Faculty

Research Emphases

Camps Lab

Flegal Lab

Ottemann Lab

Saltikov Lab

Smith Lab

Yildiz Lab

PostDoctoral Researchers

SMITH LAB

Don Smith
490 Physical Sciences Building
Phone: (831)459-4571
For Roberto call: (831) 459-3347

Lab Members
Recent Publications

Research Focus
Our research seeks to understand the mechanistic basis and functional outcomes of metal toxicity. Our recent efforts have centered around the effects of manganese and other redox active metals as neurotoxic agents and contributors to neurologic disease, while much of our past work has focused on the toxic metal lead. Our research is both integrative and interdisciplinary. We use an array of analytical, biochemical, and molecular techniques to investigate basic mechanisms of action at the biochemical/molecular level, and the functional outcomes at the organ and whole organism level.

Examples of current research topics in our lab include:

• The molecular targets, biochemical mechanisms, and functional outcomes of manganese neurotoxicity.
• Exposure pathways to lead; lead disposition within the body; the physiologic basis of individual susceptibility to lead uptake and retention.
• The efficacy of therapeutic treatments to alleviate metal toxicity.
• Wildlife toxicology.

LAB MEMBERS

Roberto Gwiazda Assistant Research Toxicologist BSc Geology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem Ph.D. Geochemistry, Columbia University, NY. Research Interest: Use of isotopic techniques to evaluate pathways of exposure and accumulation of metals in the environment and organisms. Lead toxicity. The role of transition metals in neurodegeneration.

Tom Jursa Graduate Student Researcher M.S. Organic Chemistry, Cornell University B.S. Chemistry, Rensselaer Poly. Inst.

Cynthia Kern Graduate Student Researcher B.A. Biology, University of California at Santa Cruz Research Interest: Exploring functional indicators of neurotoxicity, particularly neuromotor and behavioral measures used to detect and characterize neurotoxic effects of Manganese.

ALUMNI

Postdoctoral Scholar Alumni (past 4 years)
John Cremin, Ph.D. University of Illinois. Postdoctoral fellow, University of California, Berkeley, CA.

Catherine Kwik-Uribe, Ph.D. University of California, Davis, CA. Present address: Masterfoods USA, 800 High St., Hackettstown, NJ 07840

Myra Finkelstein, 2006 David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow, B.S., Zoology, University of California, Davis; PhD Ocean Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2003. Current address: Departments of Biology and Environmental Toxicology, and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz.

Michelle Braun-Sommargren, Ph.D. University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Current address: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.

Graduate Student Alumni (past 3 years)
Myra Finkelstein, 2006 David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow, B.S., Zoology, University of California, Davis; PhD Ocean Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2003. Current address: Departments of Biology and Environmental Toxicology, and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz.

Stephen Reaney, PhD. Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2003. Current address: The Parkinson’s Institute, 1170 Morse Ave., Sunnyvale, California 94089.

Josh Sheridan, M.S., Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2002. Current address: Jefferson Medical School, Philadelphia, PA.

Molly Church, M.S. Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2004. Present address: University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rosenthal Building, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Dan Crooks, B.A. Molecular and Cellular Biology, UCSC; M.S. Environmental Toxicology,University of California, Santa Cruz (2006). Current address: Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Development, Bethesda, MD 20892.

Undergraduate Student Researchers (past 3 years)
Nick Welch (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Dan Crooks (MCD Biology)
Alex Rosenthal (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Kara Hamilton (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Judy Brown (MCD Biology)
Benjamin Wilkins (MCD Biology)
Alex Draconis (MCD Biology)
Cindy Chavez (ACCESS)
Stefanie Hood (MCD Biology)
Charles Goodhue (MCD Biology)
Brian Carey (MCD Biology)
Vadim Keyfes (MCD Biology)
Tyra Thorstad (MCD Biology)
Chris Taicher (MCD Biology)
Aaron Rudin (MCD Biology)

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. Cremin, J., Luck, M., Laughlin, N., and Smith, D.R. 2000. Efficacy of succimer chelation for reducing brain lead in a primate model of human lead exposure. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 161:283-293.

