Yoke-Chen Chang did her BS, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, MS and PhD at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ and Post-Doc at UMDNJ/Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ. And she is currently working as an Assistant Research Professor at EOHSI university in toxicology department. Her research area in her lab involves research involving the vesicating agent, sulfur mustard (SM). There are two basic sides to the research. The first is a basic research aspect that involves elucidating the mechanism of action of the SM. In this capacity, they are looking at the direct effect of SM on protein-protein interactions of molecules known to stabilize the skin structural integrity (eg various laminins, collagens, and their integrin receptors). They are also looking at the effects of SM on keratinocyte adhesion and migration with in vitro assays. They also have an applied research program that involves an in vivo mouse ear vesicant model. They use this model to test potential therapeutic countermeasure agents against SM-induced skin injury. They use various histological, wound repair, and gene profile analysis assays to evaluate these compounds.

toxicology