Dr. Minghetti's Lab

Hi, welcome to the Minghetti Laboratory.

In the Minghetti Lab we study the homeostasis of essential metals in fish and the impact that pollutants might have on this process. Our approach relies on the understanding of the chemical reactions occurring in the exposure media, at the cell interface, and intracellularly. We believe that the chemical form in which a chemical is presented to a cell will determine its uptake, bioavailability and toxicity. Central to our work is the use of in vitromodels of different fish tissues which can be exposed to synthetic media of known composition thus allowing the control of the extracellular environment.

I am interested in the role of metals in biology and toxicology. Essential metals like iron, zinc and copper are required by all organisms to thrive. However, the same properties that make these metals necessary for life also make them extremely toxic. Therefore, organisms have evolved systems to handle metals thus avoiding dangerous and wasteful nonspecific interactions. Several proteins are involved in the tight regulation of intracellular metal concentration and distribution that is defined as metal homeostasis. The study of this sophisticated machinery at the molecular level will ultimately help us understand how organisms acclimate and adapt to multiple environmental stressors including metals. This research uses fish and in vitro models of epithelial barriers (i.e. fish gill and gut). Methods applied span from analytical chemistry to molecular biology and cellular imaging.

Courses Taught

Physiology BIOL 3204, Fall
Principles of Toxicology, BIOL 4363 and BIOL 5363, Fall
Environmental Physiology, BIOL 4273 and BIOL 5273, Spring