Office: 1165 Mayo Building Telephone: 612-624-2967 (office) 612-626-1970 (laboratory) tosca001@tc.umn.edu   Ph.D., Biochemistry, The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Research Interests

Our toxicology laboratory focuses on environmental signals and sensors (transanology). Our goal is to develop a detailed understanding of the actions of chemicals in the environment that disrupt cellular signal and information systems, and the impact on human health. We study receptor-mediated toxicity, with particular interest in the mechanism of dioxin action. Recent work has focused on interactions of the dioxin receptor and intracellular receptors that modulate growth, differentiation, and development. We have recently initiated studies on transgenic in situ sensors of dioxins in the environment. Another new research theme is the study Ah receptor action on zebrafish development.

Administration

EnHS Division Head

Selected Publications

Lorick, K., Toscano, D. L., & Toscano, W. A., Jr. (1998) 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Modulates Retinoic Acid Receptor Binding in Human Keratinocytes BIOCHEM. BIOPHYS. RES. COMMUN. 243: 749-752.

Ricci, M. S., Toscano, D. G., & Toscano, W. A., Jr. (1999) ECC-1 Human Endometrial Cells as a Model System to Study Dioxin Disruption of Steroid Hormone Function. IN VITRO CELL. DEV. BIOL. 35: 183-189.

Ricci, M. S., Toscano, D. G., Mattingly, C. J., & Toscano, W. A., Jr. (1999) Estrogen receptor reduces CYP1A1 Induction in Cultured Human Endometrial Cells. J. BIOL. CHEM. 279: 3430-3438.

Mattingly, C. J. , McLachlan J. A, Toscano, W.A., Jr. (2001). Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) as a Marker of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) Function in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Environ. Health Perspect
109:845-849.

Mattingly CJ, Toscano WA, Jr. (2001) Posttranscriptional Silencing of Cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) During Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Development. Dev. Dynam.: 222: 645-654.

McLachlan J.A., Guillette L.J., Iguchi T., Toscano, W.A., eds. (2001) Environmental Hormones - The Scienctific Basis of Endocrine Disruption, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Volume 948, The New York Academy of Science, New York, NY.

Coleman, K. P., Toscano, W. A., Jr., Wiese, T. E. [2003] QSAR Models of the in vitro Estrogen Activity of Bisphenol A. Quant. Struct. Activity Relat. 22: 78- 87.

Toscano, W. A., Jr., Toscano, D. G., Toscano, J. S., Gross, M. K. [2003], Molecular Modeling of Manganese Regulation of Calmodulin-dependent Adenylyl Cyclase from Mammalian Sperm. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Communic. 312: 91-96