This webinar features two scientists describing their research on developmental neurotoxicity of EDCs. Dr. Marissa Sobolewski spoke on “Sex-Dependent Neurotoxicity of a Mixture of Low-Dose EDCs.” Her research focuses on sex-differentiated mechanisms of developmental neurotoxicity. The perinatal steroid hormone environment of a developing mammal differs depending on genetic sex. These sex-specific hormone profiles may result in unique sensitivity to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Her lab tests the hypothesis that environmental disruption of perinatal hormone profiles (by chemical and non-chemical stressors) results in lasting sex-specific changes to brain development and behavior. Ultimately, her lab seeks to translate our mechanistic research into a deep understanding of the role the environment plays in the etiology of neurobehavioral disorders.
Dr. Katie O’Shaughnessy discussed “Bypassing the Brain Barriers: Serum microRNAs Reflective of Developmental Neurotoxicity Induced by Thyroid Disruption.” Dr. O’Shaughnessy’s research focuses on 1) how organs are formed during development and 2) how hormones affect these processes. While the overarching research themes are driven by basic science, the goal of this work is to determine the effects and risks of EDCs, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Her work has explored androgen, estrogen, and thyroid signaling to understand how these nuclear receptor pathways control the patterning and function of the genitalia and brain.
Featured Speakers
Marissa Sobolewski, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and the Environmental Health Science Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She received her PhD from the University of Michigan and trained at the Smithsonian Institute before joining the University of Rochester. She is the Vice President-Elect for the Neurotoxicology Specialty Section for Society of Toxicology. She was awarded the Richard Butcher New Investigator Award from the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society. Dr. Sobolewski’s research has been supported by National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. She has reviewed for the National Toxicology Program and NIH study section. She has worked with multiple species from wild chimpanzees to laboratory mice. Dr. Sobolewski serves on the Neurotoxicology journal editorial board and holds leadership roles in toxicology, neuroscience, and biomedical genetics graduate programs at Rochester, including committees focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in basic science.
Katherine (Katie) O’Shaughnessy, PhD, is a new Investigator in the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Research Triangle Park, NC. She received her PhD from the University of Florida in Genetics and Genomics and was a postdoctoral fellow at the EPA before beginning her own laboratory in August of this year. Katie has won numerous awards for outstanding oral and poster presentations, as well as several endowment awards from the Society of Toxicology during her postdoctoral fellowship. In 2019, Katie was also awarded the Richard Butcher New Investigator Award from the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society, as well as The Innovator Award from the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention. Katie enjoys mentoring and is currently building a diverse lab that fosters creativity to answer complex questions relevant to women’s and children’s health.
This webinar is part of the Young EDC Scientists Showcase (YESS) webinar series. The YESS webinar series is sponsored by the Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies (HEEDS) Mentoring Working Group and coordinated by the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE). This series features speakers in the early stages of their careers, such as PhD students, post-docs, and other early-career researchers who study endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). They will present their research projects and findings on webinars with 2 speakers and time for questions. Presentations will be recorded and available online.
This webinar was moderated by Sarah Howard, MS, Founder and Manager, DiabetesandEnvironment.org. It lasted for 60 minutes and was recorded for our call and webinar archive. If you are interested in presenting on one of these webinars, or have a recommendation for a speaker, please contact HEEDS.