Ian Lai
I joined the Human Toxicology Program at the University of Iowa in 2005.
Toxicology became my field of choice because of its application in various fields. Because toxicology requires knowledge and familiarity of multiple disciplines, I felt that graduate school was necessary to add to my background in biological sciences. The Human Toxicology program not only provides such an opportunity for me to interact and learn from experts within the field of toxicology itself, but also experts from various disciplines relevant to toxicology.
Research Description: I worked on part of Superfund Project 1, determining the effects that certain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can have on the expression and activity of xenobiotic-metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes in the rat liver, specifically cytochrome P450 (CYP) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). I also investigated the effects that PCB126, a potent PCB congener, has on the expression and activity of those enzymes in the extrahepatic organs of rats.
Advisor: Larry Robertson, Ph.D.
Year of Graduation: 2011
Program: Ph.D.
Current Position: Research Scientist
Current Employer/Institution: Vevo Therapeutics
Publications:
Lai I, Chai Y, Simmons D, Luthe G, Coleman MC, Spitz D, Haschek WM, Ludewig G, Robertson LW. 2009. Acute toxicity of 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) in male Sprague–Dawley rats: Effects on hepatic oxidative stress, glutathione and metals status. Environment International (Article in Press)
Lai IK, Chai Y, Simmons D, Watson WH, Tan R, Haschek WM, Wang K, Wang B, Ludewig G, Robertson LW. Dietary selenium as a modulator of PCB 126-induced hepatotoxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Toxicol Sci. 2011 Nov;124(1):202-14. Epub 2011 Aug 24. PubMedCentral PMCID: PMC3196656.
Lai IK, Dhakal K, Gadupudi GS, Li M, Ludewig G, Robertson LW, Olivier AK. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) diminishes the severity of PCB 126-induced fatty liver in male rodents. Toxicology. 2012 Dec 8;302(1):25-33. Epub 2012 Jul 21. PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3438370.
Shen H, Li M, Wang B, Lai IK, Robertson LW, Ludewig G. Dietary antioxidants (selenium and N-acetylcysteine) modulate paraoxonase 1 (PON1) in PCB 126-exposed rats. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2013 May 4. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 23644946.
