Thomas Zoeller

Professor
tzoeller@bio.umass.edu
Laboratory Web Page

Education
B.S. Indiana University, 1977
Ph.D. Oregon State University, 1984

Postdoctoral
1984-1988 National Institute of Mental Health
1988 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Research Interests

"Thyroid Hormone Action on Brain Development" and "Environmental Disruption of Thyroid Hormone Action"

Thyroid hormone is essential for normal brain development. The main focus of research in the laboratory is to understand the molecular mechanism(s) by which thyroid hormone affects brain development and brain function. We pursue this goal within the context of two large projects. First, we are cloning genes expressed in the fetal brain that are regulated by maternal thyroid hormone. These genes have led us to examine the effect of thyroid hormone on cortical cell proliferation, differentiation and fate specification. Second, we are examining the mechanisms by which thyroid hormone action can be disrupted by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals are structurally similar to thyroid hormone. PCBs are known to affect neural development and they can alter circulating levels of thyroid hormone.

Representative Publications

Zoeller, R.T. and Rovet, J.A. 2002. Timing of thyroid hormone actions in the developing brain - clinical observations and experimental findings. J. Neuroendocrinol. (in press).

Yang, J. and Zoeller, R.T. 2002. Differential display identifies neuroendocrine-specific protein-A (NSP-A) and interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) as ethanol-responsive genes in the fetal rat brain. Developmental Brain Research 138: 117-133.

Zoeller, R.T. 2001. Challenges confronting risk analysis of thyroid toxicants. Risk Analysis (in press).

Zoeller, R.T., Dowling, A.L.S., Herzig, C.T.A., Iannacone, E.A., Gauger, K.J., and Bansal, R. 2001. Thyroid hormone, brain development, and the environment. Environmental Health Perspectives 110 (Suppl 3): 355-362.

Iannacone, E.I., Yan, A.W., Dowling, A.L.S., and Zoeller, R.T. 2001. Thyroid hormone exerts site-specific effects on SRC-1 and NcoR expression selectively in the neonatal rat brain. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 186(1): 49-59.

Zoeller, R.T. 2001. Polychlorinated Biphenyls as Disruptors of Thyroid Hormone Action. In: PCBs: Recent Advances in the Environmental Toxicology and Health Effects of PCBs. L.W. Robertson and L.G. Hansen, Eds. Univ. of Kentucky Press, Lexington. P265-272.

Zoeller, R.T. and Crofton, K.M. 2000. Thyroid Hormone Action in Fetal Brain Development and Potential for Disruption by Environmental Chemicals. NeuroToxicology 21(6): 935-945.

Dowling, A.L.S. and Zoeller, R.T. 2000. Thyroid Hormone of Maternal Origin Regulates the Expression of RC3/Neurogranin mRNA in the Fetal Rat Brain. Molecular Brain Research 82: 126-132.

Dowling, A.L.S., Iannacone, E.I., and Zoeller, R.T. 2000. Maternal Hypothyroidism Selectively Affects the Expression of Neuroendocrine-Specific Protein-A mRNA in the Fetal Rat Brain. Endocrinology 142(1): 390-399.

Dowling, A.L.S., Martz, G.U., Leonard, J.L., Zoeller, R.T. 2000. Acute Changes in Maternal Thyroid Hormone Induce Rapid and Transient Changes in Specific Gene Expression in Fetal Rat Brain. Journal of Neuroscience 20(6): 2255-2265.

Zoeller, R.T., Dowling, A.L.S., and Vas, A.A. 2000. Developmental Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls Exerts Thyroid Hormone-Like Effects on the Expression of RC3/Neurogranin and Myelin Basic Protein Messenger Ribonucleic Acids in the Developing Rat Brain. Endocrinology 141(1): 181-189.

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