The Curriculum in Toxicology at UNC

Research Interests

Faculty research interests include most areas of toxicology, with particular emphasis on understanding the links between the environment and health risks, the mode of action of toxicants and disease pathogenesis, and how emerging knowledge could be translated into prevention strategies, new therapeutic interventions and an improved scientific basis for risk assessment. These interests reflect traditional disease- and/or organ-centric research areas in toxicology and the existing strengths of our current faculty. The main research areas include:



Molecular Carcinogenesis (26)

Name Research Interest
Allen, James W., PhD Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms in environmental carcinogenesis; chemical-induced alterations in DNA methylation, gene expression, and chromosomal damage; life-stage and nutritional susceptibility risk factors that modulate toxic/carcinogenic effects of chemicals
Archer, Trevor, PhD Molecular carcinogenesis, chromatin structure, control of gene transcription, epigenetics
Ball, Louise M., PhD Metabolism and genotoxicity of environmental xenobiotics; DNA binding of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosubstituted arenes, and of water disinfection products
Cannon, Ronald E., PhD Cancer biology, transgenic mouse models
Carey, Lisa A., MD Breast carcinogenesis, research translation, animal models of human diseases, biomarkers
Chaney, Stephen G., PhD Platinum anticancer agents, DNA repair, mutagenesis, translation DNA polymerases, molecular modeling
Church, Frank C., PhD Breast and prostate carcinogenesis, macromolecular structure-function, molecular pathology
Coleman, William B., PhD Biology of liver stem-like cells; hepatocarcinogenesis; genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of breast cancer susceptibility; molecular genetics of lung cancer
Cordeiro-Stone, Marila, PhD DNA replication, DNA repair, and cell cycle checkpoints in human cells; mechanisms of carcinogenesis by solar radiation; pathogenesis of melanoma
Der, Channing J., PhD Molecular basis of human carcinogenesis; Ras oncogene signaling and the development of anti-Ras inhibitors for cancer treatment
Gammon, Marilie D., PhD Cancer epidemiology
Hayes, D. Neil, MD Lung carcinogenesis, research translation, biomarkers, computational toxicology
Kaufman, David G., MD, PhD Targets for carcinogenesis among DNA regions replicated in early S phase; identification of replication origins; reconstruction of human endometrial tissue to study cancer development
Kaufmann, William K., PhD DNA Metabolism in Radiation and Chemical Carcinogenesis
Magnuson, Terry, PhD Novel approaches to allelic series of genomic modifications in mammals; polycomb-group complexes and development; Swi/Snf chromatin remodeling complexes
Millikan, Robert C., DVM, PhD Role of genetics in human cancer; interactions of inherited variation in DNA repair with environmental factors in breast and colon cancer and malignant melanoma; carcinogen metabolism
Olshan, Andrew F., PhD Molecular epidemiology of cancer, reproductive, and developmental outcomes
Rathmell, W. Kimryn, MD, PhD Genetics of renal cell carcinoma
Sancar, Aziz, MD, PhD DNA repair and cancer, structure and function of repair enzymes and checkpoint proteins
Swenberg, James A., DVM, PhD Mechanisms of DNA damage and repair; molecular epidemiology; development of ultra-sensitive and specific methods for measuring chemical adducts in DNA and hemoglobin
Thomas, Nancy E., MD, PhD Molecular carcinogenesis, environmental toxicology, molecular epidemiology of melanomas, research translation, biomarkers
Threadgill, David W., PhD Research using the mouse as a model to study genetic and environmental factors that underline differences in cancer susceptibility
Van Dyke, Terry A., PhD Geneticaly engineered mice, cancer models, roles of p53, pRb, and PTEN
Walker, Nigel, PhD Environmental contaminants and mechanisms of carcinogenesis
Weissman, Bernard E., PhD Chromatin remodeling and epigenetic alterations in human cancers
Zeisel, Steven H., MD, PhD Choline and carcinogenesis, isoflavones and cancer, antioxidants and apoptosis

Mechanistic Toxicology (29)

