Former Members

Dr. Wang joined the laboratory in May 2017 as a Postdoctoral Fellow. He characterized epigenetic reprogramming events in medaka embryo and primordial germ cells, identified heritable epimutations across generations and their germline transmission, and developed a technique to target epimutations with CRISPR-dCas9 epigenome editing. 

Publications

• Wang, X. Bhandari, R.K., Mai, K. (2024). Epigenome editing: A new approach to aquaculture breeding. Reviews in Aquaculture. 2024: 1-4.

• Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2024). Methylome profile of medaka eggs and sperm. Epigenetics, 19(1): 2417151. 

• Doldron, M., Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Faheem, M., Reh, B., Wang, X., Mallik, S., Jia, Z., Bhandari, R. K. (2024). Transcriptional Alterations in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Associated with Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Cytotoxicity: Involvement of Ferroptosis Pathway. Preprints 2024, 2024060598. 

• Chakraborty, S., *Dissanayake, M., Godwin, J., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Ancestral BPA exposure caused defects in the liver of medaka for four generations. Science of the Total Environment.856 (1):159067.

• Liang, F. Dong, Z., Ye, J., Hu, W., Bhandari, R.K., Mai, K., Wang, X. (2023). In vivo DNA methylation editing in zebrafish. Epigenetics 18 (1), 2192326.

• Liang, Z.; Guo, Y.; Pi, D.; Li, X.; Li, B.; Huang, Y.; Song, X.; Bhandari, R.K.; Wang, X. (2023). Transcriptome Analysis of the Developmental Effects of Bisphenol F Exposure in Chinese Medaka (Oryzias sinensis). International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 24, 10898.

• Vassall, M.; Chakraborty, S.; Feng, Y.; ‡Faheem, M.; Wang, X.; Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Transcriptional Alterations Induced by Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Brain and Gonads of Adult Medaka. Journal of  Xenobiotics. 2023, 13, 237-251. https://doi.org/10.3390/jox13030032 

• Killian, D.; Faheem, M.; Reh, B.; Wang, X.; Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Effects of Chronic Roundup Exposure on Medaka Larvae. J. Xenobiot. 13: 500–508. https://doi.org/10.3390/ jox13030032.

• Reh, B., Feng, Y., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2022). Effects of potassium perchlorate exposure on primordial germ cells of medaka fish. , Aquatic Toxicology): 106283.

• Numan, M., Guo, W., Choi, S.L., Wang, X., Baldrich, P., Du, B., Jin, W.., Bhandari, R.K.,, Mayers, B., Ligaba-Osena, A. (2022). Analysis of miRNAs responsive to long-term Calcium deficiency in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) trotter). Plant Direct. 6(5): e400.

• Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K.,(2020 ). The Dynamics of DNA methylation during epigenetic reprogramming of primordial germ cells in medaka (Oryzias latipes), Epigenetics 15: 483-498 [PMID: 31851575]

• Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K., (2020 ). DNA methylation reprogramming in medaka fish, a promising animal model for environmental epigenetics research. Environmental Epigenetics.6: dvaa008.

• Song, X., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). Developmental abnormalities and epigenetic effects in medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryo induced by triclosan exposure. Chemosphere.261: 127613

• Bhandari, R.K., Wang, X., vom Saal, F.S., Tillitt, D.E. (2020). Transcriptome analysis of testis reveals the effects of developmental exposure to bisphenol A or 17α-ethinylestradiol in medaka. Aquatic Toxicology. 225: 105553

• Wang, X., Song, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). Distinct expression patterns of seven microRNAs during early embryonic development in medaka (Oryzias latipes).Gene Expression Patterns. 37: 119133

• Thayil, A.J., Wang, X., Bhandari, P., vom Saal, F.S., Tillitt, D.E., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). Bisphenol A and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol-induced Transgenerational Gene Expression Differences in the Brain-Pituitary-Testis Axis of Medaka, Oryzias latipes. Biology of Reproduction. 103(6): 1324–1335

• Wang. X., Bhandari. R.K. (2019). DNA methylation dynamics during epigenetic reprogramming of medaka embryo. Epigenetics. 14(6):611-622. [PMID: 31010368]

