My research is concerned with recognition factors determining specificities of molecular interactions in biological systems. Specific areas of research pursued in the laboratory include:

1. Defining molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with inherited susceptibility to toxicant-induced neurobehavioral deficits in humans;

2. The development of drug targeting systems for cancer therapy;

3. The structure-function relationship of the carbohydrate moieties of glycoconjugates.

	Oligodendroglia in developmental neurotoxicity. Deng W, Poretz RD. Neurotoxicology. 2003 Mar;24(2):161-78.
	Protein kinase C activation is required for the lead-induced inhibition of proliferation and differentiation of cultured oligodendroglial progenitor cells. Deng W, Poretz RD. Brain Res. 2002 Mar 1;929(1):87-95.
	Lead alters the developmental profile of the galactolipid metabolic enzymes in cultured oligodendrocyte lineage cells. Deng W, Poretz RD. Neurotoxicology. 2001 Aug;22(4):429-37.
	Lead causes human fibroblasts to mis-sort arylsulfatase A. Chen XG, Poretz RD. Toxicology. 2001 Jun 21;163(2-3):107-14.