Name Research Interest
Allen, James W., PhD Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms in environmental carcinogenesis; chemical-induced alterations in DNA methylation, gene expression, and chromosomal damage; life-stage and nutritional susceptibility risk factors
Anderson, Melvin E., PhD Computational modeling of signal transduction pathways and their perturbations by xenobiotics; implications for dose-response and risk assessment
Birnbaum, Linda S., PhD Chemical disposition of xenobiotics and mechanistic toxicology
Brouwer, Kim R., PhD Pharmacokinetics, hepatic uptake, metabolism and excretion of xenobiotics
Cordeiro-Stone, Marila, PhD DNA replication, DNA repair, and cell cycle checkpoints in human cells; mechanisms of carcinogenesis by solar radiation; pathogenesis of melanoma
DeVito, Michael, PhD Development of models for cumulative risk to endocrine disruptors
Gold, Avram, PhD Structure-reactivity relationships in metabolism and mutagenicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Graves, Lee M., PhD Biochemistry of growth factor-mediated signal transduction
Hunter, E. Sidney, PhD Role of cell death in in and mechanisms responsible for craniofacial birth defects. Use of embryonic stem cells as a model to evaluate developmental effects of environmental chemicals
Kaufmann, William K., PhD Mechanisms of DNA repair and checkpoint responses to DNA damage
Kleeberger, Steven R., PhD Genetic determinants of environmental lung diseases
MacDonald, Jeffery M., PhD Metabolomics and fluxomics using NMR spectroscopy and imaging; tissue engineering
Madden, Michael C., PhD Air pollution toxicology, lung oxidative stress and inflammation, translational medicine
Maeda, Noyubo, PhD Animal models of hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis and cardiomyopathy, transgenic laboratory animals as model systems
Nylander-French, Leena A., PhD Develop methods to monitor and assess dermal and inhalation exposures to environmental toxicants
Ramsden, Dale A., PhD V(D)J recombination and DNA double strand break repair
Randell, Scott H., PhD Identification of airway epithelial stem cells; airway innate immunity; pathophysiology of post-lung transplant ischemia reperfusion injury and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
Rogers, John M., PhD Developmental toxicology, teratology, developmental biology, embryology and nutrition
Rusyn, Ivan I., MD, PhD Environmental Genomics
Samet, James M., PhD Inflammatory responses to pollution inhalation, cytokines and eicosanoids
Samulski, R. Jude, PhD Development of efficient viral vectors for gene delivery into eukaryotic cells
Sharpless, Norman E., MD Tumor suppressor genes; genetics of cancer and aging
Sills, Robert C., DVM, PhD Molecular Pathology
Smith, Philip C., PhD Toxicokinetics and xenobiotic metabolism, peptide analysis and disposition
Styblo, Miroslav, PhD Metabolism and toxicity of metals and metalloids
Swenberg, James A., DVM, PhD Mechanisms of DNA damage and repair; molecular epidemiology; development of ultra-sensitive and specific methods for measuring chemical adducts in DNA and hemoglobin
Watkins, Paul B., MD Mechanistic toxicology, hepatotoxicology, research translation, biomarkers
Wilson, Elizabeth M., PhD Mechanistic toxicology, hepatotoxicology, research translation, biomarkers
Wolf, Douglas C., DVM, PhD Chemical Carcinogenesis

Cardio-Pulmonary Toxicology (16)

Name Research Interest
Church, Frank C., PhD Thrombosis and hemostasis; macromolecular structure-function, molecular pathology
Costa, Daniel L., ScD Cardiopulmonary and inhalation toxicology, health effects of air pollution
Devlin, Robert D., PhD Pulmonary toxicology and molecular biology
Diaz-Sanchez, David, Ph.D. Environmental impacts on human health, genetic susceptibility, immunology, epigenetics, translational research
Gilmour, M. Ian, PhD Pulmonary toxicology, immunotoxicology
Graves, Lee M., PhD Biochemistry of growth factor-mediated signal transduction
Hazucha, Milan J., MD, PhD Health effects of air pollutants, human studies and mechanisms of response
Jaspers, Ilona, PhD Effects of environmental pollutants on airway epithelium and susceptibility to viral infections.
Kleeberger, Steven R., PhD Genetic determinants of environmental lung diseases
Madden, Michael C., PhD Air pollution toxicology, lung oxidative stress and inflammation, translational medicine
Maeda, Noyubo, PhD Animal models of hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis and cardiomyopathy, transgenic laboratory animals as model systems
Patterson, W. Campbell, MD Vascular biology, angiogenesis, and protein folding and degradation
Peden, David B., MD Translational and clinical research in environmental lung disease
Roth, Bryan L., MD, PhD Cardiopulmonary toxicology, research translation, animal models of human diseases, biomarkers
Runge, Marschall S., MD, PhD Cardiopulmonary toxicology, vascular biology, thrombosis and atherosclerosis, role of reactive oxygen species
Samet, James M., PhD Inflammatory responses to pollution inhalation, cytokines and eicosanoids

Neurotoxicology (9)

Name Research Interest
Crews, Fulton T., PhD Neurodegeneration and chronic drug-induced changes in brain signaling pathways
Crofton, Kevin M., PhD Understanding the consequences of endocrine disruption on neurodevelopment
Deshmukh, Monhanish P., PhD Mechanisms of neuronal programmed cell death
Harry, G. Jean, PhD Developmental neurotoxicology, molecular neurotoxicology and neuroimmunology
Maness, Patricia F., PhD Axon guidance and signal transduction in nervous system development
Morrow, A. Leslie, PhD Neurotoxicology and excitotoxicity of alcohol
Padilla, Stephanie, PhD Neurotoxicology, developmental neurotoxicity, zebrafish, anticholinesterase pesticide toxicity
Pomp, Daniel, PhD Genetic architecture of complex traits; polygenic mouse models and high throughput approaches to study obesity and related diseases; gene-environment interactions in carcinogenesis
Zeisel, Steven H., MD, PhD Nutrients and brain development

Hepatic Toxicology (9)

