Kleiman Lab

The laboratory performs serological and immunological assays and combines the results with epigenetic and other analyses including MeDIP and RNA-Sequencing. The laboratory also utilizes a wide variety of benchtop and cell culture studies, experimental and ecological animal models, and accidental or occupational human exposure scenarios.

Specific research interests include better diagnosis and predictive models for COVID-19 infection and subsequent adverse responses, potential heavy/toxic metal toxicity arising from various environmental exposures, experimental animal models to analyze bioaccumulation of heavy/toxic metals and/or genetic components of radiosensitivity, and human ocular health risks related to occupational or accidental exposures to ionizing or UV radiation. The laboratory’s expertise includes assessment of specific biomarkers for heavy metal or radiation toxicity, biochemical and molecular analysis of organs and tissue damage in experimental animal studies, and molecular/biochemical measures of DNA damaging events and their repair processes. Published research from our laboratory has helped inform and guide changes in recommended human exposure guidelines. 

Overall, these studies provide an opportunity to study how environmental stresses result in pathology, genotoxicity, DNA damage, misrepair, mutagenesis, and aberrant behavioral and/or physiological outcomes and guide the design of appropriate predictive biomarkers for diagnostic and therapeutic use. The lab’s investigations have played an important role in formulating appropriate risk policies and exposure guidelines, as well as important therapeutic implications for sensitive/resistant individuals, and are important in designing appropriate biodosimetric approaches to estimate exposure.