Dr. Doorn’s research program is focused on elucidating mechanisms of neurotoxicity relevant to neurodegenerative disease with particular attention to the role of environmental contaminants. Of particular interest is the role of environmental organochlorines, e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dieldrin, and organophosphates in generating toxic conditions in vitro/in vivo that adversely modulate dopaminergic and glial cells, work highly relevant to neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions. Recent work examined the role of the organochlorine dieldrin in stressing dopaminergic cells to produce elevated levels of a toxic dopamne metabolite (i.e., 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde). In collaboration with the Iowa Superfund Research Program and Drs. Hans Lehmler and Hanna Stevens, Dr. Doorn has shown that PCBs and their human relevant metabolites target astrocyte mitochondria yielding a bioenergetic crisis, in particular a specific congener (PCB52 and its metabolites). In addition, he is interested in the role of natural product analogs in eliciting a protective response and collaborating with Drs. David Martin and Marie Gaine on a drug discovery project that focuses on the NRF2-KEAP1 system and neuroprotection against agents such as organophosphates.