Professor, Department of Nutritional Science and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley
Associate Professor and Associate Toxicologist in the Agricultural Experiment Station
Office : 317 Morgan Hall
Tel : (510) 642-1834
Fax : (510) 642-0535
Email : vulpe(at)berkeley(dot)edu
NST Faculty Profile
Ph.D. 1994, Genetics, M.D. 1996, University of California, San Francisco
Disturbances of iron homeostasis can have significant clinical consequences. Iron deficiency is the world’s most prominent nutritional deficiency and anemia of chronic disease (ACD) from decreased intestinal iron absorption and impaired iron release from macrophages is common in hospitalized patients. The overall goal of this study is to help us understand the genetic basis of variation in iron metabolism between people. Inbred mice show significant variation in multiple traits including iron metabolism. We aim to identify loci underlying strain specific differences in iron metabolism through a combination of "in silico" SNP association and gene expression profiling.We will also assess candidate genes for a role in human iron metabolism through population based studies.
B.Sc. University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK (2006)
Ph.D. University of Manchester, UK (2011)
Data Analysis Specialist
Projects involved with: Toxicant Susceptibility, Ecotoxicogenomics
(Microarray Bioinformatics / Data Analysis / Statistical Programming / Biostatistics)
Applying statistical, computational and programming tools to evaluation and validation of algorithms for gene expression data analysis based on microarray experiments (mostly in metal toxicology and plant physiology).
Current research projects are: 1) Use of fish cell lines in ecotoxicology as an alternative to animal toxicity testing; 2) Using Ecotoxicogenomic approaches to produce a biological monitoring tool for regional water quality assessments using the Horneyhead turbot (Pleuronichthys verticals); and 3) Validation of genomic data with chemical exposure profiles from PAHs and pesticides using Daphnia magna.
B.S Biology (concentration in Cell Biology), 1993, Hood College, Frederick, MD
M.S Coastal Zone Studies, Natural Resource Law, and Ecotoxicology, 1997, University of West Florida, Pensacola,FL
Oak Ridge Fellowship, 2002-2008, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
Vanessa De La Rosa
I am a 5th year graduate student in Molecular Toxicology. I am interested in using a functional genomics approach in model systems such as yeast and the DT40 avian cell line to identify mechanisms of toxicity for various environmental contaminants (TCE, metals, etc). Other interests include mechanisms of DNA damage, water quality and environmental policy.
IMSD Graduate Fellow
B.S Chemistry, 2008, University of Texas at El Paso
I'm a first year graduate student in Molecular toxicology. My projects involve using yeast models and other assays to assess the toxicity of compounds for use in green chemistry initiatives. Other interests include rapid toxicity assessment technologies, environmental risk assessment, and teaching.
B.S. Biology, B.A. English, 2011, University of Michigan
M.P.H. Environmental Health Sciences (Concentration in Toxicology), 2013, University of Michigan
I'm a first year graduate student in Comparative Biochemistry. My research focuses on understanding the underlying mechanisms of cellular iron release, especially in monocytes and macrophages. I'm further interested in studying differences in iron metabolism among the different macrophage populations. My projects also involve using cellular assays to study iron metabolism in different mouse tissues.
B.S Biochemistry, 2008, Lebanese University
M.S Biotechnology, 2013, American University of Science and Tecchnology, Lebanon
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Sara AghaeeLauren He
Carrie (San Heen) Park