Education:

• B.S. in Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• M.S. in Environmental Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
• Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
• Postdoctoral fellow in Molecular Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY

Research Interests:

Neurotoxicology, neuropharmacology, neuroinflammation, gene X environment interactions in complex neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative disease

Research Summary:

Our goal is to determine how environmental stressors interact with genetic susceptibilities to influence the risk and severity of complex diseases, including neurodevelopmental disorders, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease and seizure disorders. Altered patterns of connectivity are associated with neurological deficits; therefore, we are investigating how environmental contaminants, chemical convulsants and inflammatory mediators perturb neuronal connectivity as determined using biochemical, morphogenic, electrophysiological and behavioral endpoints. We are also developing biomarkers of OP neurotoxicity and testing novel therapeutic approaches for protecting against the neurodegenerative effects associated with neurotoxic pro-convulsants.

Highlighted Techniques:

Primary neuronal cell culture, confocal microscopy, high content imaging, in vivo preclinical imaging, animal behavioral studies, neuropathology

Courses/Teaching:

• PTX 201 – Principles of Pharmacology
• PTX 203 – Principles of Pharmacology

Lab Rotation Availability: Yes
PubMed listing