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The SOT Initiatives for Development and Engagement Committee (IDEC) is pleased to announce that there are two recipients of the 2026 SOT Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award: Jayla Barkley and Mario Ramirez. This award recognizes undergraduate or graduate students who were selected for the Undergraduate Development Program (UDP) in the last four years and have an abstract accepted for the SOT Annual Meeting. The selection is made by IDEC.

Ms. Barkley is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology at Fort Valley State University. She is receiving the award for her abstract entitled “Comparative Effects of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure on Lifespan and DJR-1 Expression in Caenorhabditis elegans.” Ms. Barkley explains, “As an undergraduate, I have been working alongside my lab partner to study per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, and their toxicity to humans. These chemicals are a group of synthetic organic pollutants commonly found in the environment, particularly in drinking water. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) are used as our model organism to determine how chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFAS affect their lifespan and dopaminergic neuron function in relation to Parkinson’s disease.

“Our goals are to determine if certain concentrations of two PFAS, PFBS and PFNA, shorten C. elegans lifespan and if the differences in the carbon-fluorine chain lengths of these chemicals play a role in their effects. We also examine whether specific concentrations of these chemicals disrupt dopamine-related neurons, which are linked to conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. This research aims to elucidate how exposure to these environmental pollutants plays a role in oxidative stress–related gene expression during neurodevelopment and lifespan reduction of a model organism, ultimately providing implications to human health risks.

“Future goals of this research include determining at which concentration is the lifespan of C. elegans shortened, as well as exploring the molecular mechanisms behind this reduction. We would also want to experiment with a wider range of PFAS and expose C. elegans to combinations of them to observe potential chemical interactions and the effects that may occur on both their lifespan and neuronal function.”

Upon receiving the award, Ms. Barkley replied, “I was truly excited and thrilled to have received this award! It is an honor to be recognized, and I am grateful for the many opportunities SOT has granted me thus far. Accepting this award will help me continue my current research, serving as another stepping stone toward my desired career in toxicology. By being a recipient of this award, my motivation to advance my research is reinforced, and I am further inspired to continue along this toxicological path.”

Ms. Barkley will present her poster at the 2026 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo on Tuesday, March 24, 9:15 AM–11:45 AM PDT.

Mr. Ramirez is pursuing an MS and PhD in toxicology at Oregon State University. Mr. Ramirez is receiving the award for his abstract titled “Pathway-Based Assessment of PAH Mixture Toxicity Utilizing Benchmark Dose Modeling.” He shared, “My research is focused on understanding how common air pollutants, such as chemicals in wildfires, cause toxicity to the respiratory system. I hope my research will one day help to inform those in legislative positions and to better equip vulnerable populations with knowledge about environmental exposures to toxicants. The specific research for which I won this award involves using benchmark dose modeling on data from 3D organotypic culture models of the bronchial epithelium to assess PAH mixture toxicity.”

Mr. Ramirez shared, “I was delighted to receive notice of this award, and it will do me a great service toward reducing the financial burden involved with travel. I appreciate every bit of help because being able to share my research with the broader scientific community is one of my priorities as a young scientist!”

Mr. Ramirez will present his poster at the 2026 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo on Monday, March 23, 1:45 PM–4:15 PM PDT.  

Ms. Barkley and Mr. Ramirez attended the UDP in 2025 and 2022 respectively.  

The Perry J. Gehring Student Travel Award is provided through the SOT Endowment Fund. This award recognizes Dr. Perry J. Gehring who served as SOT 1980–1981 President and made important scientific contributions, especially in biological modeling and evidence-based assessment. Dr. Gehring had a strong interest in encouraging individuals from groups underrepresented in the sciences to enter the biomedical sciences and toxicology.

The award will be presented during the Undergraduate Development Program Reunion at the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, which brings together current UDP participants, past participants, volunteers, and supporters. The Undergraduate Development Program Reunion is open to all SOT members, and you can RSVP here to attend.