Kathleen F. Arcaro, an environmental toxicologist, has recently joined the faculty of the College of Food and Natural Resources at the University of Massachusetts. She will be working with other faculty members in the department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences as well as in the Environmental Sciences program.
Arcaro came to UMass from the School of Public Health at the University at Albany, where she taught environmental physiology and conducted research on environmental disrupters of reproduction. She was very excited to begin her work at the University.
“What attracted me to UMass immediately was my colleagues,” Arcaro said. “I have the opportunity to work with the members of the Environmental and Veterinary Animal Sciences as well as people from Wildlife, Entomology, and Microbiology. My research fits right in with what they are doing.”
Arcaro’s research is focused on pollutants routinely detected in urban and suburban environments that may act as mimics or inhibitors of human reproductive hormones, such as estradiol.
When walking into the lab in Morrill, Arcaro can be found busily examining stains of breast cancer cells. She examines the effect of PCB’s (found in pesticides, fruit, vegetables, and some pharmaceuticals) on the cell cultures. Specifically, she looks to see if these compounds affect cell growth, and tries to predict activity by looking at the chemical structure of PCB’s. She is particularly interested in the health effects of mixtures of these pollutants, which may be responsible for incidences of cancer in a given community.
“If I find that mixtures of these pollutants are more harmful than each of the pollutants individually, my research will help answer some of the remaining questions of how pollution threatens our health,” Arcaro explained.
Arcaro’s research is supported by a grant and a career development award from the National Institute of Environmental Health. She was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Institutes of Health to study at the University at Albany, earned her doctorate at the Institute of Animal Behavior at Rutgers University, and completed her baccalaureate degree at Douglas College of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. She is a member of the Society of Toxicology as well as the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
Next fall, Arcaro will be teaching Environmental Science 112. She hopes to spark an interest in environmental toxicology among her students. To provide a link outside the classroom, she plans to welcome guest speakers like people that protect water supplies and environmental lawyers.
“I want to get freshmen excited that they can make a difference and apply what they have learned to the real world.” At this, Arcaro stated that she was happy to see UMass students getting involved in important environmental issues, specifically mentioning Students for Sustainability.
Arcaro has many goals for her career at UMass, but mainly she hopes to train future environmental toxicologists.
“I would also be very interested in helping to develop an upper level reproductive toxicology program,” stated Arcaro. “I am excited that the Environmental Science program is developing for graduate students.”
