William S. Baldwin

Associate Professor



Contact Information

Phone:  864-646-2185
Fax:  864-646-2277
E-mail:  Baldwin@clemson.edu

Education

  • B.S. in Biology (Chemistry minor), Central Michigan University, 1989
  • Ph.D. in Toxicology, North Carolina State University, 1995
  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Molecular Carcinogenesis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 1997

Research Interests

My research focuses on an organism ability to adapt to environmental stressors such as foreign chemicals and toxic endobiotics. Nuclear receptors such as CAR and PXR in mammals and HR96 in invertebrates are important in inducing protective enzymes and helping organisms adapt to environmental stressors. We use a variety of techniques including lifecycle testing, transactivation assays, transgenic technologies, siRNA, bioinformatics, microarrays and Q-PCR to study how organisms adapt to toxicants. In turn, we are involved in the Fundulus and Daphnia Genomics Consortiums. Current projects are listed below.

  1. We study how the aquatic invertebrate, Daphnia pulex adapts to environmental stressors. Our current project investigates the role of the recently annotated orphan nuclear receptors from Daphnia that putatively recognize a variety of toxicants and help this important crustacean adapt to toxicant stress. The role of the P450 detoxification genes induced by nuclear receptors also investigated.
  2. We study the role of the nuclear receptors CAR and PXR in responding to toxicant stress. Currently, we are interested in the potential for chemical mixtures and endocrine disrupters to activate CAR and/or PXR, induce P450s and in turn cause adverse drug reactions. Furthermore, we study the role of different Cyp subfamilies in producing inactive or active (toxic) products.
  3. Lastly, we use Fundulus microarrays and Q-PCR to determine if remediation at highly contaminated estuarine sites on the east coast is proceeding as anticipated.

Selected Publications

  • Roling, J.A., Bain, L.J., Baldwin, W.S. (2004) Differential gene expression in mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) following treatment with pyrene:  comparison to a creosote contaminated site.  Mar. Environ. Res., 57:  377-395.

  • Chapman, L.M., Roling, J.A., Herald, M.R., Bingham, L.K., Baldwin, W.S. (2004) Construction of a subtractive library from hexavalent chromium treated winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) reveals alterations in non-selenium glutathione peroxidases.  Aquat. Toxicol., 67, 181-194.

  • Kretschmer, X.C., Baldwin, W.S. (2005). CAR and PXR:  Xenosensors of Endocrine Disrupters?  Chem-Biol. Interac., 155, 111-128.

  • Acevedo, R., Villanueva, H., Parnell, P.G., Chapman, L.M., Gimenez, T., Gray, S.L., Baldwin, W.S. (2005) The contribution of hepatic steroid metabolism to serum estradiol and estriol concentrations in nonylphenol treated MMTVneu mice and its potential effects on breast cancer incidence and latency.  J. Appl. Toxicol., 25, 339-353.

  • Roling, J.A., Bain, L.J., Gardea-Torresdey, J., Bader, J., Baldwin, W.S.  (2006) Hexavalent chromium reduces juvenile growth and alters gene expression in Fundulus heteroclitus.  Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 25: 62-70. 

  • Hernandez, J.P., Chapman, L.M., Kretschmer, X.C., Baldwin, W.S.  (2006) Sexually dimorphic P450 induction in FVB/NJ mice following nonylphenol treatment.  Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 216:  186-196.

  • Roling, J.A., Bain, L.J., Gardea-Torresdey, J., Key, P.B., Baldwin, W.S. (2007) Using mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) arrays to monitor the effectiveness of remediation at a superfund site in Charleston, South Carolina.  Environ Toxicol Chem., 26: 1205-1213. 

  • Hernandez, J.P., Huang, W., Chapman, L.M., Chua, S., Moore, D.D, Baldwin, W.S. (2007) The environmental estrogen, nonylphenol, activates the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR).  Toxicol. Sci., 98: 416-426.

Recent Courses

  • Endocrinology
  • Eukaryotic Gene Regulation: Mammalian Physiology

Previous Courses

  • Mechanistic Toxicology

Graduate Students

  • Basma Damiri
  • Gautam Ginjupalli
  • Yangchun Li
  • Linda Mota

Professional Affiliations

  • Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (1990-present)
  • Society of Toxicology (1993-present)
  • American Associate for the Advancement of Science (1995-present)
  • Endocrine Society  (2005-present)
  • International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (2005-present)