EHSC Members

As a nurse-scientist with expertise spanning the translational continuum from biomedical science to community-based research, Danielle Alcéna-Stiner integrates basic science, health literacy, and nursing into interventions to promote adolescent health and wellness through active community engagement.

Current research activity in my lab aims to investigate the non-coding transcriptional activity of androgen receptor in granulosa cells and the role of cytoplasmic adaptor protein paxillin in the ovary. While research occupies the majority of my time, 20% of my appointment is clinical. My clinical interest is in managing the symptoms and reducing the metabolic risks associated with PCOS, as well as managing other conditions of disordered sex steroids: gender dysphoria, early menopause, male and female hypogonadism.

Environmental epidemiology of the effect of air polution on respiratory health

Defining molecular pathways by which allergens and particulates activate epithelia and dendritic cells in the lung immune system

Asthma and Improving quality of care

Early origins research, linking in utero environment to later life health and educational attainment

Development of the infant microbiome and immune system, and how that relates to development of allergic diseases

Delineating mechanisms by which environmental exposures during different life stages alter immune function

Developing methods to estimate gene regulatory networks from gene perturbation experiments

In vitro models of human lung and vascular barriers during inflammation

Airway epithelial stem cells in chemical inhalation exposures

Smoking Cessation in special populations, Technology/Web Assisted Risk Behavior Intervention and Dissemination of effective interventions to physician practices

Defining how an aberrant oxygen environment and oxygen-induced DNA damage signaling alter distal lung development, the host response to respiratory viral infections, and promotes cardiovascular disease later in life

Elucidate the molecular mechanisms of divalent metal neurotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis

Behavioral medicine and outcomes management include tobacco use and smoking interventions, obesity prevention and exercise

Identify new targets susceptible to environmental perturbation in relevance with neurodevelopment or neurodegenerative diseases by utilizing functional genetics/genomics (RNAi and CRISPR screens and Next-Generation sequencing), and molecular benchwork. Discover the link between genetic polymorphism of the targets and neurological diseases. Explore novel roles of extracellular vesicles (EV) in receptor signaling and cell communication. Identify EV-encapsulated biomolecules released by the placenta in response to environmental perturbation. Explore the roles of placenta-derived EVs on neurodevelopment or neurodegeneration

Chronic lung disease of prematurity and lung development

Redox signaling mechanism of Proinflammatory gene expression in pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory lung diseases caused by environmental toxicants

Mechanisms of toxicity of the environmental contaminant and neurotoxicant methylmercury (MeHg), defining MeHg effects on early life development of neural and muscular systems at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels using invertebrate and mammalian models, and detailed characterization of MeHg metabolism and elimination kinetics in humans.

Cardiovascular, respiratory, and perinatal/reproductive health effects of exposure to environmental agents, including ambient air pollution

Develop a research program concentrating on identifying genetic modifiers of environmental factors in disease etiology using a combination of Drosophila genetics, cell culture, and rodent models

Neonatal immunology; T cell function in preterm infants

Neurotoxicology, Etiology of neurobehavioral disease, Endocrine dysfunction, Synergistic Toxicity.

Our research program focuses on mechanisms underlying gene environment interaction in pregnancy. We are interested in elucidating how environmental factors influence epigenetic regulation of developmental-relevant genes including imprinted genes, and how exposure modulates maternal-fetal health.

Using statistics in environmental health, measurement error, multiple outcomes, Bayesian inference