Shrestha Awarded Clifford Humphrys Fellowship
August 26, 2026
EITS and Genetics and Genome Sciences graduate student Srijana Shrestha was recently awarded the Clifford Humphrys Fellowship for Preservation of Water Quality in the Great Lakes by the MSU Graduate School. The fellowship provides funds to enhance the educational experience of graduate students at MSU whose research focuses on water quality issues related to the Great Lakes.
Persistent pollutants of Lake Michigan, particularly PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), have been detected in drinking water and Great Lakes fish. Chronic exposure to these potent hepatotoxins can cause accumulation in the liver, disruption of metabolism and can contribute to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Toxicant-induced steatosis can begin in different liver zones: PFOS typically induces pericentral steatosis, while TCDD causes periportal steatosis. However, the mechanisms driving this zone-specific liver injury remains unclear.
Shrestha's graduate research investigates how these Lake Michigan contaminants produce spatially distinct liver pathology by mapping fat accumulation across liver lobules using spatial transcriptomics. Her work directly aligns with the Humphrys Fellowship goals of supporting research on water quality issues affecting the Great Lakes and Lake Michigan. The outcomes will directly support evidence-based management, such as updating fish-consumption guidelines or advocating for PFAS remediation.