• Wang, X., Hill, D., Tillitt, D.E., Bhandari, R.K (2019). Bisphenol A and 17alpha-ethinylestradiol induced transgenerational differences in the expression of osmoregulatory genes in the gill of medaka (Oryzias latipes). Aquatic Toxicology. 211: 227-234. [PMID: 31048106]

Mehwish joined my lab as a Postdoctoral Fellow in January 2023 and moved to the University of Missouri with my lab. She accepted the teaching faculty position at the Division of Biological Sciences in September 2024. Her research was focused on Intra- and inter-generational inheritance of environmentally induced traits. She developed the methods for sequencing single-cell nuclear RNA and single-cell DNA methylation using the reagents from Parse Biosciences and Scale Biosciences, respectively.  

GOOGLE SCHOLAR
ORCiD

• Megan Doldron is a native of the beautiful twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, with a double major in Biology and Dance and a minor in Psychology. She then earned a Master's in Biology Education at North Carolina A&T State University, where she was awarded the North Carolina A&T State University Graduate Fellowship 2014-2015. Megan then taught high school Biology for three years at Reidsville High, where she was awarded Teacher of the Year in her 2nd year. She then decided to return to school and pursued and earned her Master of Science in Biology at North Carolina A&T State University. Her research focused on natural alternatives such as antioxidant-rich plants and how they can reduce the signs of airway inflammation and oxidative stress caused by exposure to dust from a swine confinement facility. She is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program where her research is focused on epigenetic effects of cannabinoid exposure in the lungs and whole body system using in vitro mono- and co-culture methods and in vivo animal models.

Publications

• Doldron, M., Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Faheem, M., Reh, B., Wang, X., Mallik, S., Jia, Z., Bhandari, R. K. (2024). Transcriptional Alterations in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Associated with Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Cytotoxicity: Involvement of Ferroptosis Pathway. Preprints 2024, 2024060598. 

Presentations

• Doldron, M., Jia, Z., Bhandari, RK. Epigenetic Effects of Cannabinoid Exposure on Bronchial Epithelial Cells. Triangle. Second Annual Chromatin and Epigenetics Symposium. December 6, 2018. UNC Chapel Hill

• Doldron, M., Jia, Z., Bhandari, RK. 58th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology. Epigenetic effects of cannabinoids on bronchial epithelial cells in vitro. March 10-14, 2019. (Megan Doldron, Graduate student, poster presentation)

Sourav joined the laboratory in August 2019 as an EHS I Ph.D. student. He completed his Master of Science degree in biology from Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO in July 2019. His research is focused on mechanisms underlying the epigenetic inheritance of bisphenol A-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). He took molecular, cellular, next-generation sequencing of transcriptome and methylome and bioinformatic approaches to unravel epigenetic and genetic processes associated with the onset and progression of NAFLD in medaka fish liver.

Publication

1. Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Coe, S.T., Reh, B., Bhandari, R.K. (2023). The PCOS–NAFLD Multi-disease phenotype occurred in medaka fish four generations after the removal of bisphenol A exposure. Environmental Science and Technology 57 (34), 12602-12619.

2. Chakraborty, S., Dissanayake, M., *Godwin, J., ‡Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Ancestral BPA exposure caused defects in the liver of medaka for four generations. Science of the Total Environment.856 (1):159067.

3. Vassall, M.; Chakraborty, S.; Feng, Y.; Faheem, M.; Wang, X.; Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Transcriptional Alterations Induced by Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Brain and Gonads of Adult Medaka. Journal of  Xenobiotics. 13, 237-251. https://doi.org/10.3390/jox13030032 

4. Chakraborty S, Anand S, Bhandari RK. (2024). Sex-specific expression of the human NAFLD-NASH transcriptional signatures in the medaka liver with a history of ancestral bisphenol A exposure. bioRxiv. 2024:2024.05.19.594843. 

5. Coe, S., Chakraborty, S., Faheem, M., Kupradit, K., Bhandari, R.K. (2024). A second hit by PFOS exposure exacerbated developmental defects in medaka embryos with a history of ancestral BPA exposure. Priprint. SSRN. Pages 1-42. 

