Research

Research Areas

Molecular Microbiology and Epidemiology of Infectious Disease
        Biology and molecular genetics of gammaherpesviruses
        Developmental biology of Leishmania species
        Microbial and bacteriophage ecology and bacterial disease emergence

Molecular Immunology
        Environmental and genetic requirements for lymphocyte development
        Regulatory pathways of lymphocyte activation
        Effects of chemical toxicants on inflammatory responses and the development of
                autoimmunity, hypersensitivity, and cancer

Cell-Cell and Cell-Matrix/Substratum Interactions
        Roles of osteopontins and selected surface protease, integrins, and selectins in:
                a) Tumor immunity, tumor diagnosis, and tumor metastasis
                b) Biomarkers in cardiovascular disease

Epidemiology and Epidemiologic Methods
        Risk factors for breast cancer, including reproduction and familial patterns of cancer
        Statistical analysis in epidemiology
        Evaluation of gene-environment interactions
        Effects of measurement error in epidemiologic research
        Ecologic analysis

Environmental and Genetic Toxicology
        Human toxicology- chromium, uranium, arsenic, ambient particulate matter studies
        Marine toxicology- Bowhead Whales, Right Whales, Stellar Sea Lions
        Marine research resources -- National Marine Mammal Cell Line Library
        Comparative toxicology of humans and marine animals
        Molecular epidemiology
        Risk assessment using cell culture methods
        Nanotoxicology

Educational Research
        Development, assessment, and dissemination of effective departmental efforts in:
                a) Laboratory-based educational outreach
                b) Professional development for teachers