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Environmental Toxicology |
Four faculty members in the department engage in research, teaching, and graduate training in the area of environmental toxicology. Their research programs emphasize cellular and molecular toxicology, immunotoxicology, and aquatic toxicology and carcinogenesis.
Faculty Members
Dr. Stephen Bloom: He studies the regulation of drug sensitivity in lymphoid lineage cells by genes and signaling cascades in the apoptotic cell death pathway. The research is being conducted in a model system of human B-lineage lymphoma cell lines that display incremental differences in resistance to a broad spectrum of drugs and environmental chemicals. Recent findings indicate that the drug sensitivity of lymphoid cells may be determined by mitochondrial responses and regulation by Bcl-2 proteins and specific MAP kinase signaling pathways. His research is also being applied to the study of the basis of drug resistance in canine lymphomas.
Dr. Rodney Dietert: He is investigating the effects of heavy metals, such as lead, on the developing immune system. Studies examine the potential for persistent immunomodulation that may increase the risk of allergic- and inflammatory-based disease at the expense of anti-viral and anti-tumor immunity. Modulation of immunotoxic effects by developmental stage, maternal diet, and lead chelation therapies are also being investigated.
Dr. Paul Bowser:
He is evaluating the potential of various compounds for control of diseases in cultured fishes. Studies include candidate antibiotics as well as non-antibiotic anti-bacterial treatments that may be effectively used in field situations. Toxicological studies evaluate the effects of the treatments on overall fish health as well as organ-specific pathological effects and modulation of protective enzymes systems. Safety evaluations produce data necessary to obtain Food and Drug Administration approval for therapeutic compounds for use in fish species.
Dr. James Casey:
He specializes in the identification and characterization of oncogenic retroviruses and herpesviruses and mechanisms leading to disease induction. He has pioneered the identification of retroviruses in walleye and salmon (i.e., walleye dermal sarcoma; salmon swim bladder sarcoma) as likely causal factors in tumor development. A herpesvirus associated with green turtle fibropapillomatosis has recently been characterized in Casey's lab and found to be etiologically associated with this disease. Other aspects of the research examine environmental stress factors contributing to oncogenesis in aquatic species.
Courses
The faculty in the focus area of environmental toxicology teach the core course in Molecular Toxicology (Tox 611) as well as courses in virology (VETMI 408) and aquatic animal health (VETMI 609, 611, 772).
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Department Info | Faculty | Courses: Fall,
Spring, AQUAVET
| Graduate
Study |
Contact
Info | Focus
Areas: Bacteriology , Virology
, Immunology , Parasitology
, Environmental Toxicology |
Unit of Avian Health | Aquatic
Animal Health Program | Seminar: Fall,
Spring
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Last Revised on January 31, 2001