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Reproductive
and Developmental Toxicity
Research
Core 3
Elaine
M. Faustman, PhD, Director
Michael Cunningham, MD, PhD, Co-Director
| Overview
About 250,000 US children are born
each year with birth defects diagnosed at or shortly
after birth. Known environmental
agents that can cause birth defects include the heavy
metals lead and mercury; the industrial pollutants known
as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); alcohol (ethanol);
and drugs such as thalidomide (a mild sedative used many
years ago to reduce nausea during pregnancy), diethystilbestrol
(DES, a synthetic estrogen once used to prevent miscarriage),
valproic acid (an anti-seizure medication), and 13-cis-retinoic
acid (a derivative of vitamin A used to treat acne).
According
to a recent NAS report, up to 25% of all birth defects
may result from interactions between genes and environment.
In
addition, over 2 million American couples are affected
by infertility. Some causes of infertility, such as sexually
transmitted diseases, are well known, but many potential
factors, such as environmental and occupational exposures
to chemical agents, have not been completely studied.
The Core defines developmental and reproductive toxicology
broadly to include reproductive events leading to formation
of the egg and sperm, fertilization, pre- and post-implantation
developmental events, postnatal development, adolescence
and aging.
Specific
Aims
- Facilitate
and foster new and existing research interactions
among Core investigators, among CEEH Cores, and among
the CEEH and other research centers.
- Promote
research on women's and children’s
health problems.
- Raise
national visibility for reproductive and developmental
toxicology issues.
- Increase
academic awareness of CEEH issues.
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Faustman,
Elaine
Core Director |
Environmental
and Occupational Health Sciences
|
Cunningham,
Michael
Core Co-Director |
Pediatrics;
Children's Craniofacial Center, Children's Hospital |
|
Fantel,
Alan |
Pediatrics |
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Heitkemper,
Margaret
|
Biobehavioral
Nursing and Health Systems
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Kapur,
Raj |
Pathology |
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Mirkes,
Philip |
Pediatrics |
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Mueller,
Beth |
FHCRC,
Epidemiology |
| Rabinovitch,
Peter |
Pathology |
| Somerman,
Martha |
Dentistry,
Periodontics |
| Williams,
Michelle |
Epidemiology |
| Wolf,
Norman |
Pathology |
| Woods,
Nancy |
Nursing |
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