Milton Levin

Background

About Milton Levin

Over the last 20 years, I have conducted hypothesis-driven research elucidating the toxic effects of environmental contaminants (e.g. PCBs, BFRs, PFCs), petroleum products (e.g. from oil spills) and HAB biotoxins (e.g. domoic acid, brevetoxin) on key innate and adaptive immune functions in variety of aquatic species, as well as humans, upon natural in vivo exposure and controlled laboratory in vitro exposure. The goals of my research are to 1) develop, validate and measure biomarkers of effects to evaluate the health of aquatic wildlife species and humans upon exposure to environmental chemicals, 2) apply the risk assessment approach to quantify the probability of harmful health effects in exposed populations, and 3) facilitate transfer of laboratory data to appropriate wildlife and public health officials. I envision that my research will contribute in helping to manage, reduce, and/or mitigate the negative impacts of environmental chemicals on the health of humans and aquatic wildlife. I have expertise in measuring innate and adaptive immune functions in laboratory mice, humans and a variety of aquatic species (oysters, lobsters polar bears, dolphins, seals). Experiments involve exposing primary immune cells in vitro to increasing concentrations of chemicals to assess the direct effects on immune function(s), or measuring baseline immune functions, which may then be correlated to body burdens of contaminants. Other experiments involve the in vivo exposure of laboratory animals (mice, fish) to chemicals, followed by the measurement of immune functions. The majority of the data are collected using FACS flow cytometry, ELISA, and the Luminex® multiplex platform. I also have extensive field experience around the world (USA, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Greenland), including restraining wild seals and bottlenose dolphins for health assessment programs, conducting field necropsies on marine mammals, and collecting, processing, and cryopreserving immune cells collected from live or subsistence hunted marine mammals.