Faculty and their Research

Rudy J. Richardson, ScD, DABT
Professor , Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health; Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Medical School
Email: rjrich@umich.edu

Neural injury with applications to neurodegenerative disease and stroke; biomarkers of neurotoxicant exposure, dysfunction and recovery; stereochemistry and structure-activity relationships; chemistry and neurotoxicity of organophosphorus and other inhibitors of serine esterases and proteases; risk assessment and policy.

Current Projects:

• Mechanisms of Toxicity and its Modulation. Supported by Dow Chemical Company Foundation SPHERE Award.
  
• Donation in Support of Research. Supported by Dow AgroSciences.
  
• Development of Biochemical Basis for Organophosphate Induced Delayed Neurotoxicity. Supported by US Civilian Research & Development Foundation.
  
• The Effects of Chlorpyrifos on Human Behavior and the Nervous System (with Dr. Berent and Dr. Albers). Supported by Dow Agrosciences.

Stuart Batterman, PhD
Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health
Email: stuartb@umich.edu

Exposure assessment, biological monitoring, human health risk and environmental impact assessment; innovative measurement techniques for air pollutants.

Current Projects:

• Curriculum and Research Development Related to Cleaner Production Technologies and Advanced and Smart Materials: A Tertiary Education Linkage Project between the University of Michigan and the Peninsula Technikon. Supported by US Agency for International Development.
  
• Gas Phase Filtration for VOC and Oxidant Removal: Laboratory and Field Assessment. Supported by Center for Indoor Air Quality.

Robert Denver, PhD
Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, College of Literature Sciences and Arts; Assistant Research Scientist, Reproductive Sciences Program
Email: rdenver@umich.edu

Mechanisms by which PCBs disrupt thyroid hormone signaling & consequences of such disruption for brain development in amphibians & mammals; molecular interactions of PCBs with thyroid hormone receptors & resultant alterations in brain gene expression; molecular analysis of thyroid hormone transport by the serum protein transthyretin.

Current Projects:

• Hormone and Activity dependent Neural Gene Expression.. Supported by NIH.
• Effects of PCBs on Development of Great Lakes Amphibians. Supported by Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

John K. Fink, M.D.
Professor, Department of Neurology, Medical School
Email: jkfink@umich.edu

Gene-environment interactions in neurodegenerative disease. Genetic analysis of inherited and degenerative nervous system disorders (including hereditary spastic paraplegia, inherited movement disorders, schizophrenia). Genetic regulation of neuronal development

• Genetic Analysis of Paroxysmal Dystomic Choreoatheostois Supported by NIH.
  
• Neuropathy target Esterase Gene Mutations
  Supported by NIH.
  
• Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.
  Supported by Veteran's Affairs Merit Review.

Douglas L. Foster, PhD
Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School; Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, College of Literature, Science & Arts; Scientist, Reproductive Sciences Program
Email: dlfoster@umich.edu

Endocrine disruption; neuroendocrinology of sexual maturation using the sheep as the experimental model; sex steroid-induced alteration of prenatal programming of reproductive neuroendocrine mechanisms, particularly GnRH secretion, as a model for prenatal endocrine disruption.

• Neuroendocrinology of Puberty. Supported by NIH.
  
• Reproductive Consequences of Prenatal Androgenization (with Dr. Vasantha Padmanabhan). Supported by NIH.

Ari Gafni, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry
Research Professor, Biophysics Research Division
Research Professor, Instittue of Gerontology
Email: arigafni@umich.edu

Age related conformational modifications in proteins; structural alterations that occur in transcription factors (e.g., Heat Shock Factor I) in response to aging and/or chemical or other stressors. Advanced methods of structural protein chemistry.

Current Projects:

• Genetics of Age-Sensitive Traits: Protein Conformation
  (with R. Miller). Supported by NIH.
  
• Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in Basic Biology of Aging: Molecular Spectroscopy Imaging Core (with J. Faulkner). Supported by NIH.
  
• Age Related Conformational Modifications in Proteins.. Supported by NIH.
  
• Single Molecule Studies of Age-Related Alterations in Heat Shock Factor . Supported by ellison Medical Foundation.
• Multisciplinary Research Training in Aging). Supported by NIH.
  

Samir Hanash, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pediarics and Communicable Diseases, Medical School
Director, Cancer Center Carcinogenesis Program, Medical School
Email: shanash@umich.edu

Identification of potential surrogate biomarkers in patients with gastrointestinal cancers; identification of novel cancer biomarkers. Proteomics, transcriptomics, genomics & bioinformatics methodologies.

