Rick Woychik
Cell Biology
Institut Pasteur de Bangui
Mauritius
Biography
Richard Woychik, Ph.D., is Deputy Director of NIEHS and head of the Mammalian Genome Group. The group is broadly interested in understanding the role of epigenomic transcriptional regulation in an organism’s response to environmental exposures. It is specifically interested in studying the role of repetitive elements (REs) in these processes. All mammalian genomes are comprised of a large assortment of different classes repetitive elements (REs) that include LINE’s, intracisternal A particles (IAPs), VL30 elements, endogenous retroviral elements (ERVs), SINEs, transposons, and various other types of repetitive elements. These REs are distributed across the entire genome and are highly abundant. In fact, it has been estimated that REs comprise more than 50 percent of a typical mammalian genome. Many of these elements have powerful regulatory elements and exhibit complex patterns of transcriptional expression throughout mammalian development.
Research Interest
Environmental exposures, biology of REs, epigenomic regulation of gene expression, and transcriptome analysis Crosstalk between mitochondrial function and the epigenome
Publications
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Sandifer PA, Knapp LC, Collier TK, Jones AL, Juster RP, Kelble CR, Kwok RK, Miglarese JV, Palinkas LA, Porter DE, Scott GI, Smith LM, Sullivan WC, Sutton-Grier AE. (2017). A Conceptual Model to Assess Stress-Associated Health Effects of Multiple Ecosystem Services Degraded by Disaster Events in the Gulf of Mexico and Elsewhere. GeoHealth.
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McGowan CJ, Kwok RK, Engel LS, Stenzel MR, Stewart PA, Sandler DP. (in press) Respiratory, dermal, and eye irritation symptoms associated with Corexit EC9527A/EC9500A following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Findings from the GuLF STUDY. Environmental Health Perspectives.