6. Doldron, M., Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Faheem, M., Reh, B., Wang, X., Mallik, S., Jia, Z., Bhandari, R. K. Transcriptional Alterations in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Associated with Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Cytotoxicity: Involvement of Ferroptosis Pathway. Preprints 2024, 2024060598. 

7. Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Numan, M., Faheem, M., Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Integrated metabolomic and transcriptional analysis identifies sex-specific alterations in the liver caused by ancestral bisphenol A exposure (Submitted)

8. Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Bhandari, R.K. Transcriptional and DNA methylation landscape of the medaka liver (in preparation)

9. Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Bhandari, R.K. Inheritance of paternal germline memories of fatty liver disease by offspring somatic cells (in preparation)   

10. Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Bhandari, R.K. Amelioration of steatosis in the liver by vitamin C treatment involved correction of ancestrally-induced BPA-induced epimutations in the liver (in preparation)

11. *Chakraborty, S., *Reh, B, Anand, S., Feng, Y, Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. Paternal perchlorate induced alterations on sperm epigenome and offspring transcriptome. (In preparation). *Equally contributing first authors.

Jacob holds a Bachelor degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He worked as an undergraduate researcher with Dr. Parke Rublee and as a Research Assistant with Dr. Gideon Wasserberg at the Department of Biology prior to joining the Bhandari Research Group. He completed his MS in Biology degree in July 2018. His research was focused on transgenerational effects of embryonic Atrazine exposure in adult medaka. Jacob examined transgenerational phenotypic changes in medaka at the molecular, morphological, physiological, and behavioral levels.

Publications

• Cleary, J.C., Tillitt, D.E., vom Saal, F.S., Nicks, D.K., Claunch, R.A, Bhandari, R.K. (2019). Transgenerational effects of developmental Atrazine exposure on reproductive axis of medaka. Environmental Pollution, 251: 631-650. [PMID: 31108297]

• Cleary, JA; Tillitt, DE, vom saal, FS; and Bhandari, RK. (2017). Atrazine-induced transgenerational molecular changes in the brain of medaka fish (Oryzias latipes). in preparation

Presentations

• Cleary, AJ; Tillitt, DE, vom saal, FS; and Bhandari, RK. Transgenerational molecular changes in the medaka ovary induced by embryonic exposure to herbicide, Atrazine. 2017 Annual Meeting of Carolinas SETAC. Charleston, SC. May 17-19, 2017. (Platform presentation)

• Cleary, AJ; Tillitt, DE; vom Saal, FS, Bhandari, RK. Transgenerational effects of developmental atrazine exposure on medaka fish: Alterations in gene expression. 38th Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Minneapolis, MN. November 12-15, 2017. (Poster presentation)

• Tillitt, DE; Cleary, AJ; vom Saal, FS; Bhandari, RK.  Transgenerational effects in medaka of developmental exposure to atrazine.  38th Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Minneapolis, MN. November 12-15, 2017.

• Bhandari, RK; Wang, X, Cleary, AJ; vom Saal, FS; Tillitt, DE.  Medaka as a model for studying transgenerational inheritance of phenotypes and underlying mechanisms. 38th Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Sacramento, CA. 11/04-07, 2018.

Chelsea received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with double minors in Chemistry and Biology. Prior to joining Dr. Bhandari’s lab, Chelsea worked in the Joint Applied Math and Marine Sciences Fluids Lab at UNC Chapel Hill on a project related to the B.P. Oil Spill in 2010. In the Bhandari Laboratory, she studied developmental and epigenetic effects of direct exposure to herbicide RoundUp on developing medaka embryos.  She found that glyphosate, the herbicide component in Roundup, affects developing medaka embryos and that embryonic development leads to perturbation of gene expression patterns in the reproductive axis in adulthood. She is currently a faculty member at Forsyth Technical Community College. 

