Profile
Lisa Bain
Biological Sciences
Professor
864-656-5050
Jordan Hall 300 [Lab]
Long Hall 239 [Office]
Educational Background
Ph.D., Toxicology, North Carolina State University
B.S., Environmental Health Sciences, University of Georgia
Profile/About Me
Understanding the mechanisms by which chemicals found in drinking water impact development and cell fate determination
Research Interests
Research in the Bain laboratory focuses on the mechanisms by which cells respond to toxicants found in food and drinking water, such as arsenic, pharmaceuticals, and novel synthetic organics. We are currently investigating how these compounds delay cellular differentiation and development. For example, arsenic is a contaminant in drinking water in many parts of the world and has been found at appreciable levels in rice and other crops. Arsenic readily crosses the placental barrier and exposure is correlated with adverse developmental outcomes such as stillbirths, low birth weight, delays in the use of musculature, and altered neuronal function.
We are examining drinking water chemicals' effects on development and cellular differentiation in several different stem cell lines (induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, neuronal progenitor cells), in rodents, and in zebrafish embryos using a variety of molecular (microarrays, qPCR, ChiP), epigenetic (miR expression, histone modification) biochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. The goal is to understand if early exposure results in long-term functional effects.
Research Group (Lab)
Melanie Garcia, Ph.D. student
Erin Levon, Ph.D. student
Scott Ventrello, Ph.D. student
Kayla Lea, undergraduate student
Courses Taught
ETOX 4300/6300 - Toxicology (in Fall)
BIOL 4610 - Cell Biology (in Spring)
BIOL 4930 - Senior Seminar
Selected Publications
Ventrello SW, McMurry NR, Edwards NM, and Bain LJ (2024) Chronic arsenic exposure affects stromal cells and signaling in the small intestine in a sex-specific manner, Toxicological Sciences, 198, 303-315. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfae016
Perego CM, McMichael BM, McMurry NR, Ventrello SW, and Bain LJ (2023) Arsenic impairs differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into cholinergic motor neurons, Toxics, 18, 644. doi.org/10.3390/toxics11080644
Perego CM, McMichael BM, and Bain LJ (2023) Arsenic impairs stem cell differentiation via the Hippo signaling pathway, Toxicology Research, 2023, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxres/tfad018
Duong T-B, Dwivedi R* and Bain LJ (2023) 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol exposure impairs osteogenic differentiation, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 461,116386. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116386
Kellett MP, Jatko JT, Darling CL, Ventrello SW and Bain LJ (2022) Arsenic exposure impairs intestinal stromal cells, Toxicology Letters, 361, 56-63. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.03.006
Jatko JT, Darling CL, Kellett MP, and Bain LJ (2021) Arsenic exposure in drinking water reduces Lgr5 and secretory cell marker gene expression in mouse intestines, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 422:115561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2021.115561
McMichael BM, Perego CM, Darling CL, Perry RL, Coleman SC, and Bain LJ (2020) Chronic arsenic exposure impairs differentiation in P19 mouse embryonic stem cells, Journal of Applied Toxicology, online. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4095
Baldwin WS and Bain LJ (2020) PRIMO 20 – 20th International Symposium of Pollutant Responses in Marine Organisms: Key issues and mechanisms in marine and freshwater toxicology, Marine Environmental Research, 126, 105111. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105111
Baldwin WS, Bain LJ, Di Guilio R, Kullman S, Rice CD, Ringwood AH, and van den Hurk P (2020) 20th Pollutant Responses in Marine Organisms (PRIMO 20): Global issues and fundamental mechanisms caused by pollutant stress in marine and freshwater organisms, Aquatic Toxicology, 277, 105620. doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105620
Szymkowicz DB, Sims KC, Schwendinger KL, Tatnall CM, Powell RR, Bruce TF, Bridges WC, and Bain LJ (2019) Embryonic arsenic impairs olfactory sensory neuron differentiation and function into adulthood, Toxicology, 420:73-84.
Sims KC, Schwendinger KL, Szymkowicz DB, Swetenburg JR, and Bain LJ (2019) Embryonic arsenic reduces intestinal proliferation and alters hepatic IGF expression in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus), Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health part A, 82:142-156.
Memberships
Professional organizations and scientific meetings typically attending by laboratory members include: the Society of Toxicology, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and Pollutant Responses in Marine Organisms (PRIMO)
Links
Support for reducing the amount of arsenic in apple juice
Grant to study effects of arsenic on intestinal stem cells
Clemson scientist receives $367K grant to trace how arsenic disrupts developing cells
Using killifish as a model for developmental toxicity
