Zelieann R Craig

Zelieann R. Craig is a researcher at the School of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona, where she has been actively contributing since 2013. Her work bridges reproductive physiology and toxicology, focusing on how environmental chemicals affect female fertility.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Physiological Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
• B.S. in Industrial Microbiology, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

Dr. Craig's research is centered on female reproductive physiology, particularly ovarian follicle biology and ovarian toxicology. She investigates how environmental chemicals—especially phthalates, bisphenol A, and other endocrine disruptors—affect steroidogenesis, folliculogenesis, and DNA repair in the ovary, with implications for infertility and ovarian reserve. Her methodological approach includes in vitro follicle culture, gene expression analysis, proteomics, and in vivo mouse models.

Her recent publications reveal a strong trend in analyzing low-dose, environmentally relevant exposures to plasticizers and personal care product chemicals. She has extensively studied phthalates (DBP, DEHP, BBP), their metabolites (e.g., MBP), and substitutes (e.g., ATBC), uncovering mechanisms involving oxidative stress, cell cycle disruption, apoptosis, and insulin-like growth factor signaling. She also explores epigenetic impacts, such as DNA methyltransferase activity.

Scientific Awards:

• Graduate Mentor of the Year, UA College of Pharmacy (2024)
• Janice Bahr Junior Scientist Travel Award, Society for the Study of Reproduction (2018)
• Burroughs Wellcome Travel Fellowship, Society for the Study of Reproduction (2017)
• Society for the Study of Reproduction Travel Fellowship (2014)

Dr. Craig advises students through honors theses, independent studies, and dissertation committees, particularly in toxicology and reproductive sciences. She has secured research funding and led projects investigating ovarian toxicity mechanisms. She teaches courses such as General+Systems Tox, Animal Toxicology, and Honors Thesis across departments including Pharmacology, Microbiology, and Physiology.

She has contributed to the field through book chapters in Encyclopedia of Reproduction and Comprehensive Toxicology, and her collaborative work spans institutions including the University of Illinois and University of Arizona. Her research continues to inform regulatory science and public health understanding of reproductive toxicants.