Current Trainees
Current Trainees
Post-Doctoral Associates/Fellows and Graduate Students
Graduate Student
Sarkar Lab
Graduate Student
Susiarjo Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating how maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors alters mechanisms of immune tolerance, leading to adverse maternal and fetal health outcomes.
Graduate Student
Seplaki Lab
Graduate Student
Seplaki Lab
Research Interest:
Understanding Tangible Support and Treatement Tolerability Among Older Adults with Cancer
Graduate Student
Sarkar Lab
Sobolewski Lab
Research Interest:
Understanding the effects of occupational metal exposure on astrocytic senescence and neurodegenerative disease
Graduate Student
Susiarjo Lab
Research Interest:
Studying the underlying mechanisms of how endocrine disrupting chemicals influence maternal metabolic health.
Graduate Student
Susiarjo Lab
Research Interest:
Understanding the effects of gestational vitamin B6 deficiency in offspring metabolic health
Graduate Student
Gill Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the influence of gut microbiome-derived polyamines on host-pathogen interactions and immune responses in the context of Staphylococcus aureus bone infection
Postdoctoral Fellow
Georas Lab
Postdoctoral Fellow
Georas Lab
Graduate Student
Seplaki Lab
Graduate Student
Lawrence Lab
Research Interest:
I am interested in studying the effects of PFAS exposure during early life development and its effects on the adaptive immune system. My work is currently focused on how PFAS alter T cell responses to different immune challenges later in life.
Graduate Student
VanWijngaarden Lab
Graduate Student
Rich Lab
Graduate Student
Elder Lab
Research Interest:
My research investigates how airborne ultra-fine particulate matter from simulated burn-pits impacts the lung-brain axis and neurodegenerative pathology. My work currently focuses on inflammatory pathways and metal tissue burdens after exposures, as well as the combined stressor of circadian disruption.
Graduate Student
Elder Lab
Research Interest:
My research examines how exposure to airborne ultrafine particulate matter influences inflammation along the lung-brain axis and neurodegenerative disease progression. Using a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, I aim to investigate the mechanisms linking inhaled environmental pollutants to blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline. My work combines inhalation toxicology, molecular analyses, and behavioral assessments to better understand environmental contributors to neurodegenerative disease risk.
Postdoctoral Associate
Irfan Rahman Lab
Postdoctoral Fellow
Rochester Environment and Child Health (REACH) Laboratory
Email Khursheed Ul IslamGanaie
Postdoctoral Associate
Irfan Rahman Lab
Graduate Student
Sobolewski Lab
Research Interest:
The role of inhaled iron in neurodegenerative disease processes
Postdoctoral Associate
Rand Lab
Graduate Student
Seplaki Lab
Postdoctoral Fellow
VanWijngaarden Lab
Postdoctoral Associate
Irfan Rahman Lab
Research Interest:
My research focuses on whether premature lung aging is a cause or a consequence of environmental exposures. I am interested in studying how lifestyle and environmental factors—such as smoking, vaping, air pollution, and occupational hazards—predispose individuals to pulmonary disorders including COPD, IPF, and lung cancer. Using in vivo and in vitro toxicology alongside single-cell and spatial technologies, I aim to uncover mechanisms of smoke-induced senescence and impaired tissue repair, identifying early biomarkers and therapeutic targets for COPD.
Graduate Student
Hall Lab
Research Interest:
The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention public health system and how it impacts D/HH adults' long-term health outcomes, with hopes to understand how ASL supports linguistic development and the overall health and well-being of Deaf adults throughout life.
Graduate Student
Rich Lab
Graduate Student
Onukwufor Lab
Research Interest:
My research explores the effects of heavy metal mixtures on mitochondrial function and epigenetic modulation.
Graduate Student
VanWijngaarden Lab
Graduate Student
Seplaki Lab
Graduate Student
Robert Lab
Research Interest:
My research involves assessing the effects of environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) on intestinal homeostasis and immunity during early development. I am particularly interested in understanding the association between MNPs and the development of allergic and inflammatory diseases.
Graduate Student
VanWijngaarden Lab
Graduate Student
Gill Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the impact of gut microbiome-derived metabolites on obese/type-2 diabetic gut barrier integrity and immune modulation in response to systemic Staphylococcus aureus infection
Graduate Student
Sobolewski Lab
Cory-Slechta Lab
Research Interest:
Understanding the impact of late gestational air pollution exposure on the developing brain
Postdoctoral Fellow
Cory-Slechta Lab
Research Interest:
Kate is researching the neurotoxic effects of pesticide inhalation. She is currently focused on evaluating the effects of paraquat inhalation and how it may increase risk for Parkinson's Disease.
Graduate Student
Sobolewski Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating effects of gestational exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals and stress on maternal and offspring brain and behavior
Graduate Student
Pérez Ramos Lab
Postdoctoral Associate
Cory-Slechta Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the mechanisms by which environmental toxicants can exacerbate neurodegenerative disorders
Graduate Student
Pérez Ramos Lab
Graduate Student
VanWijngaarden Lab
Graduate Student
Robert Lab
Graduate Student
Woeller Lab
Graduate Student
Robert Lab
Graduate Student
Georas Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the effects of Diacetyl on the lung epithelial barrier and factors that modulate those effects.
Graduate Student
VanWijngaarden Lab
Graduate Student
Sarkar Lab
Research Interest:
I investigate how exposure to environmental toxicants can increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. My thesis project is to develop an environmentally relevant mouse model of paraquat inhalation, a commonly used herbicide in the United States linked to Parkinson's disease in humans. My research suggests that paraquat inhalation in mice, simulating occupational exposure in farms, leads to a loss of dopamine-producing neurons, a hallmark of PD.
Postdoctoral Associate
Robert Lab
Graduate Student
VanWijngaarden Lab
Postdoctoral Associate
Irfan Rahman Lab
Graduate Student
Susiarjo Lab
Graduate Student
Lawrence Lab
Research Interest:
Studying the mechanism of how exposures to perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) alters immune system development and responses to viral infection.
Graduate Student
Onukwufor Lab
Research Interest:
Iron toxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction in the context of aging and Alzheimer's Disease
Graduate Student
Pérez Ramos Lab
Research Interest:
Associations Between Frequent Social Media Platform Use and Increased Intravenous Sedation for Intrauterine Device (IUD) Placement
Graduate Student
Rich Lab
Graduate Student
Pérez Ramos Lab
Graduate Student
Woeller Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the role of retinoic acid (RA) signaling in Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) and TED pathophysiology.
Postdoctoral Associate
Sobolewski Lab
Susiarjo Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating how maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors alters mechanisms of immune tolerance, leading to adverse maternal and fetal health outcomes.
DeLouise Lab
Research Interest:
My thesis is investigating the microplastic mimetic model in allergic contact dermatitis. My research focuses on the toxicological impacts of environmental contaminants specifically microplastics, nanoparticles, metals, and persistent organic pollutants on skin and immune health. I employ nanomembrane technology to analyze environmental water samples, aiming to elucidate the extent of microplastic pollution and its potential health implications.
Susiarjo Lab
Research Interest:
Studying the underlying mechanisms of how endocrine disrupting chemicals influence maternal metabolic health.
Calvi Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating how aging and radiation reshape the bone marrow microenvironment to influence hematopoietic function and clonal evolution.
Lawrence Lab
Research Interest:
I am interested in studying the effects of PFAS exposure during early life development and its effects on the adaptive immune system. My work is currently focused on how PFAS alter T cell responses to different immune challenges later in life.
Elder Lab
Research Interest:
My research investigates how airborne ultra-fine particulate matter from simulated burn-pits impacts the lung-brain axis and neurodegenerative pathology. My work currently focuses on inflammatory pathways and metal tissue burdens after exposures, as well as the combined stressor of circadian disruption.
Elder Lab
Research Interest:
My research examines how exposure to airborne ultrafine particulate matter influences inflammation along the lung-brain axis and neurodegenerative disease progression. Using a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, I aim to investigate the mechanisms linking inhaled environmental pollutants to blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline. My work combines inhalation toxicology, molecular analyses, and behavioral assessments to better understand environmental contributors to neurodegenerative disease risk.
Sobolewski Lab
Medical Scientist Training Program (M.D., Ph.D.)
Research Interest:
The role of inhaled iron in neurodegenerative disease processes
Onukwufor Lab
Research Interest:
My research explores the effects of heavy metal mixtures on mitochondrial function and epigenetic modulation.
Robert Lab
Research Interest:
My research involves assessing the effects of environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) on intestinal homeostasis and immunity during early development. I am particularly interested in understanding the association between MNPs and the development of allergic and inflammatory diseases.
Benjamin Miller Lab
Research Interest:
Observing the effects of poly/perfluoroalkyl substances and other environmentally ubiquitous toxicants on the human blood-brain barrier, especially concerning chronic neuroinflammation and barrier disruption, using organ-on-a-chip systems.
Rowe Lab
Research Interest:
The relationship between chemosensory neurons and subsets of myeloid cells in the main olfactory epithelium.
Feng Earley Lab
Research Interest:
My research aims to explore how pregnancy and maternal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals remodel serotonin sensitive neural circuits that control energy balance and blood glucose regulation. Understanding these neural circuitry adaptations may reveal new targets for preventing gestational and/or postpartum metabolic complications
Anolik Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the role of B cells in autoimmune disease
Georas Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the effects of Diacetyl on the lung epithelial barrier and factors that modulate those effects.
O'Connor Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating the immune modulatory effects of environmental exposures.
Sarkar Lab
Research Interest:
I investigate how exposure to environmental toxicants can increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. My thesis project is to develop an environmentally relevant mouse model of paraquat inhalation, a commonly used herbicide in the United States linked to Parkinson's disease in humans. My research suggests that paraquat inhalation in mice, simulating occupational exposure in farms, leads to a loss of dopamine-producing neurons, a hallmark of PD.
McGraw Lab
Research Interest:
Studying airway epithelial basal cells during a dysregulated repair response after a toxic inhalation injury, and how they contribute to the development of Bronchiolitis Obliterans pathology
Lawrence Lab
Research Interest:
Studying the mechanism of how exposures to perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) alters immune system development and responses to viral infection.
Onukwufor Lab
Research Interest:
Iron toxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction in the context of aging and Alzheimer's Disease
Pain and Perceptions Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating ketamine-assisted psychotherapy as a treatment for chronic pain and treatment resistant depression. Primary methods used are fMRI, biological measures, and self-assessments. Also interested in looking at the interaction of these conditions with environmental toxicants.
Astapova Lab
Research Interest:
Investigating ovarian insulin signaling and the role of dietary glycotoxins in polycystic ovary syndrome
First Year
Research Interest:
Relationship between chronic pain and psychopathology in individuals with ASD and ADHD
