Joshua Harrill, PhD
Cellular and Molecular Toxicologist
Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
He/him/his
Description: The Blueprint for Computational Toxicology at the US EPA proposes the use of high-throughput profiling assays in human-derived in vitro models as the first tier in chemical hazard evaluation. To date, two assays have been identified for use in this first tier of testing: high-throughput transcriptomics (HTTr) with the TempO-Seq assay which evaluates changes in gene expression in response to chemicals and high-throughput phenotypic profiling (HTPP) with the Cell Painting assay which evaluates changes in cell morphology in response to chemicals. Both of these assays can be deployed across many different human-derived in vitro models in order to evaluate different aspects of human biology, provide high content data that can be used to identify benchmark concentrations for biological activity, group chemicals with similar bioactivity profiles and inform putative mechanism-of-action predictions. This presentation will discuss each of these concepts and potential applications of HTTr and HTPP in next generation chemical risk assessment.
About the speaker: Dr. Harrill works as a cellular and molecular toxicologist with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE). Dr. Harrill’s expertise is in vitro toxicology, specifically the application of transcriptomics, high content imaging (HCI) and other complementary technologies for high-throughput chemical hazard screening, characterization and risk assessment. Dr. Harrill is currently a lead investigator for CCTE’s high-throughput transcriptomics and high-throughput phenotypic profiling hazard screening programs that focus on the use of broad-based high-content profiling assays for bioactivity screening of environmental chemicals in human- and animal-derived in vitro test systems. Dr. Harrill received his B.S. in Biochemistry from North Carolina State University and a Ph.D. in Toxicology for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Harrill’s graduate and postdoctoral training focused on the application of transcriptomic technologies for evaluating mechanisms of pesticide neurotoxicity and development of HCI-based high-/medium-throughput methods for in vitro developmental neurotoxicity screening. Dr. Harrill then served as a principal investigator at a non-profit research institute researching the role of ligand-activated nuclear receptors in tissue development and liver carcinogenesis using transcriptomic technologies as well as developing novel in vitro models for assessing chemical effects on hepatic stem/progenitor cells. Dr. Harrill also has experience from the private sector in conducting human health risk assessments using USEPA and state-level guidance as well as devising and managing rapid-phase environmental sampling, analysis and data interpretation programs during events involving the release of potentially hazardous chemicals.
Thursday, February 8, 2024, 12:00-1:15pm Eastern
Field Auditorium, Room 1112, Grainger Hall (9 Circuit Drive, Durham, NC)
This seminar will also be presented live via Panopto. Click HERE to join the livestream.