K.C. Donnelly externship expands opportunities at UNC SRP for LSU trainee Dr. Avinash Kumar

Ilona Jaspers, PhD, UNC SRP Research Experience and Training Coordination Core leader, hosted Avinash Kumar, PhD, a Louisiana State University (LSU) SRP trainee, in the fall of 2023 for his 2022 KC Donnelly Externship Award.

Dr. Kumar visited the USEPA offices in Research Triangle Park during his externship.

At UNC, Dr. Kumar expanded his research on environmental toxicology, studying the effects of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) on the lung microbiome and microbiota.

EPFRs are formed in combustion processes, often found at Superfund sites and can persist in the environment for more than 5 years. Once they are inhaled, they can create stress in the body. At LSU, he works with mice exposed to EPFRs and infected with the flu virus.

Dr. Kumar grew up in Sonebhadra, India, one of the most polluted places in India. Growing up in a community surrounded by factories, a surface coal mine, and the resulting air pollution sparked his interest in studying the effects of air pollutants on health.

The externship experience was a chance for Dr. Kumar to work with top experts, learn new techniques and expand his professional and scientific network. He enjoyed the opportunities to visit NIEHS and EPA and to work with Dr. Jaspers, one of the leading experts in air pollution research. Working in Dr. Jasper’s lab also allowed him access to resources such as human lung cells that he couldn’t easily access at LSU.

“Until now I was doing mostly animal work, in vivo” said Dr. Kumar. “But after my externship, I can now extend my exposure studies using in vitro models as well.”

Dr. Kun Lu

Dr. Ilona Jaspers

Dr. Kumar also worked with Project 3 leader Kun Lu, PhD, while at UNC to sequence the lung microbiome and learned new techniques that he hopes to take back to his work at LSU.

“The KC Donnelly Award gave me the opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary study, which was not possible [at LSU]” said Dr. Kumar.

“Externships are a valuable opportunity for young researchers like Dr. Kumar to become fully integrated in a different lab setting,” notes Dr. Jaspers. “These experiences enrich their lab skills and experimental approaches and generate professional networking opportunities with other investigators. It provides an opportunity to approach their research from a new perspective.”

Dr. Kumar shared his KC Donnelly experience during a presentation at the NIEHS SRP 2023 Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico.