ATSU Faculty Research

Plasticizers such as bisphenols and phthalates are ubiquitous environmental pollutants with well-known effects on developmental, reproductive and metabolic pathways. However, how they may affect other cellular processes, such as the inflammatory response, has received limited attention. Moreover, most studies have focused on individual plasticizers while ignoring the potential for additive or synergistic effects when individuals are exposed to multiple plasticizers in combination. Using primary cell culture and cell lines from various vertebrate species, including humans, we are studying how combinations of bisphenols and/or phthalates impact cell survival, as well as autophagic, inflammatory and ER stress pathways.