Current Projects:

• Biomarker Development Laboratory. Supported by NIH.
  
• Great Lakes-New England Clinical Epidemiology Center. Supported by NIH.
  
• A Tagged Protein Approach for Proteome Analysis to Enhance Sensitivity for Membrane Proteins. Supported by NIH.
  
• Toward a Molecular Classification of Tumors. Supported by NIH.

Craig Harris, PhD
Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health
Email: charris@umich.edu

Mammalian developmental toxicology and biochemical mechanisms of teratogenesis; the role of biochemical defenses in the developing rat conceptus that might influence the incidence and severity of dysmorphogenesis.

Current Projects:

• Dietary Cysteine: Conceptual Response to Oxidative Stress. Supported by NIH.
  
• Role of Astrocyte Mitochondria in Neurotoxicity (with Dr. Martin Philbert). Supported by NIH.
  
• PCB Effects on Uterine Muscle (Project with Dr. Rita Loch Caruso).Health Hazards from Groundwater Contamination (program project with Dr. L. Fischer). Supported by NIH.

Paul F. Hollenberg, PhD, DSc
Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology, Medical School
Email: hollenberg@umich.edu

Cytochrome P450s; mechanisms by which cells activate environmental chemicals to reactive forms that cause cancer; development of selective P450 inactivators for the prevention of human cancers; elucidation of structures & key catalytic residues of active sites of human P450s.

Current Projects:

• Hemeprotein-Catalyzed Oxygenations of Carcinogens. Supported by NIH.
  
• Production of Purified CVPs and Purification of Metabolites. Supported by Pfizer Inc.
  
• Furanocoumarins and Drug Effect on CYP3A4. Supported by NIH.

Richard Keep, PhD
Senior Associate Professor, Department of Physiology; Research Scientist, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School
Email: rkeep@umich.edu

Blood-brain and blood-CSF barrier transport of nutrients, hormones and toxic agents, including identification and characterization of transporters, how diseases alter these processes, and how altered transport affects the clearance of endogenous and exogenous neurotoxic substances.

Current Projects:

• Blood-Brain-Transport and Ischemic Brain Injury. Supported by NIH.
  
• Mechanisms of Brain Edema Formation after Intracerebral Hemorrhage (with Dr. Hoff). Supported by NIH.
  
• Mechanism of Thrombin-Induced Tolerance to Brain Injury. Supported by NIH.
  
• Effects of Radicut on Intracerebral Hemorrhage-Induced Brain Injury. Supported by Mitsubishi-Tokyo.
  
• Peptide/Mimetic Transport Mechanisms in Choroid Plexus (with Dr. Smith). Supported by NIH.

Raoul Kopelman, PhD
Kasinir Fajans Collegiate Professor of Chemistry, Physics & Applied Physics, Department of Chemistry, College of Literature Sciences & Arts
Email: kopelman@umich.edu

Development of intracellular biochemical and biophysical nanosensors for measurement of chemically-induced injury in cells, tissues and organs.

Current Projects:

• Optical Nanosensors for Subcellulary Chemical Imagery. Supported by NIH.
  
• Novel Technologies for Noninvasive Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer: Dynamic Nano-Platforms. Supported by NIH.
  
• Excitations, Kinetics and Nanostructures. Supported by NSF.

Theodore S. Lawrence, MD, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical School; Professor of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health
Email: tsl@umich.edu

Utilization of a gene therapy enzyme/pro-drug strategy to target delivery of the radiosensitizing drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the treatment of liver metastases; mechanisms of radiosensitization by fluoropyrimidines such as Gemcitabine in pancreas cancer, analyzing cell cycle changes and the apoptotic pathway; study of an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor family as a potential radiosensitizing agent.

Current Projects:

• Gemcitabine-Radiation for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer. Supported by NIH.
  
• Experimental Irradiation Core, University of Michigan Cancer Center (with Dr. M. Wicha). Supported by NIH.
  
• Experimental Therapeutics Program, University of Michigan Cancer Center (with Dr. M. Wicha). Supported by NIH.
  
• Clinical studies of high dose conformal therapy (project), Optimization of high dose conformal therapy (program project with Dr. Fraass). Supported by NIH.
  
• Development of radioactive nanocomposites to treat tumor microvasculature (with Dr. Balogh). Supported by U.S. Dept. of Energy.
  
