A toxicologist from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will speak on”Genetic Factors in Chronic Beryllium Disease”at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, in Room 2001 of the Agricultural Sciences Building, Evansdale Campus.

Ainsely Weston will give the next presentation in a seminar series organized by West VirginiaUniversitys interdisciplinary program in Genetics and Developmental Biology.

A strong, lightweight, alkaline earth element with a high melting point, beryllium has been used most successfully in components of nuclear reactors�€? nuclear weapons, aircraft and spacecraft. Beryllium compounds are used in ceramics for electronics, in dental bridges and in some sports equipment.

Exposure to beryllium in the workplace may lead to various diseases including chronic beryllium disease, which causes a painful scarring of the lung tissue. Workers in certain occupations and industries are most likely to develop the disease. However�€? even a family member can develop chronic beryllium disease from exposure to dust on the workers clothing�€? hair or body.

In 2002, Weston was part of a research team that received an Alice Hamilton Award from NIOSH for its study of the link between certain genetic factors and chronic, inflammatory lung disease.

The seminar series is under the direction of Joginder Nath, Genetics and Developmental Biology program coordinator and professor in WVU s Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences. Geneticists from across the nation join local experts in presenting seminars on a range of topics.

The seminar series is supported by the Daniel C. and Elizabeth Daugherty Brown Faculty Development Fund. In 1995, the Browns established the fund through the WVU Foundation to support the improvement of teaching and research in the DavisCollege through the professional development of faculty.

The free seminar is open to the public. For additional information, contact Nath at 304-293-6256, ext. 4333.