Susan L. Schantz
Professor, Veterinary Biosciences
Chair of Pharmacology/Toxicology Division, Veterinary Biosciences
Professional Interests: My research
program centers on understanding the neurobehavioral effects of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs), methyl mercury, dioxins and related compounds. These
widely dispersed and persistent environmental contaminants enter the
human diet from a variety of sources. One of the primary sources of exposure
is consumption of fish from polluted waters such as the Great Lakes.
My research focuses on exposure to these compounds during development
and aging, two periods when the nervous system is particularly vulnerable
to toxic insult. My approach includes laboratory-based animal studies
and parallel epidemiological studies of Great Lakes fish eaters. One
aspect of my laboratory research program is mechanistically based, focusing
on understanding the specific functional domains that are altered or
impaired by contaminant exposure and the biological mechanisms underlying
those impairments. Another aspect is risk-based, modeling actual human
exposure to the complex mixtures of PCBs, methyl mercury, dioxins and
other chemicals found in Great Lakes fish. The ultimate goal of the mixture
studies is to identify the chemical components that mediate neuropsychological
effects observed in exposed human populations.
Selected Publications:
Schantz SL, * Widholm JJ and Rice DC. (2003) Effects of PCB exposure on neuropsychological function in children. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111:357-376.
*Widholm JJ, *Seo BW, Strupp BJ, Seegal RF and Schantz SL. (2003) Effects of perinatal exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on spatial and visual reversal learning in rats. Neurotoxicology and Teratology , 25:459-471
Tee PG, Sweeney AM, Symanski E, Gardiner JL, Gasior DM and Schantz SL. (2003) A longitudinal examination of factors related to changes in serum polychlorinated biphenyl levels. Environmental Health Perspective , 111:702-707.
Allred CD, Allred KF, Ju YH, Clausen LM, Doerge DR, Schantz
SL , Korol DL, Wallig MA and Helferich WG. (2003) Dietary
genistein results in larger MNU-induced, estrogen-dependent mammary
tumors following ovariectomy of Sprague-Dawley rats. Carcinogenesis ,
25:211-218.
