Environmental Toxins

Faculty conduct studies to look at the potential adverse health effects associated with chemical exposures. The department of Environmental and Global Health has on-going research projects that investigate the role of nanoparticles in effecting health of aquatic species, and dermal and lung injury in mammalian models. In related projects, researchers are also studying how exposure to nanomaterials alters the immune system and susceptibility to viral infections. Other areas of research include assessment of cellular changes that occur in organisms exposed to environmental contaminants such as those found in plastics and industrial and consumer waste. A number of our faculty are housed in the aquatic pathology laboratory, where their research focuses on areas of aquatic toxicology, aquatic pathology, and ecological studies that examine the relationships between aquatic animal health, human health, and environmental stress. On-going research projects include cell injury, carcinogenesis, endocrine disruption, environmental and comparative pathology, molecular biology, immunology, behavioral toxicology, and fisheries and aquaculture sciences.