Bernice Bediako, a candidate for a doctoral degree in toxicology from UMES’ Department of Natural Sciences, defended her dissertation November 15 before a near capacity audience in Carver Hall.
“The current debate over the safety of humans to Bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure has raised the question as to whether BPA increases the incidence of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease,” Bediako said. Bediako’s dissertation, “Unraveling the Role of Bisphenol-A (BPA) Toxicity in Neurodegeneration,” is the result of research to determine the mechanisms underlying BPA-induced neurodegeneration.
BPA is an endocrine disrupting compound and is one of the most utilized industrial chemicals worldwide. It is widely found in plastic products such as dental sealants, medical devices, the lining of canned foods and drinks and other products. The chemical, Bediako said, leaches out from plastics at elevated temperatures into the environment and humans become exposed to BPA through ingestion, inhalation and dermal absorption. Data from NHANES have documented that more than 93 percent of the general U.S. population has measurable concentrations of BPA in their urine, indicating that environmental exposure is widespread. Epidemiological and animal studies have linked BPA exposure to changes in brain development, cognitive function and behavior, sexual differentiation, birth defects, diabetes, and obesity.
Research results suggest that “loss of mitochondrial function, depletion of the cellular levels of ATP, and alteration of the capacity of antioxidant enzymes system play a contributing role to the toxic effects of BPA.” Additionally, the availability of glutathione to the cells may not be sufficient to provide protection against BPA toxicity. Exposure of human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells to different concentrations of alpha-synuclein, a neuronal protein that is linked neuropathologically to Parkinson’s disease, resulted in loss of cell viability. BPA accelerates the formation of alpha-synuclein aggregation and increases the cellular levels of alpha-synuclein protein in neuronal cells. Aggregation of alpha-synuclein is one of the leading causes for neuronal dysfunction and death in Parkinson’s disease, she said. “Thus, BPA could be a risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders.”
“Bernice is intelligent, dedicated, well-rounded, organized and has a desire to learn and make a difference. She is extraordinarily well qualified to deal with the current demands of research and teaching which requires both a thorough grounding in the sciences as well as social consciousness and an ability to communicate well,” said Dr. Ahmed Alnabawi, her advisor.
Bediako is a native of Ghana. She has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Science and Technology in Ghana. She received a master’s in chemistry from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a master’s in marine estuarine environmental sciences from UMES.
She is currently in the process of applying for faculty positions.
