Environmental Endocrinology Laboratory (EEL)
John McLachlan, Ph.D.
Dr. McLachlan received his B.A. degree in Liberal Arts from the Johns Hopkins University and a doctoral degree in pharmacology from the George Washington University.
Before coming to Tulane and Xavier in 1995, he spent the previous two decades at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the world’s largest and most comprehensive center for research on the effects of environmental factors on human health. While at NIEHS, Dr. McLachlan’s scientific contributions led to his discovery of the mechanisms by which environmental chemicals alter fetal development. Dr. McLachlan was named Scientific Director of the NIEHS in 1989.
In his first five years in New Orleans, Dr. McLachlan established a Program in the Environment and Women’s Health, formed the nation’s first Center in Environmental Astrobiology, and initiated the Mississippi River Interdisciplinary Research Program.
Dr. McLachlan’s scientific findings and thoughts have been published in over 150 journal articles, 50 book chapters and 5 edited books. He presents, on average, 30 invited lectures per year and has provided scientific counsel to numerous government agencies, most recently, the European Parliament.
His pioneering research on environmental chemicals that mimic the female hormone, estrogen, has established a new field of research called environmental signaling or endocrine disruption. With his leadership, the CBR has become the internationally recognized focal point for research and communication in this important area of environmental study.
Dr. McLachlan’s wide range of research interests is reflected in his community service and awards. He has worked to facilitate environmental literacy among New Orleans school children. His interests in the environment and fetal development led to his appointment as a board member of the Children’s Environmental Health Network. He was presented a lifetime achievement award by the consumers’ organization, DES Action, on behalf of the approximately 4 million women exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy. In May 2000, he received the “Hero of the Year” award from the Breast Cancer Fund.
In recognition for his vision and skills, Dr. McLachlan was awarded the prestigious NIH Directors Award just before coming to New Orleans, and in April 1997, he, along with Tiger Woods and George W. Bush, was selected by Newsweek magazine for the “Century Club: One of the 100 People to Watch as America Moves into the Next Millennium.”
John McLachlan's Environmental Endocrinology Laboratory utilizes cutting edge techniques to study environmental signaling. The major area of concentration for the lab's work is environmental estrogens – natural and synthetic chemicals that interact with the estrogen receptor. Lab members examine the interaction of environmental chemicals with other steroid receptors, as well as cellular signaling pathways. Model systems used in these studies include breast and endometrial cancer cell lines. The function of these compounds in animal systems is also examined.
Current foci include:
- Phytochemical signaling from legume roots to Rhizobium soil bacteria, which initiates the communication central to symbiosis
- Investigation of the mechanism by which peptide hormone-generated cell signaling pathways function to regulate estrogen receptor activation and gene expression
- The role of estrogenic and anti-estrogenic flavonoid photochemicals in the regulation of the estrogen receptor function
- The effect of environmental chemicals (pesticides, plasticizers, and phytochemicals) on cell-signaling and AP-1 activity
- The physiological mechanisms by which the brain controls behavior
- The behavioral effects of phytoestrogens on an aging central nervous system
- The breakdown process involved in aromatic contaminants
and petrochemical remediation
Selected Papers
Year |
Authors |
Title |
Journal |
2009 |
Myers, vom Saal, Akingbemi, Arizono, Belcher, Colborn, Chahoud, Crain, Farabollini, Guillette, Hassold, Ho, Hunt, Iguchi, Jobling, Kanno, Laufer, Marcus, McLachlan, Nadal, Oehlmann, Olea, Palanza, Parmigiani, Rubin, Schoenfelder, Sonnenschein, Soto, Talsness, Taylor, N. Vandenberg, Vandenbergh, Vogel, WatsoG. n, Welshons, Zoeller |
Environmental Health Perspectives |
|
2009 |
Boue´, Tilghman, Elliott, Zimmerman, Williams, Payton-Stewart, Miraflor, Howell, Shih, Carter-Wientjes, Segar, Beckman, Wiese, Cleveland, McLachlan, Burow |
Identification of the Potent Phytoestrogen Glycinol in Elicited Soybean (Glycine max) |
Endocrinology |
2009 |
Rhodes, Muir, Elliott, Guillot, Antoon, Penfornis, Tilghman, Salvo, Fonseca, Lacey, Beckman, McLachlan, Rowan, Pochampally, Burow |
Adult human mesenchymal stem cells enhance breast |
Breast Cancer Res Treat |
2009 |
Nierth-Simpson, Martin, Chiang, Melnik, Rhodes, Muir, Burow, and McLachlan |
Endocrinology |
|
2009 |
Bratton, Frigo, Vigh-Conrad, Fan, Wadsworth, McLachlan, and Burow |
