Matteo Minghetti, Assistant Professor
Post-docs
William Dudefoi
My research interests focus on nano-toxicology and nano-ecotoxicology. I studied Biology and received my Master’s in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Toulon (France), and graduated with a Ph.D. in 2017 from the French National Institute for Agronomical Research. My Ph.D. research focused on titanium dioxide nanoparticles in food, including physicochemical characterization, fate in digestive fluids and toxicity to the human gut microbiota. I then joined Dr. Minghetti’s lab in September 2018 as a postdoctoral researcher, to continue developing my research in nano-ecotoxicology. Here, the aim of my research is to track the chemical transformations of silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles occurring during their uptake by the intestinal cells, as well as to identify their effects on the homeostasis of essential trace elements.
Graduate Students
Md Ibrahim, PhD student
My research focuses on understanding the effects of water chemistry on the toxicity, uptake, and bioavailability of essential and non-essential metals. Currently, I am working on how salinity affects the toxicity, uptake, and bioavailability of Ag and Cu in fish. I also study the transport mechanisms of ionic and metal complexes at the cellular level. To answer these questions, I use both in-vitro (Rainbow trout gut cell line, RTgutGC) and in-vivo (Bluegill fish) models. I measure cell viability using different dyes to determine the toxicity, and metallothionein and other gene expressions as indicators of bioavailability. I use ICP-MS to measure the metal uptake by cells and other tissues.
Justin Scott, PhD student
My research interests are in the development of new methods for aquatic toxicity testing utilizing in-vitro alternatives to live fish assays. Facilities that discharge wastewater into native bodies of water are required to perform biomonitoring tests to determine toxicity and bioavailability of potential pollutants. By establishing a model fish gill cell system through cultured fish cells, cytotoxicity assays can be used to further measure negative impacts to aquatic environments. Importantly, this model gives way to better understanding the mechanistic actions of these toxicants, as well as reducing the number of live specimens used annually for aquatic toxicity testing.
Debarati Chanda, MS student
My research interest focuses on the toxic effects of environmental contaminants like silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and silver ions on selenium uptake and selenoprotein synthesis using an in-vitro model of the fish intestinal epithelium, the RTgutGC cell line. Selenium is an important co-factor required for synthesis of selenoproteins such as Glutathione peroxidase and Thioredoxin reductase that plays an important role in reducing oxidative damage to cells. It is therefore required in low quantity by all cells to maintain homeostasis under conditions of dietary selenium deficiency and to prevent cellular dysfunction. Recent studies have shown inhibition of selenoproteins by silver. However, the inhibitory mechanism of silver on selenium transport pathways and consequently on selenoprotein synthesis is poorly understood. My project will focus on identifying selenoproteins interactions with silver ions and AgNP in order to understand the mechanism of inhibition of selenoproteins by silver.
Dean Oldham, MS student
In my research, I study the effects of metal speciation on cell toxicity. I use chemical equilibrium models to study metal speciation in the exposure medium and design medium that will promote one dominant chemical species (e.g. free ions, neutral complex, negatively charged complex, etc.). By promoting a dominant metal species in the
.exposure media, I try to correlate certain metal species to their bioavailability and toxicity
Undergraduate Students
Josh Anadu
My research focuses on the dynamic processes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) cycling in stressed cells. I work with cells stressed by axozystrobin, paraquat, silver, and cadmium. In particular, my work involves the quantification and visualization of ROS in rainbow trout liver and gut cells. To understand these processes I work with cytotoxicity assays that involve chemical-induced fluorescence.