Ecotoxicology, Ecological Risk Assessment, Conservation Genomics, Environmental Stress Physiology, Cancer & Aging

Dr. Glaberman’s research utilizes concepts and tools from molecular and evolutionary biology to address emerging environmental issues. His work includes four focus areas:

Focus 1: developing next-generation approaches for environmental monitoring of chemical contaminants. Dr. Glaberman combines computational and cell-based approaches to predict environmental risk of pollutants such as endocrine disruptors in order to improve environmental assessment and reduce animal testing. Currently the lab is trying to pioneer a rapid effects-based toxicity monitoring program in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.

Focus 2: understanding why species respond differently to environmental stressors such as climate change and pollution. By examining variation among species across levels of biological organization – from genes to ecology – we can better predict which species will be vulnerable to environmental change. Current projects include using animal temperature-seeking behavior and biochemistry to predict responses to climate change in turtles, and studying the nexus between climate change, disease, and physiological stress in Galapagos marine iguanas.

Focus 3: applying genomics to the study of conservation biology. Next-generation genomic and transcriptomic tools can reveal critical information about the demographic history of a species and its ability to adapt to environmental change. Currently the lab is applying this approach to study the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle and other threatened and endangered reptiles.

Focus 4: using functional genomics to study the evolution of longevity, cancer, and aging in animals. We use a combination of comparative genomics, cell culture, and gene editing to discover genes that enable some animals to exhibit tremendous longevity and cancer resistance.