Drugs and Environmental Chemicals

Many environmental chemicals and certain drugs undergo metabolism to reactive, electrophilic chemical intermediates. Covalent modification of proteins has been recognized as a critical mechanism for inducing and chemical toxicity and adverse drug reactions. Nevertheless, the targets of damage are largely unknown. We are studying the reactions of toxic metabolites of drugs and environmental chemicals, as well as model compounds that display specific chemistries of interest. Identification of critical targets for damage and mechanisms by which protein damage leads to molecular and cellular changes is a major research goal of our laboratory.