2. Smith, D.R., Calacsan, C., Woolard, D., Luck, M., Cremin, J., and Laughlin, N. (2000). Succimer and the urinary excretion of essential elements in a primate model of childhood lead poisoning. Toxicol. Sci. 54:473-480.

3. Gwiazda, R.H., Lee, D., Sheridan, J., and Smith, D.R., 2000 The neurotoxic effects of manganese in a rat model of pre-parkinsonism. Toxicol. Sci. (Suppl), 54(1):85.

4. Smith, D.R., Woolard, D., Luck, M., and Laughlin, N. 2000. Succimer and the reduction of tissue lead in juvenile monkeys. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 166:230-240.

5. Gwiazda, R. and Smith, D.R. 2000. Lead Isotopes as a Supplementary Tool in the Routine Evaluation of Household Lead Hazards. Environ. Health Perspect. 108:1091-1097.

6. Witholt, R., Gwiazda, R., and Smith, D.R. 2000. The neurobehavioral effects of sub-chronic manganese exposure in the presence and absence of pre-Parkinsonism. Neurotoxicol. Teratol., 22:851-861.

7. Cremin, J., Luck, M., Laughlin, N., and Smith, D.R. 2001. Oral succimer decreases the gastrointestinal absorption of lead in juvenile monkeys. Environ. Health Perspect. 109:613-620.

8. Smith, D.,Hernandez-Avila, M., TÎllez-Rojo, M., Mercado, A.,, and Hu, H. 2001. The relationship between lead in plasma and whole blood in women. Environ. Health Perspect. 110(3):263-8.

9. Gwiazda, R.G., Lee, D., Sheridan, J., and Smith, D.R. 2002. Low cumulative manganese exposure affects striatal GABA but not dopamine. Neurotoxicology, 95:1-8.

10. Cremin, J., and Smith, D.R. 2002. In vitro versus in vivo Pb effects on brain protein kinase C activity. Env. Res. 90:191-199.

11. Reaney, S., Kwik-Uribe, C., and Smith, D. 2002. Manganese Oxidation State and Its Implications for Toxicity. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 15:1119-1126.

12. Finklestein, M., Gwiazda, R., and Smith, D. 2003. Lead poisoning of seabirds: Environmental risks from leaded paint at a decommissioned military base. Env. Sci. Tech. 37:3256-3260.

13. Finklestein, M., Grasman, K., Croll, D., Tershey, B., and Smith, D. 2003. Immune Function of Cryopreserved Avian Peripheral White Blood Cells: Potential Biomarkers of Contaminant Effects in Wild Birds. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 44:502-509.

14. Kwik-Uribe, C., Reaney, S., Zhu, Z., and Smith, D. 2003. Alterations in the Cellular Abundance of IRP-Dependent Proteins and the Size of the Labile Iron Pool as a Consequence of In Vitro Manganese Exposure in Undifferentiated PC12 Cells. Br. Res., 973:1-15.

15. Gwiazda, R., Squibb, K., McDiarmid, M., and Smith, D.R. 2004. Detection of depleted uranium DU) in urines of veterans from the 1991 Gulf War. Health Physics 86(1):12-8.

16. Juarez-Perez, C.A., Aguilar-Madrid, G., Smith, D.R., Lacasana-Navarro, M., Tellez-Rojo, M., Piacitteli, G., Hu, H., and Hernandez-Avila, M. 2004. Blood lead predictors among workers of a lithographic printery. (Submitted to Epidemiology).

17. Stangle, D, Strawderman, M., Smith, D., Kuypers, M., and Strupp, B. (2004). Reductions in blood lead overestimate reductions in brain lead after repeated succimer regimens in a rodent model of childhood lead exposure. Enviorn. Health Perspect. 112:302-308.

18. Gwiazda, R., Campbell, C., and Smith, D.R. (2005). A non-invasive approach to estimate the bone lead contribution to blood in children: Implications for assessing the efficacy of lead abatement. Environ. Health Perspect.113:104-110.

19. Reaney, S.H. and Smith, D.R. (2005). Manganese oxidation state mediates toxicity in PC12 cells. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. (in press).

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