Publication

• Smith, C.S., Vera, M.K.M., Bhandari, R.K. (2019). Developmental and epigenetic effects of Roundup and glyphosate exposure on medaka (Oryzias latipes). Aquatic Toxicology, 210:215-226. [PMID: 30875550]

Presentation

• Smith, C.M., Vera, M.K.M., Bhandari, R.K.  Developmental and Epigenetic Effects of Glyphosate and Roundup Exposure in Medaka Embryo. 20th International Symposium on Pollutant Responses In Marine Organisms. Charleston, SC USA. May 19–May 22, 2019. (poster)

Valerie Fricault received an MS in Biology degree in December 2018.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology degree from Jacksonville University in Florida.  For over the past 15 years, she worked as a microbiologist for the State of Florida, in Milkhouse South- a clinical testing lab, and in Molecular Rx- a small pharmaceutical company.  She attended Clemson University microbiology graduate classes before joining UNCG.  Her graduate research was focused on the effects of aluminum and cerium nanoparticles on human lung alveolar cells in vitro. 

Publications

• Fricault, V.J., Aravamudhan, S., Bhandari, R.K. (2018). Effects of aluminum oxide and cerium oxide nanoparticle exposure on human lung alveolar cells in vitro. (in preparation)

Yashi joined the Bhandari Lab in August 2019 as a graduate student (Masters). Her research project is to examine the effects of paternal cannabinoid exposure on male reproduction, gametes, and offspring health. She is using medaka fish as an organismal model. Yashi is expected to graduate in May 2021.

Publications

• Feng, Y., Wang, X., Vassall, M., Bhandari, R.K. (2024). Delta 9-THC induced reproductive impairment and transcriptional alterations in the brain and testis of male medaka.

• Feng, Y., Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Faheem, M., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2024). Sperm methylome predicts the effects of paternal preconception THC exposure on offspring health.

• Vassall, M.; **Chakraborty, S.; Feng, Y.; Faheem, M.; Wang, X.; Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Transcriptional Alterations Induced by Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Brain and Gonads of Adult Medaka. Journal of  Xenobiotics. 2023, 13, 237-251.

Elissa joined the Bhandari Lab in August 2019 as a graduate student (Masters). She completed her B.S. in Biology degree from UNCG in May 2019. Her research project is to examine transgenerational differences in the gut microbiota population and host intestinal epithelial epigenetic and transcriptional landscape. She will examine population differences in gut microorganisms by shotgun sequencing, epigenetic landscape by sequencing gut DNA methylome by whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), and transcriptional landscape by RNA sequencing.

Publication

• Guzman, E., Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2024). Bisphenol A-induced transgenerational dysbiosis of gut microbiota in medaka. in preparation

Gaurav joined the Bhandari Lab in August 2021 as a graduate student (MS program). His research project was to develop a CRISPR-dCas9 epigenome tool to correct DNA methylation and histone epimutations in medaka. He graduated with an MS degree in Biology in May 2023.

Publication

• Phuyal, G., Wang, X., Chakraborty, S., Bhandari, R.K. Introduction of de novo DNA methylation in olvas gene promoter in medaka embryos in vivo by reprogrammable CRISPR-dCas9.  in preparation. 

Presentation

• Phuyal, G., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. Development of a CRISPR-dCas9 tool to introduce DNA methylation into a genomic locus in vivo.  6th International Conference on Epigenetics and Bioengineering. Houston, Tx. October 27-29, 2022. 

Seraiah joined the Bhandari Lab in August 2021 as a graduate student (MS program). Her research examined health risks of the individuals with a history of ancestral exposure upon exposure to chemicals of emerging concern (CECs). She re-exposed our medaka fish who have pre-existing epimutations to CECs (PFOS) and evaluated their health.

Publication

• Coe, S., Elmore, J., Elizondo, E., and Loss, S. 2021. Free-ranging domestic cat abundance and sterilization percentage following five years of a Trap-Neuter-Return program. Wildlife Biology, 2021(1).

• Driskell, A., Windle, S., Collyar, J., and Coe, S. 2017. Rising to the occasion: the effects of differing sugar concentrations on yeast. Journal of Introductory Biology Investigations, 7(3).

• Coe, S.T., Faheem, M., Chakraborty, S., Kupradit, K., Bhandari, R.K. A history of ancestral BPA exposure alters the sensitivity of medaka to developmental defects induced by second hit by PFOS. in preparation. 

• Coe, S.T., Chakraborty, S., Faheem, M., Reh. B., Anand, S., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. Liver and reproductive defects in fish with a prior history of ancestral BPA exposure due to the second hit by PFOS. in preparation. 

