B Paige Lawrence

B. Paige Lawrence, Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair of Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, with joint appointments in Microbiology & Immunology. Her research focuses on how environmental exposures, including pollutants and pharmaceuticals, impact immune system function and development. She holds the Wright Family Research Professorship and has led the Environmental Health Sciences Center since 2019.

Dr. Lawrence earned her B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from Skidmore College (1986) and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology from Cornell University (1993). She completed postdoctoral training in Immunology and Toxicology at Oregon State University.

Her research spans three key areas: 1) Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) signaling and immune modulation, 2) Effects of environmental chemicals (PFAS, PCBs) on infectious, autoimmune, and allergic diseases, and 3) Transgenerational impacts of early-life exposures on immune responses. She employs mouse models, toxicological assays, and genomic approaches to dissect environmental-immune interactions.

Recent work highlights PFAS exposure's role in infant T cell development, AHR-driven CD8+ T cell dysfunction, and the dual roles of AHR in viral immunity. Over 150 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters reflect her contributions to immunotoxicology and environmental health.

• Awards: Outstanding Senior Investigator (2021), SOT Fellow (2019), Wright Family Professorship (2019)
• Grants: NIH-funded projects on AHR signaling and developmental immunotoxicity
• Labs: Leads the Lawrence Lab, collaborating with the Institute for Human Health and the Environment

Dr. Lawrence serves on editorial boards for Toxicological Sciences and other journals, and actively mentors trainees in toxicology and immunology.