Our research interest centers around the characterization of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) and toxicity of drugs and metals, including essential metals (iron, manganese and copper) and toxic heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic) in the context of environmental exposure and genetic susceptibility (gene-environment interactions). My laboratory elucidates the relationships between metal/drug transport and hematological, cardiovascular and neurological disorders in the areas of pharmacokinetics, drug delivery and toxicology. We further evaluate the physiological relevance of genes and molecules responsible for impaired iron transport and heavy metal toxicity using various animal models of iron-deficient anemia and iron-overload disorders – important and current public health issues. The very fundamental questions about metal transport and its regulation have applications for both pathophysiology and therapeutics for hematological, cardiovascular and neurological disorders.