2008 Recipient: Kimberly A. Hays, Oklahoma State University

Host: Russell Pfau, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas

Goal: The goal of this project is to learn Applied Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) techniques and use this method to elucidate effects of Pb, Cd, and Zn on multiple endpoints in a mammalian model using white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) collected from Tar Creek Superfund Site. In this study, a less invasive and non-lethal method, toe clipping, will provide adequate nuclear DNA for analysis and assess populations status without removing individuals from the population.

2008 Recipient: Haitian Lu, Michigan State University

Host: Russell Thomas, The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

Goal: The overall objective of this project is to characterize the effects of TCDD on gene expression in activated primary human B lymphocytes. In the proposed study, human peripheral blood B lymphocytes will be isolated, activated by ex vivo by CD40 ligand-expressing fibroblasts, and gene microarray analysis will be conducted various times after activation to assess changes in gene expression profiles produced by TCDD treatment.

2007 Recipient: Renee Gardner, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Host:  Enrico Sabbioni, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy

Goal: The goal of this project is to learn about mechanistically-based in vitro models for testing the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles and solid chemicals that are currently being evaluated at the Joint Research Centre through a collaboration with the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) and Biomedical Materials and Systems (BMS) Unit.   The methods being developed use whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures exposed to radiolabeled cobalt nanoparticles.  In addition to cytotoxicity assays, cellular uptake and trafficking of the particles will be studied.

2007 Recipient: Prajakta Palkar, University of Louisiana at Monroe

Host:  Steven Goodman, University of Texas, Dallas, TX

Goal: To identify the proteins found increased in the RBCs from rats primed with 2-butoxyethanol by mass spectrometric analysis in order to determine the anti-hemolytic mechanisms of new RBCs.           

2007 Recipient: Rohit Singhal, University of Arkansas for Medical Science

Host:  Stephen Safe, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX

2007 Recipient: Rene Vinas, Texas Tech University

Host:  Ronald Kendall, Texas Tech, Lubbock, TX

Goal:  The proposed project will involve the use of various human tissue culture systems to assess the toxicity of popular herbal medicinal remedies.  The proposed training holds the promise of creating a standard alternative usage on in vitro models and consequently led to a reduction in the use of animal subjects for experimentation.

2006 Recipient: Mary Hassani, University of Montana

Host:  John Gerdes, University of Montana Molecular Computational Core Facility, Bozeman, MT

2006 Recipient: Prajakta Palkar, University of Louisiana Monroe

Host:  S.R. Goodman, University of Texas, Dallas, TX

Goal: The objective of our work is to determine the mechanisms behind resiliency of RBCs from human and primed rats to 2-butoxyethenol with the help of Proteomic Analysis.

2005 Recipient: Vishakha Bhave, The University of Louisiana at Monroe

Host: George Michalopoulos, Univesity of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine

Goal: To test the hypothesis that during toxicant-induced liver injury, calpain carries out degradation of cytoskeletal proteins like talin, vinculin and paxillin, thus leading to detachment of plasma membrane from the underlying cytoskeleton, plasma membrane bleb formation and death of hepatocytes. To perform these experiments in vitro, I shall be using the matrigel hepatocyte cell culture technique using the HGM developed in Dr. Michalopoulous's laboratory.

2005 Recipient: Ankur V. Dnyanmote, University of Louisiana at Monroe

Host: Kaushal Gur, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Goal: Will investigate the effect of calpain on the proximal tubular cells isolated from diabetic and nondiabetic kidneys.

2005 Recipient: Jonathan M. Maher, University of Kansas Medical Center

Host: Nathan Cherrington, University of Arizona

Goal: This project will discover underlying mechanisms responsible for the constitutive and inducible expression of the Multidrug Resistance-associated Proteins (Mrp) 3 and 4 by use of the in vivo luciferase assay. This assay utilizes hydrodynamic infusion of a linearized plasmid (Mrp 3 and 4) that is selectively uptaken into livers of mice. This transient transfection of the liver allows for stabilization of the construct in liver for several months, allowing for multiple uses of this in vivo model for luciferase assays without harm to the animal. A camera that detects photon release through the skin of the animal allows for multiple images of the liver at various time points without sacrificing the mouse.

2004 Recipient: Jaya Chilakapati, University of Louisiana at Monroe

Host: Frank A. Witzman Indiana University School of Medicine

Goal: Use of isolated hepatocytes and radiolabeling to study the metabolism and toxicity of thioacetamide over a dose range and time course in rats on ad lib and restricted diets.

2004 Recipient: Marc Nascarella, Texas Tech University

Host: Phillip L. Williams, The University of Georgia

Goal: Learn techniques of culturing Caenorhabiditis elegans to investigate the toxicokinetics, toxicodynamics, and immunotoxicology of selenium relative to this model organism.

2003 Recipient: Sachin Devi, The University of Louisiana at Monroe

Host: Robert A. Roth, Michigan State University

Goal: Learn hepatocyte culture techniques to use in studies of hyperglycemia in diabetic rats.

2003 Recipient: Midhun Korrapati, The University of Louisiana at Monroe

Host: Frank A. Witzmann, Indiana University School of Medicine

Goal: Learn techniques to identify key proteins involved in renal tissue repair after application of DCVC to human renal proximal tubular cells.

2003 Recipient: Pallavi Limaye, The University of Louisiana at Monroe

Host: Janardan K. Reddy, Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University

Goal: To create a knock-out cell line lacking calpastatin and learn the recombinant adenovirus generation technique for transfection of hepatic cells.

2002 Recipient: Kartik Shankar, The University of Louisiana, Monroe

Host: Michael Waalkes, CIIT Centers for Health

Goal: Learn microarray (in real time), PCR, and gel-shift mobility assay techniques to better understand mechanisms of protection in diabetic mice.

2002 Recipient: Chad Vezina, University at Buffalo

Host: Renae L. Malek, The Institute for Genomic Research

Goal: Learn DNA microarray technology to validate the rat and human liver tissue slice model for a wide range of potential toxicological applications.

2002 Recipient: Ryan Williams, University of California, Riverside

Host: William Reifenrath, Stratacor, Inc.

Goal: Develop in vitro procedures to measure and predict chemical contact transfer and absorption by human skin from contaminated surfaces.

2001 Recipient: Jason Biggs, University of Utah

Host: Ronald Hines, Medical College of Wisconsin

Goal: Learn techniques to design and transfect tailor-made luciferase reporter constructs into human lung and liver cells to study gene regulation in human lung and liver cell lines.

2001 Recipient: Victoria Richards, University of Arizona

Host: Craig Harris, University of Michigan

Goal: Learn neural crest cell culture and post-implantation whole embryo culture to investigate the mechanisms of toxicological endpoints as they pertain to maternal and fetal exposure.

2000 Recipient: Jason Gross, San Diego State University

Host: Charles Walker, University of New Hampshire

Goal: Isolating and culturing spermatogenic germinal epithelia from sea star testes to develop a procedure to assess potential reproductive health risks associated with environmental pollution in marine systems.