- Environmental Nephrotoxicology/Renal Epidemiology: My laboratory examines the effects of environmental exposures on maternal and child cardiorenal health including blood pressure, kidney function, and novel biomarkers of kidney damage. Our ongoing research assesses population-level effects of complex toxicant exposures including metals, PFAS, phthalates, air pollution, pesticides, and heat stress with kidney health and function. Our ongoing transdisciplinary toxicologic work implements a risk assessment framework to assess population-relevant metal mixtures in mouse, zebrafish, and human kidney organoid models of toxicity.
- Sanders AP, Mazzella MJ, Malin AJ, Hair GM, Busgang SA, Saland J, Curtin P. (2019) Combined exposure to lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic and renal health in adolescents age 12-19 in NHANES 2009-2014. Environment International. 131: PMCID: PMC6750805.
- Sanders AP, Gennings C, Tamayo-Ortiz M, Mistry S, Pantic I, Martinez M, Estrada-Gutierrez G, Espejel-Nuñez A, Torres Olascoaga L, Wright RO, Tellez-Rojo MM, Arora M, Austin C. (2022) Prenatal and early childhood critical windows for the association of nephrotoxic metal and metalloid mixtures with kidney function. Environment International. 166. PMID 35797845.
- Perinatal and Life Course Environmental Epidemiology: Bridging the gaps between molecular-based and exposure science research, I conduct population-based studies with a focus on perinatal exposures and maternal and child health outcomes across the life course. These studies contribute to the growing body of literature indicating the role of metals, air pollution and other environmental exposures that may contribute to the complex nature of programmed kidney dysfunction, blood pressure changes, as well as reproductive health outcomes (e.g., hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, birth defects, preterm birth).
- Sanders AP, Svensson K, Gennings C, Burris HH, Oken E, Amarasiriwardena C, Basnet P, Pizano-Zarate ML, Schnaas L, Tamayo-Ortiz M, Baccarelli AA, Satlin LM, Wright RO, Tellez-Rojo MM. (2018) Prenatal lead exposure modifies the effect of shorter gestation on increased blood pressure in children. Environment International. 120: 464-471. PMCID: PMC6354251.
- Sanders AP, Desrosiers TA, Warren J, Herring AH, Enright D, Olshan AF, Meyer RE, Fry RC. (2014) Association between arsenic, cadmium, lead, and manganese levels in private wells and birth defects prevalence in North Carolina. BMC Public Health. 14(1): 955. PMCID: PMC4190372.
- Exposure Science: I have expertise in geostatistical mapping and characterization of metal exposure via biomarkers (e.g., urine, blood, nail) in US and international populations. My research has described the environmental occurrence of arsenic, cadmium, and lead in groundwater as well as biomonitored levels of toxic metals in pregnant women and children. By providing evidence of environmental metal exposure among susceptible populations, these works have helped to inform regulatory policy regarding metals screening during pregnancy and monitoring private wells.
- Sanders AP, Messier KP, Shehee M, Rudo K, Serre ML, Fry RC. (2012) Arsenic in North Carolina Domestic Wells: Public Health Implications. Environment International. 38 (1): 10-16. PMCID: PMC3539775.
- Sanders AP, Flood K, Chiang S, Herring AH, Wolf L, Fry RC. (2012) Towards prenatal biomonitoring in North Carolina: Assessing arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead levels in pregnant women. PLoS ONE. 7 (3). PMCID: PMC3302877.
- Metals Exposure, Epigenetics, and Molecular Epidemiology: My research has characterized exposure-associated epigenetic changes (microRNAs and DNA methylation) and urinary proteins in newborns and adults. This work has described the association between cervical microRNA expression and gestational age, as well as urinary exosomal microRNAs and proteins related to kidney function. I have implemented systems biology approaches to prevent metal-induced structural defects in an animal model. Our laboratory combines experimental and computational approaches to address these complex issues in a transdisciplinary manner.
- Sanders AP*, Burris HH*, Just AC, Motta V, Amarasiriwardena C, Svensson K, Oken E, Solano Gonzalez M, Mercado-Garcia A, Pantic I, Schwartz J, Tellez-Rojo MM, Baccarelli AA, Wright RO. (2015) Altered microRNA expression in the cervix during pregnancy associated with lead and mercury exposure. Epigenomics. 7:885-896. PMCID: PMC4648659. *Authors contributed equally
- Levin-Schwartz Y, Curtin P, Flores D, Aushev V, Pantic I, Estrada-Gutierrez G, Tamayo-Ortiz M, Gennings C, Baccarelli AA, Satlin LM, Tellez-Rojo MM, Wright RO, Sanders AP. (2021) Exosomal microRNAs in urine are associated with children’s cardiorenal parameters: a cross-sectional study. Epigenomics. 13(7): 499-512. PMCID: PMC8033423.
Education
2006 | University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA | BS, Biomedical Engineerin
2009 | University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI | MS Civil and Environmental Engineering; Certificate in Global Health
2013 | University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC | Environmental Sciences and Engineering; Minor in Epidemiology
2013 | Postdoctoral Fellowship: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY | Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine and Public Health
2023 | Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA | Certificate in Professional Coaching
Teaching
PUBHLT 3100 Grant and Thesis Proposal Writing for Public Health
EOH 3110 Science Communications and Professional Development
EPIDEM 2223 Introduction to Environmental Epidemiology
PUBLHT 422 Molecules of Life, Sickness, and Death
EOH 2013 Foundations of Environmental Health
Department/Affiliation
