Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory
Bill Webster
Phone: 9351 2498; Fax: 9351 2813
Email: <billweb@anatomy.usyd.edu.au>
Laboratory - Phone: 9351 2674; Fax: 9351 6556
Other Personnel
- Dr Diana Oakes <diana@anatomy.usyd.edu.au> - Post-doctoral Fellow
- Dr Andrew Howe <andrew@anatomy.usyd.edu.au> - Honorary Research Associate
- Dr John Pollak <john@anatomy.usyd.edu.au> - Honorary Research Associate
- Dominique Abela <dabela@anatomy.usyd.edu.au> - Honours Student (2003)
Research Collaborators
- Dr Patricia Brown-Woodman - Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney
- Dr Helen Ritchie - Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney
Research Projects
1.
Our lab is investigating male-mediated developmental toxicity, particularly
after exposure to herbicides and chemicals used by servicemen during the
Vietnam War, by Australian farmers and by Australian Air Force Personnel.
Our aim is
to test the hypothesis that these chemical mixtures can damage germ
cells of male animals such that it leads to an increased incidence
of congenital malformations or other adverse outcomes in the male's
offspring. A range of in vivo and in vitro techniques are being
utilised in an effort to assess the mutagenic potential of these
chemical mixtures. This project is being funded by the Commonwealth
Department of Veterans Affairs.
2. Cleft lip constitutes almost half of all major facial malformation
its incidence ranges from 1:500- 2000 live births (dependent on race).
We have developed a rat model of cleft lip that is caused by subjecting
the developing fetus to hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia and subsequent
rebound oxygenation is suspected of causes free radical release. It is
suspected that these free radicals cause tissue damage. As well as
examining the mechanisms of cleft lip development we are examining
whether antioxidants can protect against cleft lip caused by fetal
hypoxia. The Australia Society of Orthodontists (ASO) and the
Australian Dental Research Fund (ADRF) support this research.
Recent Publications
- Byrne, M., Pollak, J., Oakes, D.J. and Laginestra, E. (2003).
Comparison of the submitochondrial particle test, microtox and sea
urchin fertilisation and development tests: parallel assays with
leacheates. Australasian Journal of Ecotoxicology 9:19-28.
- Oakes D.J., Webster W.S., Brown-Woodman P.D.C. and Ritchie H.E. (2002)
Testicular changes induced by chronic exposure to the herbicide
formulation, Tordon 75DŽ (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and picloram) in
rats. Reproductive Toxicology. 16:281-289.
- Oakes D.J., Webster W.S., Brown-Woodman P.D.C. and Ritchie H.E. (2002)
A study of the potential for a herbicide formulation containing 2,4-d and
picloram to cause male-mediated developmental toxicity in rats.
Toxicological Sciences: an Official Journal of the Society of Toxicology,
68(1):200-206.
- Oakes, D.J. and Pollak, J.K. (2000) The in vitro evaluation of the toxicities of three related herbicide formulations containing ester derivatives of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D using sub-mitochondrial particles. Toxicology 151:1-9.
- Webster, W.S., Vaghef, H., Ryan, B., Dencker, L. and Hellman, B. (2000) Measurement of DNA damage by the comet assay in rat embryos grown in media containing high concentrations of vitamin K-1. Toxicol. In Vitro 14:95-99.
- Howe, A.M. and Webster, W.S. (2000) Warfarin exposure and calcification of the arterial system in the rat. Int. J. Exp. Pathol. 81:51-56.
- Oakes DJ. Pollak JK. (1999) Effects of a herbicide formulation, Tordon 75D (R), and its individual components on the oxidative functions of mitochondria. Toxicology. 136(1):41-52
- Howe AM. Oakes DJ. Woodman PDC. Webster WS. (1999) Prothrombin and PIVKA-II levels in cord blood from newborn exposed to anticonvulsants during pregnancy. Epilepsia. 40(7):980-984.
- Ritchie HE. Webster WS. Eckhoff C. Oakes DJ. (1998) Model Predicting The Teratogenic Potential Of Retinyl Palmitate, Using A Combined In Vivo In Vitro Approach. Teratology. 58(3-4)
- Webster, W.S. (1998) Teratogen update - congenital rubella. Teratology 58:13-23.
- Webster, W.S. and Ritchie, H.E. (1998) The effects of retinoids on ear development: a review. Retinoids 14:88-91.
- Woodman, P.D., Hayes, L., Huq, F., Herlihy, C., Picker, K. and Webster, W.S. (1998) In vitro assessment of the effect of halogenated hydrocarbons: chloroform, dichloromethane, and dibromoethane on embryonic development of the rat. Teratology 57:321-333.
- Pollak, J. (1998) A short review of the problems posed by xenobiotics in chemical mixtures and the role of mixed function oxidases. International Journal of Environmental Health Research 8:157-163.
- Webster, W.S., Brown-Woodman, P.D.C. and Ritchie, H.E. (1997) A review of the contribution of whole embryo culture to the determination of hazard and risk in teratogenicity testing. Int J. Devl Biol. 41:329-335.
- Howe, A.M., Lipson, A.H., de Silva, M., Ouvrier, R. and Webster, W.S. (1997) Brief clinical report: Severe cervical dysplasia and nasal cartilage calcification following prenatal warfarin exposure. Am Journal Medical Genetics 71:391-396.
- Danielsson, B.R., Azarbayjani, F., Skold, A.-C. and Webster, W.S. (1997) Initiation of phenytoin teratogenesis: Pharmacologically induced embryonic bradycardia and arrhythmia resulting in hypoxia and possible free radical damage at reoxygenation. Teratology 56:271-281.
- Danielsson, B.R.G. and Webster, W.S. (1997) Cardiovascular Active Drugs. In R. Kantur and G. Daston (eds): Drug Toxicity in Embryonic Development II: Springer. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology 124:161-190.
