Recent Graduates
The Graduate Program in Environmental Health Sciences has awarded more than 150 MS and 200 Ph.D. degrees since 1958. Listed below are the names of our Ph.D. graduates since 2001, their research area of study, titles of their dissertations and the names of their research mentors.
Ph.D. Graduates
May 2010
Patricia Gillespie - Exposure Assessment and Health Effects
Research Mentor: Lung Chi Chen, Ph.D.
The Long-Term Central Nervous System Effects of Inhaled Nickel Nydroxide Nanoparticles in Mice
Hiroko Watanabe Meserve - Epidemiology
Research Mentors: AnneZeleniuch-Jacquotte, M.D. and Karen Koenig, Ph.D.
Osteoprotegerin, and the Risk of Low Trauma Hip Fracturein Postmenopausal Women
Elizabeth Vancza - Toxicology
Research Mentor: Terry Gordon, Ph.D.
A Genetic Basis for the Variable Sensitivity of Neonatal Mice to Ozone Inhalation
Xue Zhou - Molecular Toxicology/Carciogenesis
Research Mentor: Max Costa, Ph.D.
Alteration of Histone H3 Lysine 4 Trimethylation by Hypoxia, Nickel and Arsenic
2009
Jennifer D. Brooks - Epidemiology
Research Mentor: Anne Zeleniuch-Jacquotte,M.D.
Serum Epigenetic Markers for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer
Kathryn Hertzmark - Epidemiology
Research Mentor: Anne Zeleniuch-Jacquotte,M.D.
The Relationship Between Androgens, the Menstrual Cycle, and Risk of Endometrial Cancer in Premenopausal Women
Shao-I Hsu - Occupational/Environmental Hygiene
Research Mentors: Morton Lippmann, Ph.D. and Kazuhiko Ito, Ph.D.
Characterization of Exposures to Urban Particulate Matter (PM) and its components in COPD Patients in New York City and Seattle
Lauren Tarantino Hutchison - Toxicology
Research Mentor: Terry Gordon, Ph.D.
Beryllium-Induced Sensitization and Granulomatous Lung Disease in Murine Models
Gi Soo Kang - Systemic Toxicology
Research Mentor: Lung Chi Chen, Ph.D.
Long-Term Effects of Inhaled Nickel Hydroxide Nanoparticles on the Progression of Atherosclerosis
Qin Li - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Max Costa, Ph.D.
Regulation of c-Myc Expression by Ni Ions and Hypoxia
Alice Ng- Systemic Toxicology
Research Mentor: Judith Zelikoff, Ph.D.
Prenatal Exposure to Cigarette Smoke Suppressed T-Lymphocyte-Mediated Anti-Tumor Immune Mechanisms During Tumor Development
Chunli Quan - Systemic Toxicology
Research Mentor: Lung Chi Chen, Ph.D.
Comparative Effects of Diesel Exhaust and Ambient Particles on Cardiovascular System
Stephen Schayer - Exposure Assessment and Health Effects
Research Mentor: Beverly Cohen, Ph.D.
Po as Tracers of Cigarette Smoke Exposure
Ariel Spira-Cohen - Exposure Assessment and Health Effects
Research Mentor: George Thurston, Sc.D.
The Role of Traffic-Related Pollution in PM-Health Effects Associations Among Inner City Children with Asthma
Xiaoxing Wang - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Wei Dai, Ph.D.
Mechanisms Controlling Chromosome Stability During Cell Division
2008
Audrey King Batoon - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Catherine Klein, Ph.D.
Mechanisms Underlying Prevention of Genomic Instability in Breast Tumor Cells by Genistein and Lycopene
Yian Gu - Epidemiology
Research Mentors: Anne Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, M.D., Roy Shore, Ph.D.,and Alan Arslan, M.D.
Circulating Cytokines and Risk of B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Ramona Lall - Exposure Assessment and Health Effects
Research Mentor: George Thurston, Sc.D.
A Source Apportionment and Time-Series Health Analysis of Fine Particle Air Pollution in New York City
Michael Szarek - Biostatistics
Research Mentor: Judith Goldberg, Sc.D.
Estimation of the Distribution of Time to First Event in a Composite Endpoint from Interval Censored Observations with Incomplete Non-fatal Event Status
Katherine Vega - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Maarten Bosland, Ph.D., D.V.Sc.
Exploring the Mechanisms through which Estradiol Enhances Testosterone-Induced Prostrate Carcinogenesis in the Noble Rat Fatal Event Status
Heather Watson - Biostatistics
Research Mentor: Judith Goldberg, Sc.D.
Spatial Statistical Methods Applied to Breast Cancer Incidence Data in New York State
2007
Jessica E. Duffy-Whritenour - Toxicology
Research Mentor: Judith Zelikoff, Ph.D.
