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My research interests are directed towards understanding responses at the cellular level that mediate toxic effects of chemicals. Depending upon toxicant dose and duration in conjunction with cellular susceptibility, toxic effects can range from reversible impairment of cell function to cell death with associated tissue regeneration. At the level of the organism, these cellular effects may be manifested as tissue-specific toxicity -- such as liver failure -- or as aberrations in growth control or endocrine regulation -- such as associated with cancer and reproductive dysfunction. Distinguishing among the many cellular responses associated with tissue and organismal effects that are causally related is an important challenge to determining mechanism of chemical toxicity.

Current projects in my laboratory are focused on two classes of nitrogenous compounds:

• the chloraceteanilide herbicides, such as alachlor and metolachlor - active ingredients of Lasso^© and Dual^©
• environmental degradation products of munitions compounds.

Potential toxic effects of these chemicals under study include hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, hematoxicity and disturbances in thyroid hormone homeostasis. Cellular responses that are of interest include growth factor and neurotransmitter signaling and activation of signal transduction pathways that mediate cellular responses to toxicant-induced stress. A variety of experimental approaches are employed, including microscopic examination and functional assessment of cells from rodents treated with toxicants and responses of cultured rodent and human cells to direct exposure to toxicants. Comparisons of dose and time relationships for toxicant-induced responses at the cellular, tissues and organismal levels are emphasized to provide evidence for causality and information useful for mechanism-based risk assessment of these environmentally significant chemicals.