William A. Toscano, Ph.D.

Ph.D., Biochemistry, The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Courses

PubH 6101, Survey of Environmental Health
PubH 8160, Advanced Toxicology: Toxicogenomics

Fall 2009
6101: Environmental Health

Fall 2009
8165: Current Topics in Toxicology

Spring 2010
6101: Environmental Health

Spring 2010
8165: Current Topics in Toxicology

Research Interests:

The overarching goal of my research has been to understand mechanisms by which human health is modulated via environmental agents interacting with human signal transduction systems, and how this information can be applied to population health to understand risk and intervention. I have focused on the actions of environmental agents on disruption of cellular signaling processes. We investigate the modulation of cellular signaling pathways by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, or Dioxin). Dioxin action is mediated by a specific intracellular receptor, called the Ah receptor. We have been studying the mechanism by which dioxins via the Ah receptor communicate with other intracellular receptors; particularly the retinoic acid- and the estrogen receptors in vitro using cultivated human keratinocytes and human endometrial cells. This research is important in understanding environmental endocrine disruption and human health. We are also studying the developmental actions of dioxins in vivo using zebrafish as a model system for environmental effects on development. Current interests are in the area of Systems Biology and how this emerging field can be applied to human health risk assessment.

Recent Publications:

Toscano, W. A., Oehlke, K. P., Kafoury, R. M., An Environmental Systems Biology Approach to the Study of Asthma, in Pawnkar, R., Holgate, S., and Rosenwasser, L. J. eds. Allergy Frontiers: Epigenetics to Future Perspectives, Springer (In Press).

Toscano, W. A., Lee, P., and Oehlke, K. P. [2008] The Role of Environmental Health Research in Understanding Chronic Diseases, Minnesota Medicine 21: 28-29.

Toscano, W. A., Mori, C. [2007], “Molecular tools for risk assessment’, in Robson, M. G., Toscano, W. A., eds, Risk Assessment for Environmental Health, Jossey-Bass, Inc., San Francisco, CA, pp. 155-172.

Robson, M. G., Toscano, W. A. eds, [2007] Risk Assessment for Environmental Health, Jossey-Bass, Inc., San Francisco, CA, 628 pp.

Kafoury, R. M., Hernandez, J. M., Lasky, J. A., Toscano, W. A., Jr., Friedman, M. [2007] Activation of TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR IL-6 (NF-IL-6) and Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) by Lipid Ozonation Products is Crucial to Interleukin-8 Gene Expression In Human Airway Epithelial Cells, Environ. Toxicol. (In Press)

Kandlikar, M., Ramachandran, G., Maynard, A. D., Murdock, B. and Toscano, W. A. [2007] Health risk assessment for nanoparticles: A case for using expert judgment J. Nanoparticle Res. 9: 137-156.

Lee, D. H., Lee, I. K,. Song K., Steffes, M., Baker, B., Toscano, W. A., and Jacobs , D. A. Jr [2006] A Strong Dose-Response Relation between Serum Concentrations of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Diabetes: Results from the National Health and Examination Survey 1999-2002 Diabetes Care 29: 1638 – 1644.

Toscano, W. A., Oehlke, K, [2005] Systems Biology: New Approaches to Old Environmental Health Problems. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2: 4-9.

Toscano, W., Hovey, C. Hulne, J. Strum, J. Thompson, E. [2004] Children Living in a Perilous Environment. Healthy Generations 4: 6-7.
Toscano, W. A., Oehlke, K, [2005] Systems Biology: New Approaches to Old Environmental Health Problems. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2: 4 - 9.

Toscano, W. A., Jr., Toscano, D. G., Toscano, J. S., Gross, M. K. [2003], Molecular Modeling of Manganese Regulation of Calmodulin-dependent Adenylyl Cyclase from Mammalian Sperm. BIOCHEM. BIOPHYS. RES. COMMUNIC. 312: 91-96

Coleman, K. P., Toscano, W. A., Jr., Wiese, T. E. [2003] QSAR Models of the in vitro Estrogen Activity of Bisphenol A. QUANT. STRUCT. ACTIVITY RELAT. 22: 78- 87.

McLachlan, J. A., Guillette, L. J., Iguchi, T. & Toscano, W. A., Jr. [2001] Environmental Hormones: The Scientific Basis of Endocrine Disruption. NY Academy of Sciences, NY, NY, 142 pp. Book.

Mattingly, C. J., and Toscano, W. A., Jr. [2001] Posttranscriptional Silencing of Cytochrome P4501A1 During Zebrafish (Danio rerio)Development. Devel. Dynam. 222: 645-654.

Mattingly, C. J., McLachlan, J. A., & Toscano, W. A., Jr. [2001] Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) as a Marker of Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) Function in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio). ENVIRON. HEALTH PROSPECT. 109:845-849

Professional Experience:

Professor of Molecular Toxicology, and Head
Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455

2000 - Present
Interim Head, Center for Environmental Health Policy
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

2003 - Present
Head, Global Health Initiative,
University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455

2003- Present
Professor of Molecular Toxicology,
Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455

1999 - Present
Professor and Chair,
Dept. of Environmental Health Sciences,
Tulane University Medical Center
School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112

1993 - 1999
Co-director Interdisciplinary Program for Molecular Cell Biology
Tulane University.
New Orleans, LA 70112


1994- 1999
Associate Professor of Toxicology,
Division of Environmental & Occupational Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455


1989 - 1993
Associate Professor of Toxicology,
Laboratory of Toxicology,
Harvard University
School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115


1986 - 1989

Assistant Professor of Toxicology,
Laboratory of Toxicology,
Harvard University
School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115

Contact

Mailing Address:
Division of Environmental Health Sciences
1260 Mayo Building MMC 807
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone (Work): (612) 624-2967

Email: tosca001@umn.edu