Impacts of parental benzo[a]pyrene exposure on offspring’s bone development

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Biomedical research workforce diversity is critical for developing solutions for complex human health challenges. To address this issue, the recruitment, support, and mentorship of the M.S. thesis of a first- generation, Hispanic biomedical science student is one of the objectives of this research supplement to promote diversity in health-related research (following PA-21-071) in the framework of research conducted within the project “Impacts of parental benzo[a]pyrene exposure on offspring’s bone development” (1R15ES032936-01). The parent project aims to decipher the role of epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation, and microRNAs, in the development of parental benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) exposure-induced bone impairment. The present proposal will extend and complement this research by addressing histone modifications in larval and adult bone cells in a temporal and spatial manner. Using immunohistochemistry, the candidate will assess alterations for multiple histone acetylation and methylation markers resolving how parental BaP exposure is modulating the histone profile in the osteoblast cell lineage in the offspring. As a result, the student will obtain experience in an emerging area of biomedical sciences and toxicology research, shedding light on potential mechanisms through which ancestral BaP exposure elicits its effect on offspring bone health. This research will result in the identification of possible developmental markers for later life-stage osteoporosis risk. Moreover, a very passionate junior scientist from an underrepresented community will be equipped with state-of-the-art tools to pursue a career in biomedical sciences. Discriminating epigenetic marks and genes associated with cross-generational toxicology, the proposed research provides a platform for the development of prognostic/diagnostic tools to identify the risks of adverse effects of parental chemical exposure.