Other Credentials

• Coe, S., Chakraborty, S., Bhandari, R. 2022. Are grandparents' lifestyles responsible for their grandchildren’s health?. UNCG Graduate Showcase. Greensboro, NC.

• Coe, S., Chakraborty, S., Bhandari, R. 2022. Is the current generation at an increased risk of adverse health conditions due to ancestral lifestyle?. Carolinas Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Conference. Research Triangle, NC. Coe, S., Chakraborty, S., Bhandari, R. 2022. Is the current generation at an increased risk of deleterious health conditions due to ancestral lifestyle?. PPTOX VII: International Conference on Prenatal Programming and Toxicity. Online Presentation.

• Coe, S., Elmore, J., Elizondo, E., and Loss, S. 2020. Free-ranging domestic cat abundance and sterilization percentage following five years of a Trap-Neuter-Return program. Oklahoma State University College of Arts and Sciences Three-Minute Thesis. Online Presentation. 3rd Place.

• Coe, S., Elmore, J., Elizondo, E., and Loss, S. 2020. Free-ranging domestic cat abundance and sterilization percentage following five years of a Trap-Neuter-Return program. Undergraduate Library Research Award. Online Presentation.

Upperclassmen undergraduate honorable mention

• Coe, S., Elmore, J., Elizondo, E., and Loss, S. 2019. Free-ranging domestic cat abundance and sterilization percentage following five years of a Trap-Neuter-Return program. 34th annual Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences national conference. Overland Park, KS. 1st place undergraduate oral research presentation

• Coe, S., Elmore, J., Elizondo, E., and Loss, S. 2019. Free-ranging domestic cat abundance and sterilization percentage following five years of a Trap-Neuter-Return program. 5th annual Oklahoma Natural Resources Conference. Tulsa, OK.

Presentation

• Coe, S., *Kupradit, K., *Wright, G., **Chakraborty, S, Bhandari, R.K. A History of Ancestral bisphenol A exposure can be a confounding factor for the second hit by environmental levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid | S. Coe 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pittsburg, PA. November 11-17, 2022.

• Coe, S., *Kupradit, K., *Wright, G., **Chakraborty, S., Bhandari, R.K. A history of ancestral bisphenol A exposure can be a confounding factor for the second hit by environmental levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid. Endocrine Disruption Research in North Carolina (EDC-NC). September 30, 2022.

Beh joined my lab as a freshman NSF-STAMPS-funded student at UNCG. His research project was focused on perchlorate-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and energy metabolism in medaka germ stem cells.

Publication

• • Reh, B., **Feng, Y., ‡Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2022). Effects of potassium perchlorate exposure on primordial germ cells of medaka fish. Aquatic Toxicology: 106283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106283

  • Killian, D.; Faheem, M.; Reh, B.; Wang, X.; Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Effects of Chronic Roundup Exposure on Medaka Larvae. J. Xenobiot. 13: 500–508. https://doi.org/10.3390/ jox13030032.

  • Doldron, M., Chakraborty, S., Anand, S., Faheem, M., Reh, B., Wang, X., Mallik, S., Jia, Z., Bhandari, R. K. Transcriptional Alterations in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Associated with Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Cytotoxicity: Involvement of Ferroptosis Pathway. Preprints 2024, 2024060598. 

  • Feng, Y., Wang, X., Reh, B, Bhandari, R.K. Effects of Paternal Exposure to Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on Paternal Reproductive Tissue and Overall Health of Offspring in Medaka, Oryzias latipes. (In preparation)

Guzman, E., Wang, X., Reh, B., Bhandari, R.K. Bisphenol A-induced transgenerational dysbiosis of gut microbiota in medaka. (In preparation)

• • *Chakraborty, S., *Reh, B, Anand, S., Feng, Y, Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. Paternal perchlorate induced alterations on sperm epigenome and offspring transcriptome. (In preparation). *Equally contributing first authors.

Presentations

Reh, B., Wang, X., Feng, Y., Bhandari, R.K. Effects of perchlorate exposure on developing medaka, Oryzias latipes and their primordial germ cells. Triangle Consortium of Reproductive Biology. Virtual. February 26, 2021.

