{"id":987,"date":"2022-10-01T21:42:38","date_gmt":"2022-10-01T21:42:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/sites\/sepulveda\/?page_id=987"},"modified":"2026-09-21T19:36:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T19:36:53","slug":"modeling-of-pfas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/sites\/sepulveda\/modeling-of-pfas\/","title":{"rendered":"Modeling of PFAS"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \n
\n
\n \n\n
\n

Modeling of PFAS Mixture Toxicity<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Principal Investigator(s):<\/strong> Dr. Marisol Sep\u00falveda<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Graph<\/figure><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n

Researchers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"Y.<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Youn Jeong Choi<\/strong>
Analytical Chemist<\/em>
<\/sup>Purdue Agronomy<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"Supratik<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

S. Kar<\/strong>
Professor<\/sup><\/em>
Dorothy & George Hennings College of Science
Kean University, NJ<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"Tyler<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Tyler Hoskins<\/strong>
Research Assistant Faculty<\/sup><\/em>
Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"J.D.<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

J.D. Gantz<\/strong>
Morris & Ann Henry Odyssey Assistant Professor of Biology<\/sup><\/em>
Hendrix College, Arizona<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"Dr.<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Jason Hoverman<\/strong>
Professor<\/sup><\/em>
Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"Dr.<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Marisol Sep\u00falveda<\/strong>
Professor and Associate Head of Research<\/sup><\/em>
Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"Linda<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Linda Lee<\/strong>
Professor<\/sup><\/em>
Purdue Environmental and Ecological Engineering & Agronomy<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n

Research Objectives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Environmental exposure to per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occurs as mixtures. Importantly, the bioaccumulation potential and toxicity of a particular mixture is driven by the number of halogenated carbons and functional groups present. PFAS are also highly proteinophilic and known to bind to proteins. Hemoglobins (Hbs) are key proteins responsible for transporting oxygen to tissues and studies show PFAS can bind with Hb interfering with oxygen transport. Chironomids (midges) are highly sensitive to PFAS and >95% of all their hemolymph proteins are Hbs. Using a combination of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo tools, we will test the overarching hypothesis that binding of PFAS to Hbs is a tractable and sensitive physiological signal for predicting the toxicity of PFAS mixtures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n