Boston University Superfund Research Program (SRP) investigators David Sherr, Ph.D., and Stefano Monti, Ph.D., were recently awarded an SRP supplement to develop a platform for predicting xenobiotic toxicity and carcinogenicity. As part of the project, researchers will apply an economically feasible genomic analysis platform to predict the carcinogenicity, toxicity, and signaling mechanisms of thousands of individual environmental chemicals and complex mixtures. Boston University SRP, along with other national programs, would then be able to use the platform to test Superfund chemicals for toxicity and carcinogenicity. This predictive platform would also provide insight to the molecular mechanisms of chemicals being studied in BU SRP projects.
Boston University SRP scientists Ann Aschengrau, Sc.D., Jennifer Schlezinger, Ph.D., Mark Hahn, Ph.D., and John Stegeman, Ph.D. will collaborate with Sherr and Monti on this project.They will also work with investigators at the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and with colleagues at the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.
As part of the project, scientists will (a) generate an exposure database using their high throughput gene analysis platform, (b) build and evaluate a computational model using results to define carcinogen/toxicant and non-carcinogen/non-toxicant profiles, and (c) analyze expression profiles of response to chemicals for exposure risk assessment and understanding of the mechanisms of action.
For more information about the collaborative work and Boston University SRP projects, visit the BU SRP website .
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