Overview
Dr. Jayasundara studies adverse ecological and human health outcomes of anthropogenic environmental change. Specifically, Dr. Jayasundara focuses on various teleost fish species (e.g., zebrafish Danio rerio and Atlantic killifish Fundulus heteroclitus) and conduct field and laboratory studies that integrate functional genomics analyses, in vitro and in vivo physiological and biochemical assays, and mathematical modeling approaches. Ongoing projects aim to:
1. Determine interactive effects of metals and pesticides on kidney mitochondrial function in the context of chronic kidney disease epidemic in agricultural communities based on environmental epidemiology and mechanistic toxicology studies.
2. Examine mitochondrial responses to acute and chronic exposure to heat stress during organismal development and linking to later-life metabolic consequences
3. Elucidate the role of genetic, epigenetic, and gut microbiome shifts in evolved resistance to chemical pollutants.
4. Assess rural water quality through citizen science and community engagement in Maine and Sri Lanka