My research is in comparative pathology, immunology and
immunotoxicology of aquatic organisms to understand how
different aquatic animals are able to respond to pathogens
in view of the particularities of their physiology and their
response to environmental stressors, at the individual to
population levels. Work in my laboratory focuses on marine
mammals, oysters and lobsters, in addition to the recently
added study of effects in humans, who increasingly depend
on the aquatic food chain. Current projects directly related
to Oceans and Human Health include the following:
1. Comparative Immunotoxicity of PCBs in Marine
Mammals, Humans and Mice upon In Vitro Exposure as a New
Tool for Risk Assessment. Recent studies in our
and other laboratories have demonstrated significant differences
between species in their response to environmental pollutants,
and differences between the effects of PCB congeners,
which appear to sometimes modulate their effects via dioxin-independent
mechanisms. This study aims at evaluating and comparing
the species- and congener-specific effects of different
PCB congeners upon in vitro exposure to quantify differences
between species (and objectively address whether or not
the mouse model can accurately predict effects in other
target species such as marine mammals and humans), and
use those results for species-specific and mechanistically-based
risk assessment in view of the concentrations of such
PCBs in tissues of target species following environmental
exposure.
2. Immunotoxicology of Manufactured Nanomaterials.
Nanomaterials are rapidly evolving and making their appearance
in consumer products. Nevertheless, the evaluation of
the potential toxicity of those nanomaterials has never
evolved at the same pace as that for the development of
new products and applications. Our lab is working on the
assessment of the immunotoxic effects of different nanomaterials
to try to understand the physico-chemical characteristics
responsible for their toxicity.
3. Comparative Immunotoxicity of Brominated Flame
Retardants and Perfluorinated Compounds. Brominated
flame retardants and perfluorinated compounds are accumulating
in human and wildlife tissues at alarming rates, yet relatively
little is know about their toxic potential. Our lab has
undertaken the study of the immunotoxic potential of those
environmental contaminants in a congener- and species-specific
manner for use in comparative risk assessment.
4. Health Effects of Harmful Algal Bloom Biotoxins.
Harmful algal blooms are increasing in frequency, and
while some acute health effects have been well documented
in laboratory animals, humans and some species of marine
mammals, there is much to be learned about their sub-acute
and chronic health effects. Our lab is engaged in the
determination of the sub-acute to chronic health effects
of domoic acid on immune functions of marine mammals.
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