Faculty Profile
Dana C Dolinoy, PhD, MSc
- NSF International Chair of Environmental Health Sciences
- Professor, Environmental Health Sciences
- Professor, Nutritional Sciences
Dr. Dolinoy has a broad background in genomics and toxicology, with specific interest in epigenetic research, including environmental epigenomics and the developmental origins of health and disease. Her research integrates the work of toxicologists, epidemiologists, and bioinformaticians to fully characterize effects of environmental factors on the epigenome while developing precision environmental epigenomics tools for the wider toxicological research and therapeutic communities, with a particular focus on metabolic syndrome, neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer. Additionally she serves as the Director of the University of Michigan NIEHS P30 Core Center, entitled 'Lifestage Environmental Exposures and Diseases' (M-LEEaD) and as Faculty Director of the Michigan Medical Center's Epigenomics Core. Overall, Dr. Dolinoy has a strong commitment to environmental and nutritional epigenomics research, especially as it relates to sensitive subpopulations, including those at risk for very early environmental insults that set the stage for adult disease risk, such as cancer.
- PhD, Duke University, 2007
- MSc, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, 2003
- BA, Duke University, 1998
Research Interests:
Children's Environmental Health, Cancer and the Environment, Developmental Origins
of Disease, Epigenetics, Epigenome Editing, Nutrient-Toxicant Interactions
Research Projects:
Dr. Dolinoy's Environmental Epigenomics and Precision Environmental Health NIEHS R35
RIVER Project is advancing the understanding of the effects of representative perinatal
exposures (e.g. metals including lead and endocrine active compounds including phthalates)
on the epigenome and longitudinal health risks. To accomplish this, we use human physiologically
relevant mouse models and longitudinal human birth cohort samples alongside targeted
and unbiased approaches to evaluate DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, chromatin structure,
and gene expression in both sexes in multiple tissues, incorporating single cell approaches
when relevant.
Dr. Dolinoy directs the Michigan Center on Lifestage Environmental Exposures and Disease (M-LEEaD)(NIEHS P30). Our mission is to promote translational research using novel multi-disciplinary approaches to better understand the impact of environmental exposures on risk of disease through mechanisms involving epigenetic modifications during vulnerable stages of life. M-LEEaD Website: http://ehscc.umich.edu/
Dr. Dolinoy is a member of the NIEHS TaRGET II Consortia, a network of laboratories that evaluates tissue- and cell-specific epigenetic alterations associated with perinatal exposures and disease outcomes. https://targetepigenomics.org/
Dr. Dolinoy is MPI of the Maternal Metabolic and Molecular Changes Induced by Preconception Weight Loss and Their Effects on Birth Outcomes NIDDK R01 that investigates significant weight loss prior to conception and improved intrauterine metabolic environment as reflected in the maternal metabolome and inflammation-related proteome and result in changes in methylation patterns in cord blood leukocytes.
More Project Information on the DoGood-Pi Laboratory website: https://dogoodspilab.squarespace.com/projects
Perera B.P.U, Morgan R.K., Polemi K.M., Sala-Hamrick K.E., Svoboda L.K., Dolinoy D.C. PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) and Epigenetic Editing in Environmental Health Sciences. Current Environmental Health Reports. 2022
Turpin B., Baccarelli A., Dockery D., Dolinoy D., Levy J., Liu Y., Perry M., Remais J., Wills-Karp M. Department Chairs Weigh In: Environmental Health Education is More Essential Than Ever. American Journal of Public Health 2021.
Perera B.P.U., Z. Tsai, T. Colwell, T.R. Jones, J.M. Goodrich, C. Faulk, M.A. Sartor and D.C. Dolinoy (2019). Somatic expression of piRNA and associated machinery in the mouse identifies short, tissue-specific piRNAs. Epigenetics. 2019.
Neier K., D. Cheatham, L. Bedrosian, B. Gregg, P.X.K. Song and D.C. Dolinoy (2019). Longitudinal metabolic impacts of perinatal exposure to phthalates and phthalate mixtures in mice. Endocrinology.
Kochmanski J., J.M. Goodrich, K.E. Peterson, J.C. Lumeng and D.C. Dolinoy (2018). Neonatal DNA Methylation Patterns are Associated with Childhood Weight Status in the Healthy Families Project. Pediatric Research.
Kochmanski J., E.H. Marchlewicz, R.G. Cavalcante, B.P.U. Perera, M.A. Sartor and D.C. Dolinoy (2018). Longitudinal effects of developmental bisphenol A exposure on epigenome-wide DNA hydroxymethylation at imprinted loci in mouse blood. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2018
Email: [email protected]
Office: 734-647-3155
Address: 6671 SPH I
1415 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
For media inquiries: [email protected]
Areas of Expertise: Cancer, Child Health, Environmental Health, Epigenetics, Genetics, Maternal Health, Nutrition, Precision Health, Reproductive Health, Toxicology
Dana Dolinoy in the News
Researchers study epigenetic changes with PFAS exposure in mother-infant pairs
New research from Michigan Public Health