| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Meichen Wang mwang@cvm.tamu.edu Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology |
| Faculty Mentor: | Yanan Tian, Ph.D. |
|
Meeting Times:
|
Summer 2016 (complete) |
|
Team Size:
|
6 (Team Full) |
| Open Spots: | 0 |
|
Special Opportunities:
|
|
|
Team Needs:
|
Previous laboratory experience is not required, and all science-relate majors are welcome. |
|
Description:
|
Environmental contaminants such as dioxin, bisphenol A, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as numerous clinical drugs are known as the xenobiotics. These xenobiotic compounds can cause physiological and pathophysiological responses in human and animals, and therefore need to be eliminated through a receptor-regulated detoxification system. The receptors involved in the metabolic detoxification system are known as the xenobiotic receptors, which include the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and pregnane X receptor (PXR). Our laboratory investigates the roles of these xenobiotic receptors as the “sensor and effectors” in regulating toxic responses as well as metabolic detoxification processes and utilizes these receptor-toxicant interactions for screening and analysis of environmental contaminants as well as herbal medicines for potential adverse drug interactions. We will use PXR and AhR-based screening systems to learn the mechanism whereby the xenobiotic compound regulating physiological processes by interacting with the receptors. Students are also encouraged to attend the VTPP676 (a stacked course of VTPP489 for undergraduate students is being developed) in Spring 2016 to learn more extensively the xenobiotic/drug metabolism and detoxification. |