The mission of the Environmental Public Health Research Laboratory (EPHRL) is to provide public health leadership in development of laboratory measurement techniques and information for the assessment, control, and prevention of human exposure to toxic materials. Current research projects include:

1. biomarkers for health effects induced by persistent organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons;
2. reproductive health and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons;
3. gene polymorphisms and epigenetic effects.

Engaged in cutting edge research, the EPHRL is the first laboratory established in the ODU College of Health Sciences to focus specifically on the environmental health area. Furthermore, the EPHRL will promote collaborative efforts with other schools within the college, such as Medical Technology, which has its laboratory located right next door. Exciting opportunities abound as in the field of environmental health and the ODU College of Health Sciences is poised to make significant contributions in that area.

Space

The EPHRL has a combined total of 600 sq. ft. They are collectively equipped for all cellular, biochemical, and PCR genotyping. Common areas include all major equipment required.

Equipment

Major equipment items include several high-speed ultracentrifuges, incubators, ultra-low freezers, UV-visible spectrometers and an image documentation system capable of storing images in a format appropriate for the computer-driven, quantitative analysis of autoradiograph images, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), Hitachi high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (API 3000), PE Series 200 HPLC system, a PE Sciex API 3000 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, HPLC system (Hewlett-Packard 1100), personal air sampling pumps, iCycler, automatic computer assisted semen analyzer, inverted microscopes, fluorescent microscope, flow cytometer, HEPA filter laminar flow fume hood, tissue culture hood, and UV light equipped hoods.

Collaborations

Domestic

• Dr. Mike Stacey, ODU Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectric
• Dr. Jim Swanson, ODU College of Sciences
• Dr. Anca Dobrian, EVMS, Department of Physiology
• Dr. Paula Mazzer, ODU Department of Biochemistry
• Dr. Jessica Connelly, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia
• Dr. Mike Skinner, Department of Biology, George State University

International

• Dr. Ming-Tang Wu, Kaohsiung Medical University, College of Applied Sciences
• Dr. Radim J. Sram, Head of Genetic Laboratory and National Laboratory for Genotoxicity at the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Prague, Czech Republic
• Dr. Mu-Rong Chao, National Cheng Kung University, College of Public Health
• Dr. Chih-Hong Pan, Division of Occupational Medicine, Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs

Funding Support

External Grants

Principal Investigator: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Male Reproductive Health, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R03 (1R03OH009504-01), 2009-2011, $150,000 (6.2 percentile).

Principal Investigator: Physiochemical Properties of Ultrafine Particles, National Research Council Research Associateship Grant/Air Force Research Laboratory and Human Effectiveness Directorate, 2006-2007, $36,000

Principal Investigator: Ambient Ultrafine Particles, Oxidative Stress, and Mitochondria Dysfunction, Jeffress Memorial Trust (J-916), 2008-2009, $20,000.

Internal Grants

Principal Investigator: Evaluation of Biomarkers Using Genomic Analysis for Pfiesteria Toxic Exposure, CoHS Transdisciplinary Initial Project Support Grants, 2004, $17,000.

Principal Investigator: Cellular Toxicity of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Mammalian Cells, Old Dominion University Faculty Summer Fellowship, 2005, $6,000. Co-I:

Co-Investigator: Teratogenic Responses to Nanoparticles in vivo, Old Dominion University Office of Research: Summer Experience Enhancing Collaborative Research, 2006, $17,000. PI was

Principal Investigator: Establishment of Environmental Health Tracking in Virginia: Old Dominion University Office of Research. Multi-Disciplinary Investigators Grant: $80,000. Co-Is:

Principal Investigator: Ultrafine particles and oxidative stress. Old Dominion University, College of Health Sciences, 2006, $3,000

Pending

Principal Investigator: Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Male Sperm Quality. National Institutes of Health/NIEHS, R15 (1R15ES018952-01), 04/01/2010-3/31/2013, $234,283 (impact score:30, Just-in-time).

Principal Investigator: Genotoxic Effect of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Metal on Male Sperms. National Institutes of Health/NIEHS, American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, R15, (1R15ES019114-01), 2010-2013, $420,000.

Publications (selected from 2005-2009)

JENG H, Sinclair R, Englande AJ. 2005. Survival of enterococci faecalis in estuarine sediments. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 62 (3): 283-291.

Pratt LS, Reimers RS, JENG H, Bowman DD, Jan A, Oleszkiewicz AJ. 2005. Development of indicator organisms to monitor pathogens in biosolids. Water Environmental Federation Joint Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference Proceeding.

JENG H, Englande AJ, Bakeer R. and Bradford H. 2005. Indicator organisms associated with stormwater suspended particles and estuarine sediment. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, A40(4):779-791

Qin L, JENG H, Rakue Y, Mizota T. 2005. A deficient public health system as a contributing cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in China. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 36(1):213-216.

JENG HA, Englande AJ, Bakeer R, Bradford H. 2005. Impact of Urban stormwater runoff on estuarine environmental quality. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Sciences, 63: 513-526.

JENG HA, Hong YI. 2005. Assessment of a natural wetland for use in wastewater remediation. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 111:1-3.

JENG HA, Swanson J. 2006. Cytotoxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles: assessment of cytotoxicity using mouse neuroblastoma. Journal of Environmental Sciences and Health, Part A. 41(12): 2699-2711.

JENG HA, Lin C, Gau YY, Hong YI. 2006. Changes in immunological and hematological parameters of female residents exposed to volatile organic compounds in the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Journal of Environmental Health, 69(2):20-25.

Hong YI, JENG HA, Gau YY, Lin C. 2006. Distribution of volatile organic compounds in ambient air of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 119(1-3):43-56.

Li L, Xu L, JENG HA, Naik D, Allen T. 2007. Creation of environmental health information system for public health service: a pilot study. Information Systems Frontiers, 10(5):531-542.

JENG HA, Hong YU. 2008. Alteration of sperm quality and hormone levels by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on airborne particulate particles. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A, A43 (7)1:14.

JENG HA. 2009. Chemical composition of ambient particulate matter and redox activity. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 10 November, 2009 (on-line) DOI 10 1007/S10661-009.

JENG HA, Mendez R. 2010. Reproductive system diseases and environmental exposure. Green Series, SAGA, Editor, R. Robbins and Ogunseitan OA, Vol. 9 (in press)

Jackson J, JENG HA. 2009. Assessment of surface water quality of the United States from 1998-2004 Journal of Environmental Health (accepted).

Bieber R, JENG HA. 2009. Status and trends of air quality of the states and cities in the United States from 1997-2007. Journal of Environmental Health (accepted).

JENG HA, Diawara N, Pan CH, Chang-Chien GP, Wu MT. 2009. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in relation to immunological alteration. Journal of Occupational Health and Medicine (submitted).

JENG HA, Pan CH, Kao CY, Kuo HW, Su HJ, Huang JL, Diawara N, Peng CY, Lin PC, Lin MY, Wu MT. 2009. Repeated measurements for assessment of naphthalene metabolite as biomarker for exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. International Achieves of Occupational and Environmental Health (submitted)