• • Reh, B., Wang, X., Feng, Y., Bhandari, R.K. Effects of perchlorate exposure on developing medaka, Oryzias latipes and their primordial germ cells. Biennial Conference of North American Society of Comparative Endocrinology (NASCE). Virtual. May 25-27, 2021.

  • Reh, B., Wang, X., Feng, Y., Bhandari, R.K. Effects of perchlorate exposure on developing medaka, Oryzias latipes and their primordial germ cells. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). Portland, OR. November 14-18, 2021

  • Reh, B., Bhandari, R. Effect of potassium perchlorate on developing medaka primordial germ cells. Oral presentation in the 2021 Annual Undergraduate Honors Symposium. March 2021

  • Reh, B., Amon, A. African Muslim Diaspora: The history of North American and Southeast Asia. Oral presentation in the 2021 Annual Undergraduate Honors Symposium. March 2021

  • Reh, B., Terui, A. The Impact of Climate Change on Marine Life. Oral presentation in the 2021 Annual Undergraduate Honors Symposium. March 2021

  • 7Reh, B., Bhandari, R. Effect of potassium perchlorate and Vitamin C on developing medaka primordial germ cells. Poster presentation in the 2021 STAMPS (Science, Technology and Math Preparation Scholarships) Program. March 2021

  • Reh, B., Bhandari, R. Effect of potassium perchlorate on developing medaka primordial germ cells. Poster presentation in the 2021 URSCO Thomas Undergraduate Research Symposium. April 2021 

  • Reh, B., Feng, Y., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. Effects of potassium perchlorate on medaka primordial germ cells.  Carolina Chapter of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (CETAC). April 7-8, 2022.

  • Reh, B., Bano, N., Bhandari, R.K. Transcriptional alterations induced by potassium perchlorate exposure in the adult medaka testis. 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pittsburg, PA. November 11-17, 2022. 

Albert graduated with a BS in Biology degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in spring 2017. During his undergraduate studies, he attended the University of Nicosia Medical School as part of a Cyprus study abroad program. He was a Gene, Environment, and Emotion (GEnE) lab Research Assistant for the Psychology Department before joining the Bhandari Research Group in the Department of Biology. His “Senior Honors Thesis” project was focused on transgenerational molecular changes in the reproductive axis (brain-pituitary-testis) of medaka induced by developmental exposure to environmental chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA). His project was funded by UNCG, the National Institute of Health, and the US Geological Survey.

Publications

• Thayil A.J., Wang, X,, Bhandari, P., vom Saal, F.S., Tillitt, D.E., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). Bisphenol A and 17α-ethinylestradiol-induced transgenerational gene expression differences in the brain–pituitary–testis axis of medaka,Oryzias latipes. Biology of Reproduction. 103(6), 1324–1335.

• Thayil, A.J. and Bhandari RK (2021). Developmental and Transgenerational Effects of Bisphenol A Exposure. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology: Toxicology and Pharmacology  (review paper, in preparation)
  
  

Presentations

• Thayil, AJ and Bhandari, RK (2017). Transgenerational effects on the reproductive axis of medaka fish caused by early developmental exposure to Bisphenol A. 11th Annual Thomas Undergraduate Research & Creativity Expo. University of North Carolina Greensboro. April 10, 2017. (poster presentation)

• Thayil, AJ; Tillitt, DE; vom Saal, FS; and Bhandari, RK (2017). Transgenerational effects on the reproductive axis of medaka fish caused by early developmental exposure to Bisphenol A. 2017 Annual Meeting of Carolinas SETAC. Charleston, SC. May 17-19, 2017. (poster presentation)

• Thayil, AJ; Tillitt, DE; vom Saal, FS; and Bhandari, RK (2017). Transgenerational effects on the reproductive axis of medaka fish caused by early developmental exposure to Bisphenol A. 18th International Congress on Comparative Endocrinology, Alberta, Canada. June 4-10, 2017. (poster presentation)

Xiaohong Song, a visiting graduate student and Lecturer from the College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China, completed her 1-year stay in the Bhandari Lab. Her graduate research was funded by the National Science Foundation of China and focused on the role of miRNAs in medaka development. She completed three projects: a) miRNA expression during maternal-zygotic genome transition in medaka embryo, b) miRNA dynamics during epigenetic reprogramming of primordial germ cells (PGCs, germ line stem cells), and c) effects of epigenetic effects of triclosan exposure during epigenetic programming in medaka embryos. Her findings are novel and all her manuscripts are currently in preparation. 

