Rudy J. Richardson: Neurotoxicology Laboratory

Welcome to the Neurotoxicology Laboratories at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences.

Who are we? What do we study?

We are a group of collaborating faculty members and students who seek to understand how chemical exposures can lead to neurodegenerative disease. To this end, we have been studying organophosphorus compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). This paralytic condition involves axonal degeneration in the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. OPIDN is triggered by the inhibition and aging of a neural enzyme called neuropathy target esterase (NTE) following the interaction of this protein with neuropathic organophosphorus (OP) compounds. Moreover, NTE mutations have been linked to a hereditary form of motor neuron disease that mimics certain features of OPIDN. Thus, it appears that chemical and/or genetic perturbations of NTE produce neuronal dysfunction. Recently, it has been shown that NTE can hydrolyze lysophospholipids, but the physiological and pathogenic roles of the protein remain to be established. We are pursuing our investigations of NTE through collaborative studies involving many different approaches, including bioinformatics, computational molecular modeling, enzymology, epidemiology, genetics, protein chemistry, protein mass spectrometry, and x-ray crystallography.

Please explore this site to learn more about our research and the people involved.