Carcinogenesis |
|
2008 |
Crain, Janssen, Edwards, Heindel, Ho, Hunt, Iguchi, Juul, McLachlan, Schwartz, Skakkebaek, Soto, Swan, Walker, Woodruff, Woodruff, Giudice, and Guillette |
Female reproductive disorders: the roles of endocrine-disrupting compounds and developmental timing |
Fertility and Sterility |
2008 |
Fox, Burow, McLachlan , Miller |
Nature Protocols |
|
2007 |
Wetherill, Akingbemi, Kanno, McLachlan, Nadal, Sonnenschein, Watson, Zoeller, Belcher |
Reproductive Toxicology |
|
2007 |
vom Saal, Akingbemi, Belcherc, Birnbaum, Crain, Eriksen, Farabollini, Guillette, Hauser, Heinde, Shuk-Mei Ho, Hunt, Iguchi, Jobling, Kanno, Keri, Knudsen, Laufer, LeBlanc, Marcus, McLachlan, Myers, Nadal, Newbold, Olea, Prins, Richter, Rubin, Sonnenschein, Soto, Talsness, Vandenbergh, Vandenberg, Walser-Kuntz, Watson, Welshons, Wetherill and Zoeller |
Reproductive Toxicology |
|
2007 |
Fox, Gulledge, Engelhaupt, Burow, and McLachlan |
Pesticides reduce symbiotic efficiency of nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and host plants |
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A |
2006 |
Crews and McLachlan |
Epigenetics, Evolution, Endocrine Disruption, Health, and Disease |
Endocrinology |
2006 |
McLachlan, Nierth-Simson, Martin |
Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism |
|
2006 |
Guillette, Conard, Lares, Aguilar, McLachlan, Guillette |
Altered breast development in young girls from an agricultural environment |
Environmental Health Perspectives |
2006 |
Frigo, Basu, Nierth-Simpson, Weldon, Dugan, Elliott, Collins-Burow, Salvo, Zhu, Melnik, Lopez, Kushner, Curiel, Rowan, McLachlan, Burow |
Molecular Endocrinology |
|
2006 |
McLachlan |
International Journal of Epidemiology |
|
2005 |
Frigo, Vigh, Struckhoff, Elliott, Beckman, Burow, McLachlan |
Xenobiotic-induced TNF-alpha expression and apoptosis through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway |
Toxicology Letters |
2004 |
Frigo, Tang, Beckman, Scandurro, Alam, Burow, McLachlan |
Mechanism of AP-1 mediated gene expression by select organochlorines through the p38 MAPK pathway |
Carcinogenesis |
2004 |
Fox, Starevic, Jones, Burow, McLachlan |
Environmental Health Perspectives |
|
2003 |
Li, Chiang, Richard-Davis, Barrett, McLachlan |
DNA hypomethlyation and imbalanced expression of DNA methyltransferases in uterine leiomyomas |
Gynecologic Oncology |
2003 |
Li, Hansman, Newbold, Davis, McLachlan, Barrett |
Molecular Carcinogenesis |
|
2003 |
Li, Hursting, Davis, McLachlan, Barrett |
Environmental exposure, DNA Methlyation, and Gene Regulation |
Annals of the NY Academy of Sciences |
2003 |
Boue, Wiese, Nehls, Burow, Elliott, Carter-Wientjes, Shih, McLachlan, Cleveland |
Evaluation of the Estrogenic Effects of Legume Extracts Containing Phytoestrogens |
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |
2002 |
Frigo, Duong, Melnik, Schief, Collins-Burow, Pace, McLachlan, Burow |
Journal of Nutrition |
|
2002 |
Frigo, Burow, Mitchell, Chiang, McLachlan |
Environmental Health Perspectives |
|
2001 |
O'Neil, Burow, Green, McLachlan, Henson |
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology |
|
2001 |
Oberdorster, Clay, Cottam, Wilmot, McLachlan, Milner |
Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
|
2001 |
McLachlan, Burow, Chiang, Li |
Gene imprinting in developmental toxicology; a possilbe interface between physiology and pathology |
Toxicology Letters |
2001 |
McLachlan |
Environmental Signaling: what embryos and evolution teach us about endocrine disrupting chemicals |
Endocrine Reviews |
2001 |
Li, McLachlan |
Annals of the NY Academy of Sciences |
|
2001 |
Li, Chiang, Richard-Davis, Williams, Wilson, McLachlan |
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism |
|
2001 |
Li, Ma, Chiang, Burow, Newbold, Negishi, Barrett, McLachlan |
Molecular Carcinogenesis |
|
2001 |
Cheek, Brouwer, Carroll, Manning, McLachlan, Brouwer |
Experimental evaluation of vitellogenin as a predictive biomarker for reproductive disruption |
Environmental Health Perspectives |
2001 |
Burow, Boue, Collins-Burow, Melnik, Duong, Carter-Wientjes, Li, Wiese, Cleveland, McLachlan |
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism |
|
2001 |
Burow, Weldon, Tang, McLachlan, Beckman |
Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
|
2000 |
Newbold, Hanson, Jefferson, Bullock, Haseman, McLachlan |
Carcinogenesis |
|
1999 |
Burow, Tang, Collins-Burow, Krajewski, Reed, McLachlan, Beckman |
Effects of environmental estrogens on tumor necrosis factor alpha mediated apoptosis in MCF-7 cells |
Carcinogenesis |
1997 |
Klotz, Ladlie, Vonier, McLachlan, Arnold |
o,p'-DDT and its metabolites inhibit progesterone-dependent responses in yeast and human cells |
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology |
1978 |
Korach, Metzler, McLachlan |
Estrogenic activity in vivo and in vitro of some diethlystilbestrol metabolites and analogs |
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |