Toxic Mechanisms Component
The Toxic Mechanisms Component is a consortium of investigators from UC Los Angeles, UC Riverside, and Los Alamos National Laboratory focused on molecular mechanisms of toxicological injury. The program trains predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in molecular toxicology, particularly emphasizing gene-environment interactions and air pollution toxicology. This research will potentially have important impacts on toxicological problems, including identification of persons at enhanced risk, improving risk assessment, and providing means for preventing or treating toxic conditions.
Self Description
The Toxic Mechanisms component's research is directed toward 1) Identification and mechanisms of toxic action of air pollution components, 2) Molecular toxicological mechanisms of small inorganic molecules, 3) Toxic metals/metalloids, 4) Genetic variation in susceptibility to toxic chemicals (including air pollutants), and 5) The application of cutting edge molecular biological approaches to toxicological questions ( including genomic and proteomic technologies). A major goal of the program is to train outstanding pre-doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in these areas by supporting a new interdepartmental graduate program in Molecular Toxicology at UCLA, and by supporting several graduate students at UC Riverside and postdoctoral fellows at both campuses. Doctoral students from UCLA or UCR will have the opportunity to perform their thesis research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A second major goal is to foster exchange of ideas and to develop collaborations within and between the campuses. Each year there will be a two day meeting of program participants, and also a one day workshop. Seminar speakers will be invited each month to UCLA; several slots are being reserved for UCR and Los Alamos participants. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will travel to Los Alamos to learn the newly evolving genomic and proteomic technologies. Students will be encouraged to spend extended periods of time with investigators at Los Alamos applying the technologies to their research. This program will enhance ongoing air pollution research in Southern California by training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in air pollution toxicology, and by applying molecular biological expertise to this research.
Toxic Mechanisms Links
Oliver Hankinson, DirectorPathology & Laboratory Medicine
UCLA Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1732
ohank@mednet.ucla.edu
David Eastmond, UCR Associate Director
Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521
david.eastmond@ucr.edu
Michael Altherr, LANL Associate Director
Genomics Department
Los Alamos National Laboratory
MS M888, 1663 Bikini Rd.
HRL Bldg., Room 207
Los Alamos, NM 87545
altherr@telomere.lanl.gov
For administrative matters:
Lucile SabalPathology & Laboratory Medicine
UCLA Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1732
LSabal@mednet.ucla.edu