Programs
Research Areas
Experts try to promote human, animal and environmental health by reacting to problems as they are discovered and by preventing problems before they occur. The interdisciplinary toxicology program is designed to meet these needs in teaching and in research. Research is being conducted in many fields of toxicology in this program. Some examples of research currently being conducted include:
- Investigation of biomarkers of environmental contamination in aquatic species.
- Heavy metal interaction with DNA in fresh water mussels.
- Studying pathways and mechanisms of xenobiotic uptake and elimination by fish.
- Investigation of genotoxicity in rodents and humans exposed to radioactive contamination resulting
- from the Chernobyl meltdown.
- Biochemical/physiological investigations of the affects of chemical and biological agents on mammalian
- gametes and embryos.
- Central neural control of ingestive behaviors related to toxins.
- Relationship between dietary fat intake and carcinogen-induced cancer.
- The role of lipid peroxidation in atherogenesis.
- Growth and survival characteristics of bacterial pathogens in food processing environments.
- Molecular biomarkers in wildlife to assess exposure to environmental contaminants.
- Mercury and lead analysis of tissues collected from wildlife refuges.
- Development of transgenic technology for toxicologic assessments.
- Measurement of glutathione concentration in oocytes and embryos.
- Use of nematodes in toxicity evaluations and risk assessment.
- Aluminum toxicity.
- Mechanisms of Aflatoxin immunotoxicity.
- Uptake and toxicity of environmental contaminants in waterfowl.
- Characterization of the toxicological properties of agriculturally important naturally occurring toxins.
- Correlation of behavioral and biochemical toxicity with pharmacokinetics of toxicants.
- Disease mechanisms in animals and humans associated with consumption of foods contaminated with
- mycotoxin..
- Elucidating mechanisms of pharmacokinetic and toxic compounds which affect the
- cardiovascular system.
- Physiologically-based pharmacokinetics model development for volatile organic compounds.