Ann Marie DiLorenzo

Dr. Ann Marie DiLorenzo strives to bring the strategies of problem-based learning to her students. To facilitate this goal she encourages the formation of student teams for research which mirror the diverse student population of her department. 

Her research interest is in the field of in vitro Genetic Toxicology. The effects of heavy metals and the xenobiotic contents of the particulate matter from the World Trade Center attack of 2001 are studied as they effect the cellular/ biochemical functions of human lung cells grown in culture. Her teaching and research continues to use cooperative learning, inquiry and problem solving strategies to enable students of all levels to understand and appreciate the process of science.

Her speciality includes utilizing in vitro techniques to study the effects of environmental chemicals on toxicity, mutagenicity or carcinogenicity. All projects study cells or organs grown in culture under normal conditions as well as conditions of stress. All research falls within the area of “Alternatives to Whole Animal Testing” and strives to reduce the need for, and use of, excessive numbers of animals in scientific research. These projects all are within the scope of her expertise and continued research interest in the study of the effects of stress on in vitro systems as an indicator of the effects of stress on the human population. The ability to withstand and cope with environmental insult from xenotoxic agents has been seen to diminish with the added insult of either mental or physiological stress.

Previous work focusing mainly on heavy metals is now being directed to the specific contaminants in the dust from the World Trade Center tragedy (WTC) which has been analyzed by the Rutgers team of Dr. Paul Lioy. I was able to justify a request to Dr. Lioy of the Environmental and Occupational Institute of Rutgers University, and he generously sent us this WTC dust sample in late 2007. I plan to continue to expand our research to include more molecular and cytogenetic techniques. Studies of chromosomal damage are being measured by the Micronucleus test which shows small broken pieces of chromosomes as small darkly staining outside of the normal nucleus. Apoptosis Assays are employed to study DNA damage from heavy metals and WTC dust . Embryonic bone of chickens is also exposed to the WTC dust to study development in presence of these toxins.