University of Cincinnati

Joe Caruso, Ph.D. Professor of Chemistry and Director, Metallomics Center - Caruso’s interest in trace element analysis to elemental speciation studies lead naturally into metallomics studies concerning As, Se, P and S. Studies involve plant phytoremediation of Se, metal profiling in clinical samples and ultra-trace level methods development for substances with phosphorous functionality, from warfare agents to phosphoproteins

email: joseph.caruso@uc.edu

Paul Bishop, Ph.D Professor of Environmental Engineering – In addition to his work on effects of metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, As) on biofilm function and degradation of PAHs and other organics, and on leaching of metals from waste materials, he is also involved in construction and manufacture of micro-sensors for the measurement of heavy metals in the environment. These metal sensors are on the scale of micron size and smaller and could be used to measure cellular metal content.
 

email: paul.bishop@uc.edu

Mike Baldwin, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Chemistry – Professor Baldwin’s background is in the area of bioinorganic chemistry/metals in biology, with an approach that has relied largely on a variety of physical methods including a number of spectroscopic techniques.
 

email: michael.baldwin@uc.edu

Bill Connick, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Chemistry - Professor Connick is studying in collaboration with Professor Iyer the development of new luminescent metal complexes that utilize sugar groups to target specific bioanalytes. These compounds are anticipated to have potential application in cell imaging, chemical sensing and photodynamic therapy. Center will be essential in characterization of the chemistry of the platinum compounds in a biological environment, including interactions with naturally occurring metals.
 

email: bill.connick@uc.edu

Bill Heineman, Ph.D. Distinguished Research Professor of Chemistry – Professor Heineman has a longstanding interest in developing sensors for the rapid detection of metals at low concentrations in environmental and biological samples. These sensors are based on electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques.
 

email: william.heineman@uc.edu

Suri Iyer, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Chemistry – Professor Iyer studies, synthetic carbohydrate chemistry, biosensors, glycosaminoglycan - protein interactions, and ontrast agents for targeted in vivo imaging. This last project has strong collaborative interactions with Professor Connick involving the characterization of the chemistry of the platinum compounds in a biological environment, including interactions with naturally occurring metals.
 

email: suri.iyer@uc.edu

Pat Limbach, Ph.D. Professor of Chemistry and Ohio Eminent Scholar – mass spectrometry, microfluidics and microfabricated devices, structural investigation of RNA, characterization of ribonucleoprotein complexes and single-cell proteomics. His interests in proteomics and mass spectrometry extend into metal proteomics.
 

email: limbacpa@email.uc.edu

Dan Nebert, Ph.D. Professor of Environmental Health - The Nebert and Dalton labs are studying the SLC39 family of divalent cation transporters. This lab has been the first to identify and characterize a Mn++/bicarbonate symporter (named ZIP8), located on the apical surface of numerous endothelial and epithelial cells of blood vessels, kidney, intestine, lung, hepatocytes, and various cells of the central nervous system. Cadmium and mercury divalent cations are able to hitchhike as rouge substrates, thereby moving in to cells where they cause damage.
 

email: dan.nebert@uc.edu

Alvaro Puga, Ph.D. Professor of Environmental Health - The Puga laboratory investigates the response of individuals or populations to toxic or carcinogenic environmental agents with the long-term objective of elucidating the molecular mechanisms that underlie this response. Many chemical compounds interfere with the control mechanisms that regulate gene expression causing the overexpression of some genes and the repression of others. The ultimate effect of this process is an alteration of the steady-state levels of the proteins encoded by the genes affected. In recent years, it has also become increasingly clear that this effect varies drastically as a result of genetic differences in the individuals affected. My interests are centered, on the one hand, on the molecular mechanisms of action of these toxic environmental agents, and on the other, on the analysis of genetic diversity in the response to these agents. The genes on which we focus this work are those that code for transcription factors involved in detoxification pathways. An integral part of these studies is the analyses of the cross-talk between signaling pathways affected by exposure to complex mixtures of environmental agents, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and carcinogenic metals and metalloids.
 

email: alvaro.puga@uc.edu

Jodi Shann, Ph.D. Professor of Biological Sciences – Currently her lab is heavily focused on the remediation of contaminated soil systems. This includes research on phytoremediation (plant-based), bioremediation (microbial-based), and the manner in which the soil environment effects these processes. The approach is analytical, correlating (lab and field) performance by the plants and microbes to the forms, levels, and bioavailability of environmental compounds. email: jodi.shann@uc.edu
Peter Stambrook, Ph.D. Professor of Molecular Sciences –
 

email: peter.stambrook@uc.edu

Makram Suidan, Ph.D. Distinguished Research Professor of Environmental Engineering –
Professor Suidan’s research requires strong interactions with the Metallomics Center for elemental characterization in several of his research interests that include fundamentals of the use of electrolytic reactors for the dechlorination of low levels of contaminants, development of the expanded-bed GAC anaerobic bioreactor for the treatment of hazardous wastes, development and modeling of biofilm reactors with emphasis on microbial competition, biomass shear loss and chemical speciation, physical, chemical and biological remediation of contaminated soils.
 

email: makram.suidan@uc.edu

Glenn Talaska, Ph.D. Professor of Environmental Health –
 

email: glenn.talaska@uc.edu

Theresa Reineke, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Chemistry –
 

email: theresa.reineke@uc.edu

Tim Dalton, Ph.D. Professor of Environmental Health –
 

email: tim.dalton@uc.edu