of the 2026 ODP Early Stage Investigator Lecture (ESIL). 

The award recognizes early career prevention scientists who have already made outstanding research contributions to their respective fields and are poised to become future leaders in prevention research. The selection committee cited Wang for her work focusing on the prevention of childhood obesity and metabolic disease by developing edible clays to reduce early-life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” Her research represents a pioneering approach in preventive medicine, transforming an environmental toxicology challenge into a feasible, low-cost public health solution. 

Wang, who joined the SPHHS faculty in Fall 2024, trained as a toxicologist at Texas A&M University, where she earned her graduate degrees in toxicology and completed postdoctoral research that was sponsored by NIEHS Superfund and K99 grants. 

ODP will host online lectures featuring the award winners later in 2026. The awardees will also have the opportunity to meet and network virtually with NIH program directors and scientists who are engaged with prevention research. More information about the award can be found on the ODP website.