Dr. Steven Symington

Areas of Expertise

• Biochemical and molecular toxicology, pesticide toxicology, environmental toxicology and chemistry

Education

• B.S. in environmental science, University of Massachusetts Amherst (1995)
• M.S. in entomology, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2000)
• Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2005)

View My CV

What's My Why?

I am deeply connected to my passion for research, education and the human spirit. Having navigated significant personal and professional challenges, including a cancer diagnosis and a prolific academic career, I am driven by a commitment to kindness, respect and authenticity. I strive to enhance educational experiences, ensuring they are supportive and transformative. At Salve, I endeavor to leave a legacy where students recall not just the knowledge gained but the compassionate environment that fostered their individual successes and broadened their worldviews.

Selected Publications

J.M. Clark and S.B. Symington. “Neurolemma-injected Xenopus oocytes: an innovative ex vivo approach to study the effects of pyrethroids on ion channels in their native state.” Engineering. Volume 6, Issue 5, 515-521, 2020. [doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2019.10.017].

Symington, S.B., A.C. Toltin, E. Murenzi, D. Lansky and J. Marshall Clark. Determination of Determination of potential toxicodynamic differences of pyrethroid insecticides on native voltage-sensitive sodium channels in juvenile versus adult rat brain. Pestic Biochem Physiol,189. 1-11; 2023, 105296. (doi.org/10.1016/j.pestbp.2022.105296)

A. Suvorov, S.B. Symington, J.M. Clark, and Y. Park. Membrane polarization in non-neuronal cells as potential mechanism of metabolic disruption by depolarizing insecticides. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 160 (2022) [doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2021.112804]

J.S. Yang, S.B Symington, J.M Clark, and Y. Park. Permethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, regulates ERK1/2 activation through membrane depolarization-mediated pathway in HepG2 hepatocytes. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 121; 387–395. (2018) [doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2018.09.009].

Breckenridge, C., L. Holden, M. Nemec, M. Weiner, L. Sheets, D. Sargent, J-S. Choi, D.M. Soderlund, S.B. Symington, J.M. Clark, S. Burr, and D. Ray. Evidence for separate mechanisms of action of type I and type II pyrethroid insecticides. Neurotoxicity 30: S17-S31 2009. [doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2009.09.002]