Neurotoxicology Comes to Beckman
We live in a chemical world. Every day we take in a host of chemicals in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the products we touch or apply to our skin. Some of these chemicals are present in everyday consumer products such as food packaging, household cleaners, and personal care items like soaps, deodorants, lotions, and sunscreens. Others are legacy contaminants that were used in the past, but continue to persistent in our environment. Our research group studies how chemical exposures contribute to human disease, using both animal models and epidemiologic approaches. We are particularly interested in how prenatal or early postnatal exposures contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders. In this seminar, I will discuss how exposure to one important class of contaminants, polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, impacts development and function of the auditory system.