Name Research Interest
Brouwer, Kim R., PhD Pharmacokinetics, hepatic transport, hepatobiliary disposition, metabolism and excretion of xenobiotics, hepatotoxicity
Cidlowski, John A., PhD Apoptosis, steroids, glucocorticoid receptors, hormone action, nucleases and gene regulation
Coleman, Rosalind A., MD Diabetes: lipid and carbohydrate metabolism; obesity: partition of energy between triacylglycerol storage and fatty acid oxidation; regulation of triacylglycerol synthesis; glycogen storage disease
Pollack, Gary M., PhD Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of therapeutic and toxic agents
Rusyn, Ivan I., MD, PhD Environmental Genomics
Smith, Philip C., PhD Toxicokinetics and xenobiotic metabolism, peptide analysis and disposition
Swenberg, James A., DVM, PhD Mechanisms of DNA damage and repair; molecular epidemiology; development of ultra-sensitive and specific methods for measuring chemical adducts in DNA and hemoglobin
Threadgill, David W., PhD Research using the mouse as a model to study phenotypes with complex etiologies contributed by genetic and environmental factors that underline differences in susceptibility to common diseases
Watkins, Paul B., MD Mechanistic toxicology, hepatotoxicology, research translation, biomarkers

Computational Toxicology (10)

Name Research Interest
Anderson, Melvin E., PhD Computational modeling of signal transduction pathways and their perturbations by xenobiotics; implications for dose-response and risk assessment
Chaney, Stephen G., PhD Platinum anticancer agents, DNA repair, mutagenesis, translation DNA polymerases, molecular modeling
DeVito, Michael, PhD Development of models for cumulative risk to endocrine disruptors
Hayes, D. Neil, MD Molecular carcinogenesis, research translation, biomarkers, computational toxicology
Kaufmann, William K., PhD Computational modeling of DNA repair and checkpoint pathways; systems of protection of genetic stability
Perou, Charles M., PhD Use of animal models to mimic findings of biological diversity in human cancers; develop predictive computational models to test new therapeutics specific for tumor subtypes
Pomp, Daniel, PhD Genetic architecture of complex traits; polygenic mouse models and high throughput approaches to study obesity and related diseases; gene-environment interactions in carcinogenesis
Rusyn, Ivan I., MD, PhD Environmental Genomics
Threadgill, David W., PhD Research using the mouse as a model to study phenotypes with complex etiologies contributed by genetic and environmental factors that underline differences in susceptibility to common diseases
Tropsha, Alexander, PhD Molecular modeling, computer-assisted drug design, molecular dynamics of proteins, protein folding

Developmental Toxicology and Immunotoxicology (14)

Name Research Interest
Birnbaum, Linda S., PhD Chemical disposition of xenobiotics and mechanistic toxicology
Fenton, Suzanne E., PhD Environmental effects on mammary gland development and function
Gilmour, M. Ian, PhD Pulmonary toxicology, immunotoxicology
Graves, Lee M., PhD Biochemistry of growth factor-mediated signal transduction
Harry, G. Jean, PhD Developmental neurotoxicology, molecular neurotoxicology and neuroimmunology
Hunter, E. Sidney, PhD Role of cell death in mechanisms responsible for craniofacial birth defects. Use of embryonic stem cells as a model to evaluate developmental effects of environmental chemicals
Jaspers, Ilona, PhD Effects of environmental pollutants on airway epithelium and susceptibility to viral infections.
Narotsky, Michael G., Ph.D. Developmental toxicology, reproductive toxicology, pregnancy maintenance, and parturition
Nylander-French, Leena A., PhD Develop methods to monitor and assess dermal and inhalation exposures to environmental toxicants
Olshan, Andrew F., PhD Molecular epidemiology of cancer, reproductive, and developmental outcomes
Rogers, John M., PhD Developmental toxicology, teratology, developmental biology, embryology and nutrition
Roubey, Robert A. S.., MD Developmental and immunotoxicology, animal models of human diseases, biomarkers
Selgrade, MaryJane K., PhD Immunotoxicology
Sulik, Kathleen K., PhD Birth defects, neuroteratology, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders(FASD), high resolution magnetic imaging (MRI)

Drug and Xenobiotic Metabolism (7)

Name Research Interest
Brouwer, Kim R., PhD Pharmacokinetics, hepatic uptake, metabolism and excretion of xenobiotics
MacDonald, Jeffery M., PhD Metabolomics and fluxomics using NMR spectroscopy and imaging
Mason, Ronald P., PhD Free-radical intermediates in the metabolism of toxic chemicals
Paine, Mary, Ph.D., R.Ph. Drug xenobiotic metabolism, pharmacokinetics, drug xenobiotic interactions
Pollack, Gary M., PhD Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of therapeutic and toxic agents
Smith, Philip C., PhD Toxicokinetics and xenobiotic metabolism, peptide analysis and disposition
Tropsha, Alexander, PhD Molecular modeling, computer-assisted drug design, molecular dynamics of proteins, protein folding

Ethanol Toxicology (3)

Name Research Interest
Crews, Fulton T., PhD Neurodegeneration and chronic drug-induced changes in brain signaling pathways
Morrow, A. Leslie, PhD Neurotoxicology and excitotoxicity of alcohol
Sulik, Kathleen K., PhD Birth defects, neuroteratology, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders(FASD), high resolution magnetic imaging (MRI)