Inspiration Dissemination

Per- or Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of chemicals that are known for their ability to contaminate our environment and be resistant to breaking down. However, there’s still a lot to learn about their potential for toxicity. One way scientists can better understand PFAS toxicity is by using the embryonic zebrafish models. These tiny fish have a genome that is around 70% similar to humans. This makes the zebrafish a powerful tool in understanding how some chemicals may express toxicity in humans. Eli Cowan is a second-year PhD student in the lab of Robyn Tanguay, which is a part of the Environmental and Molecular Toxicology lab here at OSU. His research focuses on using the zebrafish model to understand how PFAS exposure may lead to adverse effects in development. With this data and using his in-dept knowledge of biology, Eli then can help answer questions about how PFAS may be toxic to people. Eli was raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he first encountered zebrafish toxicology in a locally-based lab. Eli has always been a natural born scientist, and that curiosity has led him all the way across the country pushing the bounds of science.

What is Inspiration Dissemination?

Inspiration Dissemination is an award-winning radio program that occurs Sunday nights at 7PM Pacific on KBVR Corvallis, 88.7FM. Each week on the program, we host a different graduate student worker from Oregon State University to talk about their lives and passion for research here at the university. By presenting these stories, we can present the diverse, human element of graduate research that is often hidden from the public view.

Please find us on social media!

Twitter: twitter.com/kbvrID

facebook: www.facebook.com/InspirationDissemination/

Blog: blogs.oregonstate.edu/inspiration/

Radio Station: www.orangemedianetwork.com/kbvr_fm

Host University: oregonstate.edu

This show was founded in 2012 by Joey Hulbert and Zhian Kamvar. It has been made possible by all the current and former hosts of the show, Orange Media Network, the KBVR-FM students and staff, and of course the amazing graduate students at Oregon State University.