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Much of the work in my laboratory has focused on alligators
living in polluted lakes, especially Lake Apopka, northwest
of Orlando, Florida (see map). Alligators from this lake,
and other polluted lakes, have altered functioning of the
ovaries and testes and small penis size. The public and
scientific response to this work has been great, and driven
,in part, by reports of increased abnormalities in the
genitalia in baby boys from numerous populations
worldwide.
Current work continues to examine wildlife populations
exposed to effluent from pulp mills, feedlots and sewage
plants. We also have begun extensive studies on the
endocrine disruptive actions of fertilizers. We recently
demonstrated that abnormalities in wildlife go beyond the
reproductive system, as we have reported on problems of the
thyroid gland, liver and immune system. The work from my
laboratory was cited during congressional hearings and used
to support the passing of the 1997 Food Quality Protection
Act. Wildlife are environmental sentinels of ecosystem
health - they also provide warnings for our own health as
well.
My students and I currently collaborate with scientists from
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, CDC
and EPA and several national and international laboratories
on various studies of wildlife and human populations (see
current collaborations). An interdisciplinary and
integrative approach has defined the work in my laboratory
to date and will continue to do so in the future (see
current research activities).
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