Superfund Research Program

Training Core

Project Leader: Terrance J. Kavanagh
Grant Number: P42ES004696
Funding Period: 1995 - 2006

Project-Specific Links

Final Progress Reports

Year:   2005 

The training core has supported students on projects 1, 2, 3, 7 and 9.  All of the students are making good progress on their work.

Helene Lavire (Project 1) studied the utility of glutamate cysteine ligase and metallothionein genes as biomarkers of exposure of deer mice to heavy metal contaminated soils from a superfund site (collaboration with Dr. Hooper, Project 7).  She graduated with her MS degree, enrolled in the PhD program, and is currently on leave from the UW Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.

Tingting Li (Project 2) continues to investigate genetic factors that may alter the risk of mercury toxicity in humans.  Tingting is measuring the effect of a polymorphism in exon 4 of the coproporphyrinogen oxidase gene on Hg induced neurobehavioral deficits in dental practitioners with occupational elemental mercury exposure.

Betsy Walters (Project 3) assessed the role of paraoxinase in neonatal susceptibility of mice to organophosphorous pesticides.  She tested the effects of such exposure on behavior, including functional observational battery, as well as on memory and learning.  She graduated in the summer of 2005 with a Master’s degree in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.

Susan Leaman (Project 1) has been investigating the effects of particulate matter on the induction glutamate cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM) in RAW macrophage cell line.  This work is part of a larger effort to understand the role of oxidative stress on the induction of glutathione biosynthesis genes.  She is using GCLM and GCLC promoter/luciferase reporter constructs, electromobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays to characterized the trancription factors responsible for this induction.

Gang Xin (Project 9) analyzed soil, air and water samples at the field site to characterize the fate of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene in testbeds of mature poplar by means of mass balance on chloride.  He also conducted bench-scale experiments with transgenic tobacco incorporating the human cytochrome P450 2E1, comparing their removal of chloroform, benzene and several other volatile organic compounds to that of vector control plants.  While he has shifted to another project, not supported by NIEHS, Mr. Xin continues to be involved in the analysis and preparation of his results for publication.