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Award recognizes early-career researchers whose work advances the field of respiratory cell and molecular biology

MAHWAH, N.J., July 1, 2025 — The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM) is proud to announce that postdoctoral researcher Marissa Guttenberg, Ph.D., has received the 2025 American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology (AJRCMB) Junior Investigator Award.

The AJRCMB Junior Investigator Award honors exceptional early-career scientists whose research demonstrates innovation, rigor, and impact. Dr. Guttenberg earned the award for her work on ozone-induced lung injury, published in AJRCMB as first author while completing her doctorate in Environment and Toxicology at Duke University under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Tighe.

Dr. Guttenberg’s research explored the physiological and mechanistic effects of acute ozone exposure, providing insight into immune response and recovery mechanisms in the respiratory system following environmental insult.

“Air pollution, particularly from ozone, remains a major contributor to premature deaths, a trend expected to worsen with ongoing climate change,” Dr. Guttenberg explained. “This new study sheds light on how different types of macrophages—immune cells—in the lungs respond to ozone-related injury, offering insights that could lead to more targeted and effective treatments.”

“RIFM is thrilled to see Dr. Guttenberg recognized for her outstanding scientific contributions,” said Anne Marie Api, Ph.D., Fellow ATS, and President of RIFM. “Her award-winning research underscores the vital link between academic discovery and public health protection, an alignment that reflects RIFM’s own science-first approach to fragrance safety.”

As a postdoctoral researcher at RIFM, Dr. Guttenberg contributes to research and safety assessments focused on skin sensitization and environmental endpoints. Her transition from academic research to applied toxicology illustrates the real-world impact of foundational science on global consumer product safety.

The American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, an official journal of the American Thoracic Society, presents the Junior Investigator Award annually, selecting standout manuscripts in which the first or senior author is an early-career scientist.

About RIFM
The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) is an independent, international, non-profit scientific organization that assesses the safety of fragrance ingredients according to the most current, internationally accepted guidelines, and has done so since 1966. RIFM’s peer-reviewed safety assessments and supporting research are available to the public at:
https://fragrancematerialsafetyresource.elsevier.com

Media Contact:
The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM)
Gary Sullivan
Marketing & Communications Manager
gsullivan@rifm.org