Investigator: Belinda Barbagallo, Salve Regina University
Theme: Neuroscience
Title: Impacts of maternal PFOS exposure on neuronal development 
Award: SURF PUI Training Award (2022-2024)

Abstract: Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities, affect approximately 15% of children in the United States, with the prevalence of multiple disorders rising over the last four decades. Most of these disorders show no clear genetic link, suggesting that they arise from a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors. One of the more prevalent environmental contaminants on earth today is the industrial surfactant perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), which is known to accumulate in maternal and fetal tissues and cause altered behavior in rodent models. The aim of this proposal is to use the C. elegans model system to better understand how maternal PFOS exposures alters the development and function of key neuronal classes through the completion of the following aims: Aim 1: To test the hypothesis that maternal PFOS exposure alters nervous system function. Aim 2: To test the hypothesis that maternal PFOS exposure alters nervous system structural development. Completion of these aims will result in a detailed overview of the structural and functional consequences of maternal PFOS exposure on nervous system development that will be used in future work to elucidate mechanisms underlying the observed nervous system defects.

Relevance: Neurodevelopmental disorders arise from a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors. PFOS is one of the most common environmental contaminants, showing large bioaccumulation capacity in maternal and fetal tissue, though little is known about the biological impacts of exposure. It is essential to understand how maternal PFOS exposure impacts the function and morphology of the developing nervous system.