Effects of environmental toxicant exposure on IEC homeostasis

Environmental exposure to toxicants has become a growing concern due to its significant impact on human health. Among these toxicants, manufactured organic chemicals are particularly alarming due to their widespread environmental contamination, persistence, and bioaccumulation in the human body. These chemicals have been linked to adverse health outcomes, including cancers, metabolic disorders, immune dysregulation, and more.Despite these concerns, the molecular mechanisms by which environmental toxicants contribute to gut health issues, such as colitis, remain largely unexplored. This project aims to address this critical knowledge gap by utilizing a cell culture system in combination with advanced multidisciplinary techniques in molecular and cellular biology, including RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Through this approach, we will investigate how exposure to environmental toxicants impacts gut health and contributes to disease development.