OccHealthSci Basic Research

Chronic or acute occupational and environmental stressors within the workplace can significantly influence the quality of human health. These include, but are not necessarily limited to exposures to radiation, carcinogenic compounds, neurodegenerative-causing agents, obesogenic conditions, and metabolic-, endocrine, and reproductive-disrupting environments. Additionally, disruption of circadian rhythms can manifest in a variety of diseases, comparable to those initiated by chemical and radiation challenges. Even under circumstances of common work place exposures, an individual’s susceptibility to manifesting adverse health consequences may be ameliorated or exacerbated by genetic and epigenetic differences within that person. Cumulatively, these can lead to sub-optimal health, decreased worker productivity, and potentially debilitating long-term disease. Thus, the overarching goals of the Institute’s basic research goals are to identify factors that can harm human health and prevent, minimize and treat disease by understanding how these factors work.

            Acknowledging the complexities of these challenges, the scope of the research conducted within the laboratories of the basic science faculty addresses many of these health-related issues. Our research spans circadian biology, genome instability and epigenetic regulatory pathways, and neurological disease. To gain a more in-depth understanding of the scope of research conducted by the Institute’s faculty, the following introduces the general subject area for each member, with links to expanded information.

Basic Research Faculty

Charles N. Allen, PhD,
Professor
Bio
Allen Lab
allenc@ohsu.edu

R. Stephen Lloyd, PhD,
Professor Assoc. Dirrector
Bio
Lloyd-McCullough Lab
lloydst@ohsu.edu

Matthew Butler, PhD,
Associate Professor
Bio
Butler Clock Physiology Lab
butlema@ohsu.edu

Amanda K. McCullough, PhD,
Professor
Bio
Lloyd-McCullough Lab
mcculloa@ohsu.edu

Doris E. Kretzschmar, PhD,
Professor
Bio
Kretzschmar Lab
kretzsch@ohsu.edu

Caren Weinhouse, PhD,
Assistant Professor
Bio
Lab (coming soon)
weinhous@ohsu.edu

Affiliated Faculty

Miranda Lim, MD, PhD,
Associate Professor of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University
VA Portland Health Care System

Bio
Miranda Lim Lab
lmir@ohsu.edu

Peter S. Spencer, PhD, FRCPath, FANA,
Professor of Neurology, OHSU School of Medicine

Bio
Spencer Lab
spencer@ohsu.edu