Tanguay Lab

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and biphenyl(PCBs) are stable, lipophilic compounds that bioaccumulate in the food chain and produce toxicity by a common aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediated mechanism at body burdens in the parts per trillion range posing risk to wildlife and humans. The molecular mechanism leading to toxicity by these compounds in not understood. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) offer many practical advantages for conducting mechanistic based toxicology research. Current research focus is to further establish zebrafish as a model to examine 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) effects on vertebrate development. Areas of research include characterization of the zebrafish AhR signal transduction pathway using molecular, transgenic, and genetic approaches.