Travis L Knuckles

Contributions to Public Health

While I am focused primarily on the educational mission of the department, I have an interest in vascular toxicity of air pollutants from various sources. These sources include nanoparticles, environmental samples from mountain top mining areas and samples collected during active hydraulic fracturing operations.  We have found in the past that each of these particle types can significantly reduce microvascular function.  These changes could have profound outcomes in individuals that manufacture these nanomaterials, or that live close to heavy industries. 

1. Knuckles TL, Yi J, Frazer DG, Leonard HD, Chen BT, Castranova V, Nurkiewicz TR. Nanoparticle inhalation alters systemic arteriolar vasoreactivity through sympathetic and cyclooxygenase-mediated pathways. Nanotoxicology 2012 November;6(7):724-35 PMID:21830860.
2. Knuckles TL, Stapleton PA, Minarchick VC, Esch L, McCawley M, Hendryx M, Nurkiewicz TR. Air Pollution Particulate Matter Collected from an Appalachian Mountaintop Mining Site Induces Microvascular Dysfunction. Microcirculation. 2013 20: 158-169. PMID:22963349
3. Luanpitpong, S., Chen, M., Knuckles, T., Wen, S., Luo, J., Ellis, E., Hendryx, M., and Y. Rojanasakul. Appalachian Mountaintop Mining Particulate Matter Induces Neoplastic Transformation of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells and Promotes Tumor Formation. Environmental Science and Technology 48 (21):12912-12919, 2014 PMID: 25347054
4. Nichols, C., Shepherd, D., Knuckles, T., Thapa, D., Stricker, J., Stapleton, P., Minarchick, V., Erdely, A., Zeidler-Erdely, P., Alway, S., Nurkiewicz, T., and J. Hollander. Cardiac and Mitochondrial Dysfunction Following Acute Pulmonary Exposure to Mountaintop Removal Mining Particulate Matter. AJP-Heart and Circ. Physiol., 309(12):H2017-2030, 2015 PMID: 26497962
5. Nye, M.*, Knuckles, T.*, Yan, B., Ross, J., Orem, W., Varonka, M., Thurston, G., Dzomba, A., and M. McCawley. Use of Tracer Elements for Estimating Community Exposure to Marcellus Shale Development Operations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Mar 12;17(6):1837, 2020. (*co-first Authors).