Publications

• Song, X., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). Developmental abnormalities and epigenetic effects in medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryo induced by triclosan exposure. Chemosphere. 261: 127613.

• *Wang, X., *Song, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). Distinct expression patterns of seven microRNAs during early embryonic development in medaka (Oryzias latipes).Gene Expression Patterns. 37: 119133. *Equal contribution

• *Wang, X., Song, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). MicroRNA expression in medaka primordial germ cells during epigenetic reprogramming. in preparation.

• Song, X., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2020). Transcriptional alterations in triclosan-exposed medaka embryos. in preparation

• Liang, Z.; Guo, Y.; Pi, D.; Li, X.; Li, B.; Huang, Y.; Song, X.; Bhandari, R.K.; Wang, X. (2023). Transcriptome Analysis of the Developmental Effects of Bisphenol F Exposure in Chinese Medaka (Oryzias sinensis). International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 24, 10898.

Marlee’s research project focused on gene expression changes along the brain-pituitary-gonad axis of medaka caused by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure. She presented a poster at PRIMO (Pollution Responses in Marine Organisms, a biannial international conference held in Charleston, SC).

Publication

• Vassall, M.; **Chakraborty, S.; Feng, Y.; Faheem, M.; Wang, X.; Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Transcriptional Alterations Induced by Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Brain and Gonads of Adult Medaka. Journal of  Xenobiotics. 2023, 13, 237-251.

Presentation

• Vassall, M.E., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on the Reproduction of Medaka fish (Oryzias latipes). 20th International Symposium on Pollutant Responses In Marine Organisms (PRIMO20), Charleston, SC, USA. May 19 – 22, 2019.

Debbie examined the effects of low-dose Roundup exposure on development and thyroid hormone gene expression in medaka embryos. She found that Roundup exposure causes developmental abnormalities in medaka in a non-monotonic dose-response manner. She presented her findings at the 2019 annual meeting of the NC Society of Toxicology (NCSOT) and at the annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) in Toronto. Debbie wrote a manuscript that is currently in the editing phase and will be submitted soon to Aquatic Toxicology. Debbie and Alexis helped establish the histology laboratory that we currently have. 

Publication 

• Killian, D.; Faheem, M.; Reh, B.; Wang, X.; Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Effects of Chronic Roundup Exposure on Medaka Larvae. J. Xenobiot. 13: 500–508. https://doi.org/10.3390/ jox13030032.

Alexis joined the Bhandari Lab in Fall 2018. Her honors research project is focused on transgenerational BPA effects on expression of kisspeptin in the extra-hypothalamic areas of the brain.

Manthi joined the lab as a post-bac. She is establishing an immunohistochemical technique to detect environmentally induced histone modifications in gonads, liver, and brain. Her current research project is focused on BPA-induced transgenerational non-alcoholic fatty liver symptoms in medaka.

Publication

• Chakraborty, S., Dissanayake, M., Godwin, J., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Ancestral BPA exposure caused defects in the liver of medaka for four generations. Science of the Total Environment.856 (1):159067.

Amanda joined or lab in the fall of 2018. She focused on the development of medaka embryos and the effects of bisphenols on germ cells. Throughout her stay, she assisted Dr. Wang with embryo collection, animal care, animal protocols, etc. Amanda was a valuable member of our lab. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student at the University of Pittsburg, School of Medicine.

Jasmine is working together with Megan Doldron on cannabinoid exposure project. She is overseeing chronic exposure effects of THC on bronchial epithelial cells in vitro.

Shaun is working closely with Dr. Xuegeng Wang to study epigenetic effects of environmental estrogens and teratogens on medaka embryo and DOHaD/POHaD and correction of transgenerational epimutations by CRISPR-dCas9 method.

Drake participated in research projects concerning glyphosate effects on medaka larvae. He learned molecular lab techniques required for addressing effects of glyphosate mainly oxidative stress-related gene response in the medaka larvae following 15 days of chronic exposure. Drake teamed up with Arianna and Beh Reh. He is currently working in a fossil fuel company.

