Environmental Toxicology

Adjunct Associate Professor Glendon Parker with postdoctoral researchers Noreen Karim (left) and Tammy Buonasera (right) examine samples in the lab in September 2019. Parker’s lab developed a new method based on tooth enamel protein used to estimate the biological sex of 55 skeletons recovered from ancestral Ohlone villages in the Bay Area. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)

Archaeologists Use Tooth Enamel Protein to Show Sex of Human Remains

Posted by Andy Fell on July 17, 2020
New Method Used in Bay Area Excavation

A new method for estimating the biological sex of human remains based on reading protein sequences rather than DNA has been used to study an archaeological site in Northern California. The protein-based technique gave superior results to DNA analysis in studying 55 sets of human remains between 300 and 2,300 years old. The work is published July 17 in Scientific Reports.

Science & Technology
(Getty)

DDT Linked to Higher Risk of Diabetes Among Asian Indian Immigrants to U.S.

Posted by Kat Kerlin on November 20, 2019
Prior Exposure to Pollutant May Explain Higher Rate of Diabetes Among Indian Immigrants

Previous exposure to the pollutant DDT may contribute to the risk of diabetes among Asian Indian immigrants to the United States, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

Human & Animal Health
UC Davis Plant Sciences Professor, Jorge Dubcovsky is among 16 current UC Davis faculty named as among the top 1 percent in their fields for citations of scientific papers. Dubcovsky is a leading expert on wheat genetics. (UC Davis photo)

UC Davis Researchers Are Highly Cited

Posted by Andy Fell on November 19, 2019

Sixteen UC Davis researchers have been named in the annual Highly Cited Researchers 2019 list released by the Web of Science Group, which compiles statistics on scientific publishing. The list identifies scientists and social scientists who have published multiple papers ranking in the top 1 percent by citations in a particular field and year, over a 10-year period. 

Citation counts represent how often a particular paper has been cited in other scientific publications. 

UC Davis researchers included in this year’s list are:

University News
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
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