• Gemzar: Mechanisms of Cytotoxicity and Radiosensitization (with Dr. Shewach). Supported by NIH.
  
• Improved Suicide Gene Therapy for Hepatic Cancers (with Dr. Ensminger). Supported by NIH.
  
• The Molecular Basis for Head and Neck Cancer Therapy (with Dr. Wolf). Supported by NIH.

Mats Ljungman, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical School; Associate Professor of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health
Email: ljungman@umich.edu

Mechanisms of DNA damage signaling in human cells; DNA repair mechanisms and other mechanisms that arrest proliferating cells at cell cycle checkpoints; role of DNA damage & repair in apoptosis.

Current Projects:

• Role of ser315 Phosphorylation in the Regulation of p53 Stability. Supported by NIH.
  
• Development of a Modified p53 Gene for Human Gene Therapy (with Dr. Jiayuh). Supported by Michigan Life Science Corridor Fund.
  
• Role of Mismatch Repair in DNA Damage Signaling. Supported by Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan.
  
• Non-invasive Imaging of p53 Induction as a Marker for DNA Damaging Events (Project). In Vivo Imaging of Neoplasia (program project with Dr. Brian Ross). Supported by NIH.

Rita Loch Caruso, PhD
Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health; Associate Research Scientist, Reproductive Sciences Program
Email: rlc@umich.edu

Female reproductive toxicology; molecular & cellular mechanisms of abnormal parturition; toxicant alteration of gap junctions; mechanisms of PCB & lindane modification of uterine muscle contraction; oxidative stress as a mechanism of smooth muscle dysfunction.

Current Projects:

• PCB Effects on Uterine Muscle (Project). Health Hazards from Groundwater Contamination (program project with Dr. L. Fischer). Supported by NIH

David Lubman, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Chemistry
Email: dmlubman@umich.edu

Use of 2-D liquid separation to rapidly profile highly expressed proteins from breast cancer cell lines; development of methods for microsequencing in an ion trap/reTOF device. Proteomics technologies.

Current Projects:

• Methods Development for Microsequencing in an Ion Trap/Re-TOF Device. Supported by NIH.
• Rapid Screening of Proteins Using Non-Porous HPLC. Supported by Eichrom Industries, Inc.NIH.
• Center for Genomic and Evolutionary Studies of Microbial Life at Low Temperature (with Thomas Shaw). Supported by NASA.
• MCF 10AT Xenograft Model to Study Early Malignant Biology . Supported by NIH.
• Liquid Proteomics for BIomarker Screening of Ovarian Cancer. Supported by NCI.

Jerome Nriagu, PhD, DSc
Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health
Email: jnriagu@umich.edu

Sources, fate and health effects of toxic metals in the environment; environmental food contamination; water quality issues in the Great Lakes; environmental justice and environmental health in developing countries.

Current Projects:

• Sensitive Biomarkers of Arsenic Effects of Gene Expression in Human Skin. Supported by AWWA Research Foundation.
• Mercury: Transport and Fate through a Watershed. Supported by EPA.
• Environmental Impacts on Arab-Americans in Metro Detroit (with Dr. Hamad). Supported by NIH.
• Development of Indoor Air Quality Education and Information Material. Supported by State of Michigan.
• Detroit Center for Research on Oral Health Disparities: Lead Exposure and Dietary Factors in Children's Oral Health (with Dr. Ismail). Supported by NIH.

Yoichi Osawa, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Medical School
Email:osawa@umich.edu

Free radicals, oxidative stress and tissue injury; mechanisms of inactivation of nitric oxide synthase by xenobiotics, including drugs, components of tobacco smoke and environmental agents.

Current Projects:

• Tobacco Smoke-Medicated Inactivation, Degradation, and Turnover of Endothelial NO Synthase .Supported by American Heart Association.
  
• Toxicological Aspects of Hemoprotein Regulation. Supported by NIH.
  
• Inactivation of Neuronal Nitric Oxide (NO)-Synthase by Tobacco Constituents. Supported by Philip Morris.

Vasantha Padmanabhan, PhD
Senior Research Scientist, Departmental of Pediatrics & Communicable Diseases, Medical School; Senior Research Scientist, Reproductive Sciences Program
Email: vasantha@umich.edu

Adverse reproductive consequences of prenatal exposure to steroids and environmental toxicants.

Current Projects:

• Neuroendocrine Control of FSH. Supported by NIH.
  
• Reproductive Consequences of Prenatal Androgenization. Supported by NIH.

