NEUROBIOLOGICAL/CARCINOGENETIC EFFECTS OF ELECTROPOLLUTION & HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS

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The primary objectives of this project will be provide motivation and training in human health effects of electropollution (electric and magnetic fields radiations) and carcinogenic substances using molecular genetics approaches to one undergraduate and two graduate students through different ongoing biomedical projects of Dr. S.K. Dutta. Graduate students, currently working in the MBRS project will continue their studies for 2 to 4 years. Undergraduate students will be expected to continue their studies for 15 to 24 months. Students will be trained in library studies, in collection and analysis of data for presentations of papers in meetings and for publications. The involvement of students in the three currently funded ongoing projects will be in the areas of: (i) Pathogenesis of neuron specific enolase (NSE), which is involved in the glycolytic pathway of neuron cells induced by electropollution. The possible alterations of expression of cloned NSE genes and of chick embryo retina cells by electropollution will also be studied. One graduate student will do thesis work in this project. (ii) The second area relates to construction of DNA probes, containing catabolic genes capable to biodegrade toxic organic chemicals in the environment, for rapid screening of vast numbers of known and unknown soil microorganisms as well as soil DNAs from contaminated sites. One undergraduate student will be involved in these screening studies using DNA probes followed by analytical studies for the expression of genes for biodegradation. (iii) Another funded project (United Nation's Developmental Fund) is in the area of developing DNA diagnostic tools as biomarkers for early detection of haemoglobin pathogenesis and cancer incidence. One graduate student will do thesis work in these studies of detecting B-thalassemic mutations in patients using nonradioactive DNA labeling and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology. Two MBRS graduate students are expected to write M.S. and/or Ph.D. theses on their ongoing research areas.