Kameron Wong Named Outstanding Poster Award Winner
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Environmental health sciences doctoral student Kameron Wong was named an Outstanding Poster by a Graduate Student award winner at the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicity Gordon Research Conference (GRC) held August 10-15, 2025, in Andover, NH.
Wong presented a poster titled “Developmental PFOS exposure increases sensitivity to secondary stress and ROS in pancreatic β-cells in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos” at the conference. Her research, under the mentorship of Professor of Environmental Health Sciences Alicia Timme-Laragy, demonstrated how developmental exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, can impair pancreatic β-cell capacity to counter secondary redox stressors in the zebrafish model. These findings underscored the need to investigate the long-term contribution of PFOS exposure to chronic diseases like diabetes, characterized by elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), with future studies exploring β-cell function, recovery, and resilience at later-life stages.
The Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicity (CMMT) GRC is an internationally recognized stage on which state-of-the art mechanistic toxicology is featured, bridging the intersection between risk assessment, drug and chemical safety, public health, and science policy related to mechanistic toxicology. Two keynote sessions and seven themed scientific sessions – including one chaired by Timme-Laragy on high throughput imaging and spatial analysis in toxicology – highlighted current research being conducted by renowned scientists from around the globe.
The 2025 CMMT also built upon its rich history of inclusive networking and career development for members of the mechanistic toxicology community. The five-day conference was held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference had designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals that allowed for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.