Overview
Dr. Jayasundara studies adverse human and ecological health outcomes of anthropogenic environmental change, primarily emphasizing studies on environmental drivers of kidney development and health. Of particular interest are aquatic contaminants in natural streams and the drinking water and the role of heat stress as an effect modifier. Ongoing projects in the laboratory aim to
1. Determine interactive effects of agrochemicals on kidney mitochondrial function in the context of chronic kidney disease epidemic in agricultural communities by integrating on environmental epidemiology and mechanistic toxicology studies.
2. Examine mitochondrial responses to acute and chronic heat exposure during organismal development and linking to later-life metabolic consequences
3. Elucidate the role of genetic, epigenetic, and gut microbiome shifts associated with evolved resistance to chemical pollutants and fitness consequences.
4. Assess water quality through citizen science and community engagement in multiple domestic and global communities.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Environmental Microbial Cues Alter Embryonic Development and Stress Responses in Vertebrates: Insights From the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Model.
Journal Article Mol Ecol · December 2025 Host-microbiome interactions shape key physiological processes, including bioenergetics, neurodevelopment and xenobiotic metabolism, and strongly influence the ecological fitness of the host. However, our understanding of host-microbiome interactions is pr ... Full text Link to item CiteIs Fluoride the Culprit? Revisiting Evidence on Environmental Origins of Chronic Kidney Disease of Uncertain Etiology (CKDu): A Narrative Review.
Journal Article Toxics · November 2025 Fluoride is increasingly discussed as a geogenic risk factor for chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu); an epidemic of kidney disease is affecting hot tropical farming communities worldwide. Emerging evidence continues to support the associat ... Full text CiteIntegrating Contaminant Source Indicators, Water Quality Measures, and Ecotoxicity to Characterize Contaminant Mixtures and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Variability in an Urban Watershed.
Journal Article Environmental science & technology · July 2025 Thousands of chemical contaminants threaten watersheds but are time and cost prohibitive to monitor. Identifying their sources, transport, and ecological risk is limited in heterogeneous urban watersheds. We present an integrative watershed approach using ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
GCR: The other plastic problem: quantifying and predicting impacts of plastic additives across levels of biological and social organization
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2024 - 2029Duke University Program in Environmental Health
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2019 - 2029The other plastic problem: weathering and plastic additives synergize to impact organismal health
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. · 2025 - 2028View All Grants