Arianna started this lab as a freshmen in fall 2017. She studied the ability of antioxidants to alleviate environmentally induced epigenetic alterations in germ cells and embryos in medaka. Arianna, Beh, and Drake formed a team of excellent undergraduate researchers who cracked the code of gene-environment interactions in embryonic and postnatal germ stem cells. Manuscripts are in preparation. 

Zerin is working together with Yashi to examine cannabinoid effects on germ cells. She is developing a hanging drop method for in vitro culture of developing medaka testis (germline stem cells)

Manthi and Julia worked together with Sourav to examine BPA-induced transgenerational non-alcoholic fatty liver symptoms in medaka. 

Publication

• Chakraborty, S., Dissanayake, M., *Godwin, J., Wang, X., Bhandari, R.K. (2023). Ancestral BPA exposure caused defects in the liver of medaka for four generations. Science of the Total Environment.856 (1):159067.

• Morgan Rector, Fall 2021- Spring 2022: Provided animal care and helped Gaurav with his experiments.

• Ahmad Romero, Fall 2020 ~ Spring 2022. Learned about how to design a graduate research project. 

• Coryanna Jefferies, Spring 2021- Spring 2022

• Ally Hannon, Spring 2022, Cytotechnology Program, CPCC, Charlotte.  Helped Gaurav with his experiments.

• Bendra Ruto, Spring and Summer 2022: Provided animal care. 

• Jadah Crandell, Summer 2022: Provided animal care. 

• Makayla Davis, Summer 2022: Provided animal care. 

• Verdant Julius, Spring 2022-Fall 2022

• Donajah Cherry (Fall 2021-Spring 2023): Helped Sourav in his NAFLD experiments. 

• Tyler Niles (Fall 2021-Spring 2022): Helped Sourav with his histological sample processing. 

• Shateanu’ Bryant (Fall 2022- Spring 2023): Helped Gaurav in his CRISPR-dCas9 project. 

• Jessica Jenkins (Spring 2022-Spring 2023): Helped Megan Doldron with her cell culture experiments. 

• Kianna Garcia (Spring 2023): Provided animal care. 

• Gabrianna Gladhart (Spring 2023): Worked with Seriah Coe and help her in her experiments and data entry.

• Tyler Sexton (Spring 2023): Analyzed the transcriptome of medaka fish exposed to delta 9 THC during adulthood. Presented a poster at the undergraduate colloquium at UNCG in 2023.

• Mohammad Omar (Spring 2023): Data entry. 

• Evelyn Ranchito (Summer 2023): Provided animal care. 

• Cameron Taylor (Spring 2023-Summer 2023): Provided animal care. 

• Kiran Jahid (Summer 2023): Provided animal care. 

• Triquina Harrison (Fall 2021- Summer 2023): Provided animal care. 

Chris earned his Bachelor of Science in Zoology, Ecology, and Biochemistry from Ball State University in May 2008, where he spent 2 years creating an insulator knockdown (USF-1) and studying its epigenetic effects on chicken erythropoiesis by examining histone modifications across the beta-globin locus in-vitro (6C2 cells). Chris went on to earn his Master of Science in Biological Science from the University of Northern Colorado in December 2013. His thesis work involved studying the effects of captivity or season on the venom composition within individual snakes of two different species, Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes and Prairie Rattlesnakes, respectively. He was also able to identify the taxon-specific properties of the most abundant venom compound, myotoxin-a, in northern populations of Prairie Rattlesnakes, which was lethal in mice but harmless to lizards. Chris went on to teach high school and college Biology for several years while tutoring Math, serving as vice president of a nonprofit organization, and providing educational outreach (including radio shows) at the local and state levels on topics pertaining to Biology and snakes. Chris will join the laboratory as a Ph.D. student in the Fall 2020. His tentative research project is to understand the mechanisms underlying gene-environment interactions. He will take cellular, biochemical, and histological approaches and genome/epigenome manipulation methods in primary cells in vitro and medaka fish in vivo.

Mohamed joined my lab in Spring 2023 and moved to the University of Missouri. He took a leave of absence in Spring 2024.