Anne Starling, Ph.D., is the 2023 winner of the Lou Guillette, Jr. Outstanding Young Investigator award. This award comes with a $5000 honorarium and a recycled glass plaque.
The award, in honor of Lou Guillette, Jr., is given to an early-career scientist working in some aspect of endocrine disruptor research. Someone who is recognized as a creative, dedicated scientist who at an early stage of their career is already having an impact on human health and who has a special love of and dedication to mentoring. Someone who, like Lou Guillette, Jr., is a good communicator and who is willing to go beyond to help trainees succeed.
Dr. Starling is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO.
Since being awarded a K99-R00 Pathway to Independence award, Dr. Starling has developed an exciting and innovative independent research program to understand how exogenous chemical exposures may increase the risk of chronic disease. Her work applies molecular epidemiology tools to longitudinal cohort studies to provide evidence of the biological pathways altered by chemical exposures at the sensitive periods of the life course. Then, it tracks how these alterations are linked to long-lasting health effects.
Her most recognized work has explored how exposure to widespread and persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in utero may alter offspring metabolic regulation and the development of excess adiposity and related disease, including via epigenetic mechanisms.
Dr. Starling has over 60 peer-reviewed publications and is the PI on two federally funded grants. She is known as a knowledgeable, kind, considerate, patient mentor who provides a supportive and productive environment and is genuinely invested in the career success of her mentees.
We at HEEDS congratulate Dr. Starling for becoming the 2023 award winner. We also note the outstanding early-stage scientists who were nominated for the award. There were a number of very well qualified applicants this year! Dr. Starling and all the nominated scientists indicate the field of endocrine disruption has a bright future.
See the Q&A with Dr. Starling from Environmental Health News.
Prior Award Winners
2022 Dr. Genoa Warner, NJIT
2021 Dr. Rita Strakovsky, Michigan State University
2020 Dr. Kelly Ferguson, NIEHS