Research Projects

Plastic pollution, particularly the accumulation of nanoplastics (NPs), has emerged as a critical environmental and health issue due to its pervasiveness and bioavailability. Due to their ability to enter biological systems and interfere with cellular function, polystyrene (PS) NPs, which are extensively utilized in consumer goods and packaging, pose a serious risk to aquatic ecosystems. Even with increased awareness, little is known about the molecular pathways behind PSNPs toxicity, particularly at the genomic and epigenomic levels. Because of their genetic resemblance to humans, zebrafish (Danio rerio), a well-known model organism in developmental biology and toxicology studies, provide an excellent system for understanding the molecular mechanism of PSNPs toxicity. There is a crucial knowledge vacuum about how NPs alter gene expression, epigenetic regulation and gut microbiome alteration despite preliminary research suggesting that they might induce oxidative stress, inflammation, and developmental defects. By examining the metagenomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic changes driving PSNPs toxicity in zebrafish, our project proposal seeks to fill up these information gaps. In particular, epigenomic investigations reveal alterations in DNA methylation, 16S rRNA sequencing characterises microbial dysbiosis while RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) will be used to detect differential gene expression (DGE) related biochemical and signaling pathways involved in PSNPs toxicity. To provide a thorough knowledge of PSNPs induced toxicity, these discoveries will be connected with phenotypic results, including neurotoxicity and behavioural alterations. This work has two scientific justifications: first, it aims to improve our basic knowledge of how NPs interact with biological systems; second, it seeks to find biomarkers and pathways that can guide mitigation strategies for the negative impacts of NPs pollution on the environment and human health. This study will support international initiatives to combat plastic pollution and its effects on the environment and human health by bridging the gap between genomic and epigenomic viewpoints.