National Grand Rounds - February 2024

Dr. Rand is an associate professor in the department of environmental medicine at URMC. Dr. Rand's research focuses on the mechanisms of neural developmental toxicity of the persistent environmental toxin methylmercury (MeHg). Human exposure to MeHg through dietary intake of fish continues to be a major health concern. MeHg preferentially targets the developing nervous system leaving the fetus and young children at greatest risk from exposure. However, considerable uncertainty remains as to the risk of MeHg versus the benefit of essential nutrients in a fish diet. Further uncertainty stems from the wide range of inter-individual variability seen in neurological outcomes, both with MeHg-exposed laboratory animals and in human epidemiological studies of children in fish eating populations.

Dr. Nacca is the director of Medical toxicology and Associate Fellowship Director at the University of Rochester Medical Center. In addition to being faculty member in the Department of Emergency Medicine he holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Environmental Medicine. His primary role is staffing the educational and clinical medical toxicology consultation service, with educational responsibilities to medical toxicology fellows, multidisciplinary teams of medical residents, pharmacy residents and students, as well as medical students. He staffs and directs a referral based outpatient Medical Toxicology Clinic.