Environmental Toxicology

Postdoctoral researcher Tamy Buonasera (right) and Glendon Parker, adjunct associate rofessor in Environmental Toxicology and forensic science at UC Davis examine a tooth sample. Parker’s laboratory can identify individuals based on tiny amounts of protein from hair, teeth and fingermarks. The techniques could be used in anthropology and forensic science. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)

Forensic Proteomics, a New Tool for Crime Labs and Anthropology

Posted by Andy Fell on September 09, 2019

DNA evidence has revolutionized forensic science in the past few years, cracking open cold cases and bringing both convictions and exonerations. The same techniques help archaeologists and anthropologists studying remains from ancient peoples or human ancestors. 

But DNA is a relatively fragile molecule that breaks down easily. That’s where proteomics, the new science of analyzing proteins, comes in. By reading the sequence of amino acids from fragments of protein, scientists can work backwards to infer the sequence of DNA that produced the protein. 

Environment
Atlantic killifish contributed key adaptive genetic variation to the Gulf killifish, which amounted to an evolutionary rescue from toxic pollutants. (Andrew Whitehead/UC Davis)

An Evolutionary Rescue in Polluted Waters

Posted by Kat Kerlin on May 02, 2019

How Genetics, Resources and a Long-Distant Relative Helped One Lucky Fish Species Adapt to Extreme Pollution

The combination of a big population, good genes and luck helps explain how a species of fish in Texas’ Houston Ship Channel was able to adapt to what normally would be lethal levels of toxins for most other species, according to a study to be published May 3 in the journal Science. 

Human & Animal Health
Student looking through microscope

Environmental Toxicology

Environmental Toxicology is the study of how chemicals move within the environment and affect biological systems. The program at UC Davis is unique by studying living harmful agents as well as chemical agents.

Ronald Tjeerdema

Accolades

Posted by John Stumbos on May 17, 2017

Ron Tjeerdema named to NAS committee on dispersants for oil spills

Ronald Tjeerdema, CA&ES Associate Dean for Environmental Sciences, has been named to a select committee for the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that will evaluate the use of dispersants in future oil spills.

 “I am looking forward to contributing my 30 years of experience in oil spill research,” said Tjeerdema, who is a professor in the Department of Environmental Toxicology and also holds the Donald G. Crosby Endowed Chair in Environmental Chemistry.

University News
Atlantic killifish like this one have adapted to highly toxic levels of pollution. Credit: Andrew Whitehead/UC Davis

Against the Tide

Posted by Kat Kerlin on December 08, 2016

What can we learn from a fish that adapts quickly to lethal levels of pollution?

Evolution is working hard to rescue some urban fish from a lethal, human-altered environment, according to a study led by the University of California, Davis, and published Dec. 9 in the journal Science.

Environment
Qi Zhang (right) operates an aerosol mass spectrometer with Ph.D. student Shan Zhou (left) and project scientist Sonya Collier (center) during 2014 field study in Nanjing, China.

Clearing the Air

Posted by John Stumbos on October 20, 2016

UC Davis has a large concentration of air quality experts, including these CA&ES scientists

Qi Zhang
"The atmosphere is like a big reactor that's always cooking stuff," says Qi Zhang, a professor in the Department of Environmental Toxicology.

Zhang and colleagues study the chemistry and physical properties of aerosols—atmospheric particulate matter and aerial droplets—that cause poor air quality and affect human health. Her research has taken her all over the world to analyze air samples with sophisticated equipment.

Environment
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