Dr. Zarbl serves as the Director of the NIEHS sponsored Center for Environmental Exposures and Disease. He is also the Associate Director For Public Health Sciences at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. He serves on numerous national research review and advisory panels, and editorial panels.. Dr. Zarbl is known for his work in areas of toxicogenomics, and mechanisms of and genetic susceptibility to chemical carcinogenesis, mechanisms of mutagenesis and toxicity, and technology development. These research efforts have to date resulted in over 70 scientific papers and book chapters.

Research Areas

Research has focused largely on toxicogenomics and functional genomics, carcinogenesis, molecular and cellular biology, and toxicology. Specifically this has included work understand to molecular mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis and the genetic basis for differential susceptibility to mammary carcinogenesis using animal and in vitro model systems, and then translating the findings to human breast cancer.

Research Highlights

Studies in the rat model have included analysis of oncogene activation, mechanisms of signal transduction, and genetic linkage analysis to identify mammary tumor suppressor genes. He has also used toxicogenomics to dissect mechanisms of mechanism carcinogenesis, tumor progression and chemoprevention. His studies in the area of toxicogenomics include the development and application of standards for DNA microarray experiments, and phenotypic anchoring of response of human cells, model organisms (yeast) and target organs (rodents) to toxicants, providing insights into dose and temporal responses, as well as mechanisms of action. He is also actively involved in technology development for functional genomics and biomarker screening.

Recent Publications

1. Yang, Z, Black, K, Ohman-Strickland, P, Graber, JM, Kipen, HM, Fang, M, Zarbl, H. Disruption of central and peripheral circadian clocks and circadian controlled estrogen receptor rhythms in night shift nurses in working environments. FASEB J. 2024;38 (11):e23719. doi: 10.1096/fj.202302261RR. PubMed PMID:38837828
2. Yang, Z, DeLoid, GM, Baw, J, Zarbl, H, Demokritou, P. Assessment of Ingested Micro- and Nanoplastic (MNP)-Mediated Genotoxicity in an In Vitro Model of the Small Intestinal Epithelium (SIE). Nanomaterials (Basel). 2024;14 (9):. doi: 10.3390/nano14090807. PubMed PMID:38727401 PubMed Central PMC11085749
3. Park, Y, Kang, HG, Kang, SJ, Ku, HO, Zarbl, H, Fang, MZ, Park, JH. Combined use of multiparametric high-content-screening and in vitro circadian reporter assays in neurotoxicity evaluation. Arch Toxicol. 2024;98 (5):1485-1498. doi: 10.1007/s00204-024-03686-6. PubMed PMID:38483585 PubMed Central PMC10965668
4. Yang, Z, Zarbl, H, Guo, GL. Circadian Regulation of Endocrine Fibroblast Growth Factors on Systemic Energy Metabolism. Mol Pharmacol. 2024;105 (3):179-193. doi: 10.1124/molpharm.123.000831. PubMed PMID:38238100 PubMed Central PMC10877735
5. Yang, Z, DeLoid, GM, Zarbl, H, Baw, J, Demokritou, P. Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) and their potential toxicological outcomes: State of science, knowledge gaps and research needs. NanoImpact. 2023;32 :100481. doi: 10.1016/j.impact.2023.100481. PubMed PMID:37717636 PubMed Central PMC10841092
6. Venosa, A, Smith, LC, Gow, AJ, Zarbl, H, Laskin, JD, Laskin, DL. Macrophage activation in the lung during the progression of nitrogen mustard induced injury is associated with histone modifications and altered miRNA expression. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2021;423 :115569. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115569. PubMed PMID:33971176 PubMed Central PMC8496734
7. Liu, Y, Chen, X, Gong, Z, Zhang, H, Fei, F, Tang, X, Wang, J, Xu, P, Zarbl, H, Ren, X et al.. Fry Is Required for Mammary Gland Development During Pregnant Periods and Affects the Morphology and Growth of Breast Cancer Cells. Front Oncol. 2019;9 :1279. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01279. PubMed PMID:31824855 PubMed Central PMC6881260