Stephanie Soriano

I am a PhD student in Neuroscience in Dr. Megan Mahoney’s lab. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are pervasive in the environment and interfere with hormone synthesis, metabolism and actions. Previous research shows developmental exposure to a single phthalate negatively affects anxiety-like behavior. Gonadal hormones participate in the modulation of behavior and aberrant circadian rhythms are a risk factor for anxiety. Additionally, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis enables an organism to respond to its environment and thus, it is highly vulnerable to perturbation by EDCs.  My research focuses on effects of prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture on the circadian activity, anxiety-like behavior, and HPA axis.