Much of the work carried out by DTT is in support of the National Toxicology Program (NTP), an interagency partnership of the Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and NIEHS.
Mechanistic Toxicology Branch
G. Jean Harry, Ph.D., is head of the Neurotoxicology Group within the Mechanistic Toxicology Branch. She obtained an M.S. in neuropharmacology from Virginia Commonwealth University with a research focus in drugs of abuse. Her Ph.D. was obtained from VCU and bridged the fields of neuropharmacology and neurotoxicology. Postdoctoral work was conducted in an NIH Training Program in Neuropathology followed by an NIH independent fellowship award in the Biochemistry Department, University of North Carolina. Following a position within the Developmental Disorders Center at UNC, she joined NIEHS as head of Neurotoxicology Group.
The Neurotoxicology Group studies adverse effects of environmental exposures on the nervous system using a multidisciplinary approach integrating molecular, anatomical, and behavioral assessments. The work examines the regulatory processes of tissue-resident immune cells and alterations in their normal function. Inflammatory processes and microglia dysregulation have been implicated in a diverse array of human disorders/disease states across the life-span. The current research examines the influence of environmental exposures as they may alter the normal function of microglia and the neuroimmune system leading to dysfunction and altered brain development and neurodegeneration. Other research interests lie in how to refine neurobehavioral testing methods for neurotoxicity and how to potentially translate findings from in vitro models to adverse effects in vivo.
Major Areas of Research
- Heterogeneity of the microglia response and regulatory processes.
- Mechanisms associated with microglia and tissue resident macrophage dysregulation contributing to chronic health conditions.
- Translation of findings from in vitro models to effects observed in vivo.
Current Projects
- Establishment of cardiac tissue resident macrophage cell lines for in vitro assessment of regulatory processes and function.
- In vitro models of chemical/drug induced alterations in microglia phenotype (inflammatory and non-inflammatory processes).
- Long-term impact of combination HIV therapeutic drugs on the developing nervous system.
Recent Publications
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Konrad K, Betz L, McBride S, Shockley K, Roberts G, Cunny H, Harry G. Assessing replicability and power estimates of behavioral performance of control rats across standardized pre-clinical and toxicology studies.
Neurotoxicology and teratology.
2025 Sep 26 [Epub ahead of print].
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AbstractKonrad K, Betz L, McBride S, Shockley K, Roberts G, Cunny H, Harry G. Assessing replicability and power estimates of behavioral performance of control rats across standardized pre-clinical and toxicology studies. Neurotoxicology and teratology. 2025 Sep 26
]
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Kanungo J, Sorkin B, Krzykwa J, Mitchell C, Embry M, Spencer P, Harry G, Cannon J, Liu F, McPherson C, Gafner S, Westerink R. Screening tools to evaluate the neurotoxic potential of botanicals: building a strategy to assess safety.
Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology.
2024 Jul;20(7):629-646.
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AbstractKanungo J, Sorkin B, Krzykwa J, Mitchell C, Embry M, Spencer P, Harry G, Cannon J, Liu F, McPherson C, Gafner S, Westerink R. Screening tools to evaluate the neurotoxic potential of botanicals: building a strategy to assess safety. Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology. 2024 Jul
]
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Morera H, Dave P, Kolinko Y, Alahmari S, Anderson A, Denham G, Davis C, Riano J, Goldgof D, Hall L, Harry G, Mouton P. A novel deep learning-based method for automatic stereology of microglia cells from low magnification images.
Neurotoxicology and teratology.
2024 Mar;102:107336.
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AbstractMorera H, Dave P, Kolinko Y, Alahmari S, Anderson A, Denham G, Davis C, Riano J, Goldgof D, Hall L, Harry G, Mouton P. A novel deep learning-based method for automatic stereology of microglia cells from low magnification images. Neurotoxicology and teratology. 2024 Mar
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Ottinger M, Harry G, Malecki K, Wise J. Editorial: Healthspan and neural aging: Merging the exposome and one environmental health - From molecular mechanisms to epidemiology.
Frontiers in aging neuroscience.
2023;15:1172967.
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AbstractOttinger M, Harry G, Malecki K, Wise J. Editorial: Healthspan and neural aging: Merging the exposome and one environmental health - From molecular mechanisms to epidemiology. Frontiers in aging neuroscience. 2023
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Massri A, Fitzpatrick M, Cunny H, Li J, Harry G. Differential gene expression profiling implicates altered network development in rat postnatal day 4 cortex following 4-Methylimidazole (4-MeI) induced maternal seizures.
Neurotoxicology and teratology.
2023 Nov;100:107301.
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AbstractMassri A, Fitzpatrick M, Cunny H, Li J, Harry G. Differential gene expression profiling implicates altered network development in rat postnatal day 4 cortex following 4-Methylimidazole (4-MeI) induced maternal seizures. Neurotoxicology and teratology. 2023 Nov
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More Recent Publications from PubMed
