Organic Chemistry 2- EXTRA CREDIT

On Thursday, April 21^st, 2011, Dr. Steven Myers, from the University of Louisville Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, gave a seminar titled, “Tobacco Smoking During Pregnancy/Biomarkers of exposure and relationship of genetics.”

Dr. Myers stated that the biggest risks for smoking during pregnancy are that the baby gets less food and oxygen. Also, certain risks are increased such as, miscarriages, stillborn births, premature births, low-birth weight babies, babies who have an increased risk of dying with SIDS, babies with a high risk of respiratory illnesses, ADHD, and lower IQ levels.

The most common cancers in women who smoke are lung and urinary bladder. Cancers such as lip, oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, larynx, lung, trachea, bronchus, urinary bladder, and kidney are among the highest risk. Cardiovascular issues are at a higher risk, such as rheumatic, ischaematic, and pulmonary heart disease, as well as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and aortic aneurysm.

One cigarette contains around 50 different compounds. Dr. Myers and his team study the molecular epidemiology, the incorporation of biomarkers into analytical epidemiological studies. Biomarkers are any change produced by an environmental contamination. They test specificity, direct results of exposure; sensitivity, the change produced by the contamination; and practicality, the cheapest ways to get the same answer. In pregnant women, they test the amniotic fluid as the biomarker. The amniotic fluid tells everything the fetus has been exposed to. An increase of 1-hydroxypyrene levels will appear in the amniotic fluid with the more cigarettes that are smoked. After a birth, cord blood is tested because maternal blood does not mix with cord blood so it can be tested to see exactly what both the mother and infant were exposed to. 4-aminobiphenyl is the most carcinogenic compound found in cigarettes and is very hard on the bladder.

I really enjoyed this seminar. Dr. Myers did a fantastic job on explaining, at an undergraduate level, his research and the harms of smoking during pregnancy. Since I plan to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, I especially enjoyed this seminar.