Cellular & Molecular Biology

Cassy Cozine

Research in Dr. Cozine’s lab involves the use of the small non-parasitic roundworm, Caenorhabditis elegans, as a model eukaryotic organism for one of two primary research goals.

The first project’s aim is to more closely study homeopathic compounds that are thought to modulate the stress and inflammatory response and determine what effects, if any, these compounds have on stress and inflammation as well as the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying their effects. The stress and infection response in C. elegans has many homologous pathways to the inflammatory response of the innate immune system of humans, and can therefore be an excellent organism to begin to examine the effects of possible new compounds that modulate inflammation and other stress pathways in humans. Of particular interest in the lab is the homeopathic compound curcumin, a biologically active component of turmeric, which has been proposed to have immunomodulatory effects on the process of inflammation.

The second project’s aim is to use C. elegans to identify compounds that may act as endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors, such as BPA, often bind to hormone receptors of the reproductive system, such as estrogen, and alter the reproductive development of the organism. By examining estrogen sensitive gene expression as well as egg laying rates, the effects of candidate hormone disruptors can be determined.

Dr. Cozine is a member of Coe College's Biology Department ccozine@coe.edu