Description: The intestinal tract plays an important role in altering susceptibility to environmental chemicals. Gut microbiota can directly affect chemicals through xenobiotic metabolism, or indirectly by providing metabolites that can alter host metabolism and chemical susceptibility. Further, the intestinal tract is lined with a mucus layer that supports a barrier between gut microbiota and intestinal cells. This mucus layer can be altered due to chemical exposure but has also been shown to be disrupted in diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases. My research is investigating two potential mechanisms that could impact susceptibility to environmental chemicals using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. First, I will show how different microbiota affect mitochondrial function in C. elegans through changes in metabolite levels and metabolism. Then, I will present how changes in intestinal mucin may alter chemical uptake.
About the speaker: Christina is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program at Duke in Dr. Joel Meyer’s lab. After receiving a B.S. in Environmental Science, she worked as a technician in various labs, gaining experience in microbiology, analytical chemistry, and toxicology. She first joined Dr. Joel Meyer’s lab as a research technician investigating the impact of early-life exposures to mitochondrial toxicants and the impacts on their progeny. She continued in Dr. Meyer’s lab for her PhD and introduced a new research theme by investigating how differing microbiota impacts mitochondrial function and susceptibility to mitochondrial toxicants.
Thursday, April 17, 2025, 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 for the livestream.