IIT Wraps Up Spring Seminar Series 2026
June 2, 2026
The IIT was delighted to once again host the IIT Seminar Series this spring with four exciting seminars including the 5th Annual Jerry Hook Distinguished Lectureship.The series began with Dr. Weston Porter, Texas A&M University, on January 13. He spoke on, “Powering Cell Identity: Mitochondrial Control of Development and Plasticity.” The Porter lab looks at how mitochondria do more than just make energy, specifically how they help decide how cells grow, change, and sometimes go wrong in disease. They study how these organelles communicate with the nucleus and the endoplasmic reticulum to guide normal development and what happens when that balance breaks down. Through this, the Porter lab hopes to understand how mitochondrial stress and signaling shape everything from early cell fate to cancer progression.
The second seminar of the semester was given by Dr. Michael DeVito, Senior Scientific Advisor for Toxicology from the U.S. EPA. He spoke on, "Species Differences in Thyroid Hormone Disruption by Environmental Chemicals."
Dr. Jordan Stubleski, an Analytical Development Supervisor from Wellington Laboratories, gave the third seminar on, "Overcoming analytical challenges: Development and application of analytical methods for the improved detection and quantification of legacy and emerging contaminants in real samples." Exposure to persistent environmental pollutants remains a significant concern for both wildlife and human health. The growing presence of emerging contaminants, coupled with the need for ultra-low detection limits, has intensified the demand for robust reference standards and highly sensitive analytical methods to ensure accurate quantification. At Wellington Laboratories Inc, they have developed analytical methods, using the reference standards they supply to their customers, to address these challenges. Stubleski's presentation showcased the application of these methods to real environmental samples, demonstrating their performance and reliability in complex matrices.
The 5th Annual Jerry Hook Distinguished Lectureship was given by Dr. Russell Thomas on May 19. Dr. Thomas spoke on, “All Toxicology Models are Wrong, but Some are Useful.” Russell Thomas is the Executive Director and Vice President of the Chemical Insights Research Institute. Chemical Insights is part of the non-profit Underwriters Laboratories Research Institutes with a mission to provide unbiased research on chemicals and their risks to people’s health. Dr. Thomas has over twenty-five years of chemical safety research experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. He has a broad, multidisciplinary background and previously worked for twelve years in the Office of Research and Development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Distinguished Lectureship is held annually by the Institute for Integrative Toxicology in memory of Dr. Jerry Hook. Hook was a very well-known and highly respected pharmacologist and toxicologist who was critical in advancing the field of toxicology by helping to drive it from observational to a mechanism-based science.
The IIT was excited to be able to offer such a diverse array of learning opportunities through the wide variety of seminars this spring. Look for the fall IIT Seminar Series schedule to be announced later this summer!
Photo: Dr. Russell Thomas was the 5th Annual Jerry Hook Distinguished Lectureship speaker shown here with IIT Director Dr. Norbert Kaminski.
The IIT was excited to be able to offer such a diverse array of learning opportunities through the wide variety of seminars this spring. Look for the fall IIT Seminar Series schedule to be announced later this summer!
Photo: Dr. Russell Thomas was the 5th Annual Jerry Hook Distinguished Lectureship speaker shown here with IIT Director Dr. Norbert Kaminski.