My main research thrust is in the field of neurosciences with particular emphasis on neurotoxicology, neurodegeneration, and neurodevelopment. I aim to understand how the brain is affected by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors that trigger neuronal perturbations and/or neuronal death at critical stages of development and across the lifespan. My current research specifically examines how heavy metals (including nickel, manganese, vanadium, and cobalt) pose a significant risk to the nervous system. Overexposure to such metals has been shown to be neurotoxic and potentially teratogenic in the developing brain. Hence my research could help advance the understanding of gene-environmental interactions in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and autism.

Furthermore, given the emerging evidence of gut microbiome in these brain disorders, I also investigate the involvement of complex multifactorial interactions of the environment, genes and gut microbiome in these disorders. Understanding these complex interactions could be key to identifying better disease biomarkers and new drug targets as well as developing multifactorial therapeutic interventions.

Ijomone OM, Iroegbu JD, Morcillo P, Ayodele AJ, Ijomone OK, Bornhorst J, Schwerdtle T, Aschner M. Sex-dependent metal accumulation and immunoexpression of Hsp70 and Nrf2 in rats' brain following manganese exposure. Environmental Toxicology, 2022; 37:2167-2177. https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.23583

Akingbade GT, Ijomone OM, Imam A, Aschner M, Ajao MS. D-Ribose-L-Cysteine attenuates manganese-induced cognitive and motor deficit, oxidative damage, and reactive microglia activation. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2022; 93:103872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2022.103872

Iroegbu JD, Ijomone OK, Femi-Akinlosotu OM, Ijomone OM. ERK/MAPK signalling in the developing brain: Perturbations and consequences. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2021; 131:792-805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.009

Ijomone OM, Gubert P, Okoh COA, Varão AM, Amaral LO, Aluko OM, Aschner M. Application of Fluorescence Microscopy and Behavioral Assays to Demonstrating Neuronal Connectomes and Neurotransmitter Systems in C. elegans. In: Llorens J, Barenys M (Eds). Experimental Neurotoxicology Methods. Neuromethods Vol. 172, Pp 399-428. Humana-Springer, New York, NY; 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1637-6_18

Morcillo P, Cordero H, Ijomone OM, Ayodele A, Bornhorst J, Gunther L, Macaluso FP, Bowman AB, Aschner M. Defective Mitochondrial Dynamics Underlie Manganese-Induced Neurotoxicity. Molecular Neurobiology, 2021; 58:3270–3289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-021-02341-w

Ijomone OM, Miah MR, Akingbade GT, Bucinca H, Aschner M. Nickel-induced developmental neurotoxicity in C. elegans includes cholinergic, dopaminergic and GABAergic degeneration, altered behaviour, and increased SKN-1 activity. Neurotoxicity Research, 2020; 37:1018-1028. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12640-020-00175-3