Environmental Toxicology Faculty

Marion Miller Professor Department of Environmental Toxicology 4121 Meyer Hall Phone: (530) 754-8982 Email: mgmillersears@ucdavis.edu

Research:

Overall, my research interests lie in the area of how chemical metabolism leads to formation of toxic metabolites. Specifically, I am investigating the role of metabolic activation mechanisms in testicular toxicity. As we learn more about the nature of metabolite(s) responsible for testicular toxicity, the chemical biological interactions which make the testis specifically vulnerable to the effects of toxicants are being investigated. Testicular toxicants which I am currently studying are the nitroaromatic compound, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, the fungicide benomyl and the rice herbicide molinate. Another of my research interests is the development of sperm biomarkers which signal damage to the male reproductive tract. We are using biomarkers which are biophysical (sperm motility and morphology), biochemical (sperm oxidative and sulfhydryl status) and more recently sperm membrane proteins. My areas of expertise are male reproductive toxicology, metabolism and pharmaco/toxicokinetics, liver and testis cell cultures, separation and quantitation techniques for metabolites and biomolecules.

Education:

• Medical University of South Carolina - Pharmacology - 1982 PhD
• Aberdeen University (Scotland) - Pharmacology - 1976 B.S.

Teaching:

• ETX 103B - Biological Effects of Toxicants: Experimental Approaches
• ETX 190/290 - Career Options in Environmental Toxicology
• ETX 250 - Reproductive Toxicology
• PTX 201 - Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology - Components of the course dealing with pharmaco/toxicokinetics and reactive metabolites

Professional Activities:

• Member of the Graduate Group in Pharmacology & Toxicology
• Associate Director of the Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program
• Regional Director of the IR4 Western Region Laboratory
• Member of the Center for Environmental Health Sciences

Recent Publications:

DuTeaux SB, Newman JW, Morisseau C, Fairbairn EA, Jelks K, Hammock BD, Miller MG. Epoxide Hydrolases in the Rat Epididymis: Possible Roles in Xenobiotic and Endogenous Fatty Acid Metabolism. Toxicol Sci. 2004 Jan 21

DuTeaux SB, Berger T, Hess RA, Sartini BL, Miller MG. Male Reproductive Toxicity of Trichloroethylene: Sperm Protein Oxidation and Decreased Fertilizing Ability. Biol Reprod. 2004 Jan 21

Gravance CG, Garner DL, Miller MG, Berger T. Flow cytometric assessment of changes in rat sperm mitochondrial function after treatment with pentachlorophenol. Toxicol In Vitro. 2003 Jun;17(3):253-7.

DuTeaux SB, Hengel MJ, DeGroot DE, Jelks KA, Miller MG. Evidence for trichloroethylene bioactivation and adduct formation in the rat epididymis and efferent ducts. Biol Reprod. 2003 Sep;69(3):771-9.

Correa LM, Nakai M, Strandgaard CS, Hess RA, Miller MG. Microtubules of the mouse testis exhibit differential sensitivity to the microtubule disruptors Carbendazim and colchicine. Toxicol Sci. 2002 Sep;69(1):175-82.

Jelks K., T. Berger, C. Horner, and M.G. Miller. 2001. Alpha-Chlorohydrin-induced changes in sperm fertilizing ability in the rat: association with diminished sperm ATP levels and motility. Reprod. Toxicol. 15: 11-20.