The Impact of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) on Neuroimmune Interactions in Fish: An Indirect Mechanism of PCB-Induced Immunotoxicity
Qingdong (Karin) Ke - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Max Costa, Ph.D.
Alteration of Histone Modifications by Nickel Compounds: Epigenetic Mechanisms
Vandana Mukhi - Biostatistics
Research Mentors: Yongzhao Shao, Ph.D. and Judith Goldberg, Sc.D.
Statistical Issues in Design of Clinical Trials
Ping Zhang - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Max Costa, Ph.D.
Molecular Mechanisms of Environmental Stresses Induced NDRG1 (CAP43) Expression: Characterization of EGR-1 Mediated Transcription Activation and a Post-Transcription Mechanism
2006
Haobin Chen - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Max Costa, Ph.D.
The Disturbance of Cellular Iron Regulation by Soluble Nickel Exposure, its Mechanisms and its Implications
Todd Davidson - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Max Costa, Ph.D.
Effects of Soluble Nickel on Iron Homeostasis: Possible Role in Nickel-Mediated Carcinogenesis
2005
Zachary Berger - Epidemiology
Research Mentor: George Friedman-Jimenez, M.D.
Workplace Exacerbation of Asthma Symptoms in an Urban Hospital Population
Jonathan Eckard - Toxicology
Research Mentors: Krystyna Frenkel, Ph.D. and Xi Huang, Ph.D.
Role of Iron and Iron Metabolism in Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF)-Mediated Events
Jing Han - Biostatistics
Research Mentors: Judith Goldberg, Sc.D. and Yongzhao Shao, Ph.D.
Family-based Linkage Analysis Allowing for Missing Parental Information
Chun Yi Wu - Toxicology
Research Mentor: Lung Chi Chen, Ph.D.Receptor Modeling of Volatile Organic Air Toxics in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Area
2004
Danielle Sheng - Biostatistics
Research Mentors: Mimi Kim, Ph.D. and Judith Goldberg, Ph.D.
Statistical Issues in Equivalence and Non-Inferiority Trials
Claudio Sorrentino - Toxicology/Aquatic
Research Mentor: Isaac Wirgin, Ph.D.
Impact of Exposure to Metals on Gene Expression Induced by Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Its Ecotoxicological Implications
Rita Yusuf - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: KrystynaFrenkel, Ph.D.
Oxidative and Estrogen Receptor-Mediated Events in the Transformation of Human Breast Epithelial Cells MCF-10A
2003
Shuaili Chen - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Fredric Burns, Ph.D.
Retinoid Action on Gene Expression Induced by Low-LET Irradiation of Rat Skin
Samantha DeLeon - Exposure Assessment and Health Effects
Research Mentor: Kazuhiko Ito, Ph.D.
The Role of Respiratory Disease as a Contributing Cause of Short-Term Non-Respiratory Mortality Associations with Ambient Particle Mass
Zhanpeng Yuan - Toxicology/Aquatic
Research Mentor: Isaac Wirgin, Ph.D.
Resistance of CYP1A1 mRNA Induction to Halogenated Aryl Hydrocarbons in Atlantic Tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) from the Hudson River - Its Prevalence and Mechanistic Basis
2002
Hakan Cangul - Molecular Toxicology/Carcinogenesis
Research Mentor: Max Costa, Ph.D.
Cap43: A New Cancer Marker Protein Related to Tumor Hypoxia
Erik Carlson - Toxicology/Aquatic
Research Mentor: Judith Zelikoff, Ph.D.
Benzo[a]pyrene-Induced Immune Alteration in the Japanese Medaka Oryziaslatipes: Probing the Underlying Cellular Mechanisms
Scott Wesselkamper - Toxicology
Research Mentor: Terry Gordon, Ph.D.
Generation of a Mouse Model and Genetic Analyses of Potential Molecular Mechanisms in the Development of Pulmonary Tolerance
2001
Yair Hazi - Exposure Assessment and Health Effects
Research Mentor: Beverly Cohen, Ph.D.
Measurements of Acidic Sulfates and Trace Metals in Fine and Ultrafine Ambient Particulate Matter: Size Distribution, Number Concentration and Source Region
Joshua E. Muscat - Epidemiology
Research Mentor: Roy Shore, Ph.D., Dr.P.H.
Handheld Mobile Phone Use and the Risk of Primary Brain Cancer
Janeen R. Azare - Toxicology
Research Mentors: Max Costa, Ph.D. and Eliezer Flescher, Ph.D.
Apoptosis of T Lymphoma Cells by P-glycoprotein Inhibitors
J. A. Formisano, Jr. - Exposure Assessment and Health Effect
Research Mentor: Morton Lippmann, Ph.D.
Analyses of the U.S. Navy's Occupational Exposure Database (NOED)