Martin A. Philbert, PhD
Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health
Email: philbert@umich.edu

Experimental neuropathology, nito-compound-induced encephalopathies, mitochondrial mechanisms in non-neuronal cell death, development of nano-optical chemical systems, and nanostructure-based imaging of tumors of the head and neck.

Current Projects:

• Role of Astrocyte Mitochondria in Neurotoxicity. Supported by NIH.
  
• Brain Tumor Therapeutic Efficacy by Quantitative MR (with Dr. Brian Ross). Supported by NIH.
  
• Novel Technologies for Noninvasive Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer: Dynamic Nanoplatforms (with Dr. Raoul Kopelman). Supported by NIH.
  
• Michigan Center for The Environment and Children's Health (Center Grant with Dr. B. Israel). Supported by NIH and EPA.
  
• Neuroimmunology/Cytokine Alterations in Vulvodynia (with Dr. Reed). Supported by NIH.
  
• Neurotoxicant Disruption of Astroglial Differentiation. Supported by NIH.

Bruce C. Richardson, PhD
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School
Email: brichard@umich.edu

Mechanisms of chemical-induced autoimmunity; role of T cell DNA methylation inhibition & subsequent modification of gene expression in the development of lupus; environmental estrogens as modifiers of autoimmune disease susceptibility.

Current Projects:

• Significance of Age-Dependent Changes in DNA Methylation. Supported by NIH.
  
• Role of T Cells in the Induction of Lupus. Supported by NIH.
  
• Gender-Specific T Cell Homing and Autoimmunity. Supported by NIH.
  
• LFA-1Overexerpression, T Cell Autoreactivity and Lupus. Supported by VA Merit Review Grant.

Thomas G. Robins, MD, MPH
Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School
Email: trobins@umich.edu

Exposure assessment and disease outcomes, epidemiology of inhaled toxins (coal dust, lead, allergens and ambient air pollutants, metalworking fluid aerosols, DDT); information transfer.

Current Projects:

• Occupational Asthma Associated with Seafood Processing. Supported by NIOSH.
  
• Michigan Center for the Environment and Children's Health (Center Grant with Dr. B. Israel). Supported by EPA and NIH.
  
• Community Based Prevention and Intervention Research (with Dr. G. Keeler). Supported by NIH.
  
• Social and Physical Environments and Health Disparities (with Dr. A. Schulz). Supported by NIH.
  
• United Automobile Workers Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training. Supported by UAW.

Brian D. Ross, PhD
Professor, Department of Radiology, Medical School; Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School
Email: bdross@umich.edu

Monitoring and testing of cytotoxic or tumorigenic compounds on intact biological systems with noninvasive imaging methods.

Current Projects:

• Development of a Regional Tumor Imaging Resource. Supported by NIH.
  
• In Vivo Imaging of Neoplasia. Supported by NIH.
  
• Brain Tumor Therapeutic Efficacy by Quantitative MR. Supported by NIH.

Jochen H. Schacht, PhD
Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School; Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology; Medical School; Director, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Medical School
Email: schacht@umich.edu

Neurotoxins; toxicant-induced hearing loss; antioxidant therapy for the prevention of toxicant-induced hearing loss.

Current Projects:

• Protection from Aminoglycoside Ototoxicity. Supported by NIH.
  
• Molecular Interventions to Prevent Noise Induced Hearing Loss (with Dr. Miller). Supported by NIH.
  
• Hearing Research Core Center. Supported by NIH.
  
• Molecular Responses in Noise Induced Hearing Loss. Supported by NIH.

Michael J. Welsh, PhD
Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Medical School; Research Scientist, Reproductive Sciences Program.
Email: welsh@umich.edu

Toxicant-mediated heat shock protein expression and function; role of hsp27 and other members of the mammalian small heat-shock protein superfamily in cytotoxic and pathologic responses to metals, with focus on renal, muscle and testicular toxicity.

Current Projects:

• HSP27 in Podocyte Structure and Stress Response in Nephrotic Syndrome. Supported by NIH.
  
• Metal Toxicant Effects on Small Heat-Shock Protein Function. Supported by NIH.
  
• Small Stress Protein Responses in Cadmium Toxicity of Renal Epithelia (with Dr. Eric Shelden). Supported by NIH.
  
• University of Michigan Cancer Center (Center Grant with Dr. M. Wicha). Supported by NIH.
  
• Oxidant Damage to the Heart: The Role of hsp27 and hic-5. Supported by NIH.