Massey | Biomedical and Molecular Sciences | School of Medicine

Thomas E. Massey PhD

Position(s)

Professor Emeritus

Contact Info

613-533-6115

Faculty Bio

Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology

Dr. Massey's research focusses on: the importance of metabolism of drugs and environmental chemicals on the toxicity of these compounds; the consequences of carcinogen-induced DNA damage; the ability of certain chemicals to change DNA repair activity; and the mechanisms by which toxic chemicals accumulate in target cells and initiate cell damage. Several different organs are studied, but there is particular emphasis on the lung and the colon as targets.

In 2015, Dr. Massey received the Society of Toxicology of Canada's Gabriel L. Plaa Award of Distinction for outstanding and sustained contributions to the discipline of toxiology in Canada.

B.Sc: University of Western Ontario

Ph.D.: Queen's University

Post-Doctoral Fellowship: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, USA

Please note that Dr. Massey is not taking on new trainees at this time.

Research Interests

Biochemical and Molecular Basis of Susceptibility to Carcinogens

We are examining the balance of the processes involved in the toxification (i.e. metabolic activation) and detoxification of cancer-causing chemicals, as well as the molecular consequences (i.e. protooncogene activation, tumour suppressor gene inactivation) of reactive metabolite binding to cellular DNA. We also are investigating the ability of carcinogens and other chemicals to alter DNA repair processes. For these studies, several target organs are examined, but our principal focus is on the lung and the colon.

Biochemical Basis for Drug-Induced Lung Damage

Treatment of patients with either of the cardiac drugs amiodarone or dronedarone, can result in serious and potentially life-threatening lung damage. We are studying how amiodarone and dronedarone initiate processes that lead to lung cell death and subsequent fibrosis.

Selected Publications

J.E. Mulder, J.F. Brien, W.J. Racz, T. Takahashi, and T.E. Massey. Mechanism of cytotoxicity of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in non-transformed human peripheral lung epithelial cells. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 336: 551-559, 2011.

V. Ho, T.E. Massey, and W.D. King. Thymidylate synthase gene polymorphisms and markers of DNA methylation capacity. Molec. Genet. Metab., 102: 481-487, 2011.

W.D. King, V. Ho, L. Dodds, S. Perkins, I. Casson , and T.E. Massey. Relationships among biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism. Mol. Biol. Rep., 39: 7805-7812, 2012.

F.C. Roth, J.E. Mulder, J.F. Brien, T. Takahashi and T.E. Massey. Cytotoxic interaction between amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in human peripheral lung epithelial cells. Chemico-Biol. Interact., 204: 135-139, 2013.

V. Ho, T.E. Massey, and W.D. King. Effects of methionine synthase and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphisms on markers of one-carbon metabolism. Genes & Nutrition, 8: 571-80, 2013.

N. Gupta, R.M. Curtis, J.E. Mulder, and T.E. Massey. Acute in vivo treatment with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone does not alter genomic 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels or base excision repair activities in murine lung and liver. DNA Repair, 12: 1031-1036, 2013.

J. E. Mulder, R. Mehta, G.S. Bondy and T.E. Massey. Up-regulation of nucleotide excision repair in mouse lung and liver following chronic exposure to aflatoxin B1 and its dependence on p53 genotype. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 275: 96-103, 2014.

K.A. Guindon-Kezis, J.E. Mulder and T.E. Massey. In vivo treatment with aflatoxin B1 increases DNA oxidation, base excision repair activity and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 levels in mouse lung. Toxicology, 321: 21-26, 2014.

V. Ho, S. Peacock, T.E. Massey, J.E. Ashbury, S.J. Vanner, and W.D. King. Meat-derived carcinogens, genetic susceptibility and colorectal adenoma risk. Genes Nutr.,9: Article 430, 2014.

J.E. Mulder, P.V. Turner, and T.E. Massey. Effect of 8-oxoguanine glycosylase deficiency on aflatoxin B1 tumourigenicity in mice. Mutagenesis, 30: 401-409, 2015.

J.E. Mulder, G.S. Bondy, R. Mehta, and T.E. Massey. The impact of chronic aflatoxin B1 exposure and p53 genotype on base excision repair in mouse lung and liver. Mutat. Res. Fund. Molec. Mech. Mutagen., 773: 63-68, 2015.

V.Ho, S. Peacock, T.E. Massey, R.W.L.Godschalk, F.J. van Schooten, J.Chen, and W.D. King. Gene-diet interactions in exposure to heterocyclic aromatic amines and bulky DNA adduct levels in blood leukocytes. Environ. Molec. Mutagen., 56: 609-620, 2015.

L. Latifovic, S.D. Peacock, T.E. Massey, and W.D. King. The influence of alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and physical activity on leukocyte telomere length. Cancer Epid. Biomark. Preven., 25:374-380, 2016.

Team

Faculty Bio

Research Interests

Selected Publications

Faculty