Environmental Toxicology

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Environmental Toxicology

• Center for Environmental and Rural Health
• Faculty of Toxicology
• Superfund Basic Research Project

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Center for Environmental and Rural Health
A National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences Center of Excellence
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Organization and Facilities
Nutrition
Members 45
Associate Members 10 Post Doctoral
Fellows 51 Graduate Students
188 Undergraduate Students 28 Research
Scientists 45
Developmental Biology
Chemical Biology
COEP
Reproductive Biology
Biostatistics Community Health
Pilot Projects
Image Analysis
Genomics
Biostatistics/Bioinformatics
Analytical Services
Transgenics
Protein Technologies
Center for Environmental and Rural Health
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Biostatistics and CommunityHealth Research Core

• Development of new statistical methods in a host
  of areas
• Pesticide and other environmental exposures in
  rural South Texas
• Environmental, physical and societal aspects of
  aging in rural communities

K. C. Donnelly taking house dust samples
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Chemical Biology Research Core

• Investigate biological and cellular mechanisms of
  PAS proteins and their interrelationships in
  regulating biological clocks, environmental
  sensing, gene expression, development of
  carcinogenesis
• Understand non-genomic kinase signaling pathways
  and their roles in carcinogenesis
• Determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms
  of action of environmental toxicants and dietary
  factors
• Develop molecular based technologies for
  selective adsorption of environmental
  contaminants and food borne toxicants

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Nutrition Research Core

• Diet and colon cancer

• Diet and heart disease

• Uptake and transport of minerals

• Diet and Immune Response

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Developmental Biology Research Core

• Gene-Environmental Interactions Resulting in
  Adverse Development
• Environmental Factors Affecting the Early Embryo
• Heart Development

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Reproductive Biology Research Core

• Environmental Factors and the Nervous System
• Estrogen Receptor Biology
• Environmental Exposure and Postnatal Uterine
  Morphogenesis
• Effects of Developmental Disruption on Adult
  Reproductive Function
• Embryo Development and Technologies
• Conceptus-Endometrial Interactions

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Biostatistics Bioinformatics Facility Core

• Discount rate for statistical services through
  CERH statisticians
• High-level advice, design/analysis strategies and
  grant proposals Biostatistics
• High-level advice, design/analysis strategies and
  grant proposals Bioinformatics
• Bioinformatics services

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Genomics Facility Core

• Coordinate gene expression experiments utilizing
  microarray technology
• Provide access to Real Time PCR facility and
  training
• Perform RNA quality assessment
• Compile and display gene expression data
• Acquire or develop new technologies to enhance
  global gene expression analysis capabilities

U.S. Department of Energy Human Genome Program
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Transgenics Facility Core

• DNA Pronuclear Microinjection
• ES Cell Microinjection
• Embryo cryopreservation
• Embryo rederivation
• Other techniques under development tetraploid
  aggregation, sperm cryopreservation, IVF

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Protein Technologies Facility Core

• Proteomics
• Protein Separations
• Edman sequence analysis
• Mass spectrometry
• RD of novel protein separations and analysis
• Training CERH scientists in modern techniques of
  protein chemistry and proteomics

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Image Analysis Facility Core
I. Provide instrumentation and service support
for
A. Specimen preparation and ultrastructural
imaging/analysis B. Optical microscopy sample
preparation C. Image capture and image analysis
for all forms of optical microscopy. D.
Quantitative single multiparameter steady-state
analysis and kinetic analysis of cellular
homeostasis mechanisms. E. Laser Capture
Microdissection
II. Acquire state-of-the-art analytical imaging
technology. III. Develop novel analytical
imaging and analysis tools and applications to
facilitate CERH research.
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Analytical Services Facility Core

• Measurement of biomarkers of exposure in
  biological samples
• Measurement of DNA adducts in animal or human
  samples
• Measurement of amino acids and other biological
  molecules (NEW)

• Field Services
• Census
• Sample Collection
• Sample preparation extraction

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Community Outreach Education Program (COEP)

• Educate promotoras and colonia residents along
  the Texas-Mexico border to identify and reduce
  environmental health problems

• Improve the health of the underserved populations
  in the Brazos County by establishing a promotora
  program
• Help implement environmental health science
  education in rural schools

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Toxicology Faculty
Miranda, Rajesh C. Mirkes, Philip E. Mora,
Miguel Nation, Jack R. Parrish, Alan R. Phillips,
Timothy D. Pietrantonio, Patricia Pillai,
Suresh Porter, Weston W. Ramaiah, Shashi
K. Raushel, Frank M. Ray, Allen C. Reagor, John
C. Rock, James C. Russell, Leon H. Safe, Stephen
H. Schroeder, Friedhelm
Senseman, Scott A. Sherman, Michael Simanek,
Eric Sinden, Richard R. Spencer, Thomas
E. Spiegelman, Cliff Stallone, John N. Stoica,
Gheorghe Tarpley, Raymond J. Thompson, James
A. Tian, Yanan Tiffany-Castiglioni,
Evelyn Turner, Nancy D. Walker, Cheryl L. Wang,
Naisyin Wild, James R. Wilson, Emily
Abbott, Louise C. Autenrieth, Robin l. Ball,
Judith M. Barr, A. Catherine Beremand, Marian
N. Bernstein, Lori R. Bickham, John W. Bonner,
James S. Bratton, Gerald R. Brooks, James
M. Brown, Kirk W. Burghardt, Robert C. Busbee,
David L. Calvin, James A. Carroll, Raymond
J. Chapkin, Robert S. Chiou, George C.
Dees, W. Les Donnelly, K.C. Fackler, John
P. Finnell, Richard H. Flory, Wayne Frye, Gerald
D. Harvey, Roger B. Ivie, G. Wayne Jaeger, Laurie
A. Johnson, Larry Kennicutt, Mahlon C. Kier, Ann
B. Klemm, William R. Ko, Gladys Y.L. Kubena, Leon
F. Lacher, Thomas E. Martell, Arthur E.
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Toxicology Training Grant

• Faculty
• Safe, Stephen H. (PI)
• Burghardt, Robert C.
• Donnelly, Kirby C.
• Finnell, Richard H.
• Johnson, Larry
• Mirkes, Philip E.
• Phillips, Timothy D.
• Tiffany-Castiglioni, Evelyn
• Wild, James R.
• Current Funding Period July 1, 2002 June 30,
  2007
• Trainees Supported 8

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Superfund Basic Research Project
Project Investigators

• Proj. 1 Endocrine Disruptors
• Stephen H. Safe, PI
• Proj. 2 Genotoxicity of Complex Mixtures
• Kirby C. Donnelly, PI James Calvin, Weston
  Porter, Bhanu Chowdhary, Co-Investigators
• Proj. 3 Mechanisms of Cellular Injury A
  Cellulomics Approach
• Robert C. Burghardt, PI Rola Barhoumi Mouneimne,
  Alan R. Parrish and Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni,
  Co-Investigators
• Proj. 4 Sensitive Genotypes to Arsenic as a
  Model Environmental Teratogen
• Richard H. Finnell, PI
• Proj. 5 Chemical Intervention Strategies
• Timothy D. Phillips, PI Luc Berghman, Qi Zheng
  and Weston Porter, Co-Investigators
• Proj. 6 Exposure and Risk Assessment of Complex
  Mixtures
• Robin L. Autenrieth, PI John W. Bickham,
  Co-Investigator
• Proj. 7 Environmental Determinants of Neural
  Tube Defect