Colleen Hegg

Colleen Hegg, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at Michigan State University, and Director of the Comparative Medicine & Integrative Biology Program within the College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on the intersection of toxicology and stem cell biology, with emphasis on environmental pollutants' effects on neuroregeneration and olfactory systems. She holds a PhD in Environmental Toxicology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a BA in Chemistry from Kalamazoo College.

Dr. Hegg's research investigates how environmental toxicants influence stem cell maturation and signaling pathways, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative diseases and olfactory regeneration. She has explored cannabinoid effects, purinergic receptor roles, and the impacts of heavy metals like lead. Her recent work uses human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to study air pollutant-induced alterations.

She has secured funding from NIH institutes including NIDA, NIDCD, NIEHS, and NIFA for projects on neurogenesis, olfactory regeneration, and interdisciplinary training programs in animal biosecurity. Notable grants include studies on purinergic receptors in the olfactory system (2001–2011) and neural stem cell susceptibility to ambient particles (2012–2014).

As a dedicated mentor, Dr. Hegg leads the Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology graduate program, emphasizing graduate student training since 2019. She teaches courses such as Neurotoxicology (online) and Introduction to Chemical Toxicology (in-person).

Her lab integrates toxicology with regenerative biology, exploring mechanisms like ATP-mediated neuroprotection and microvillous cell roles in tissue repair. Current studies investigate mold-produced toxicants and opioid effects on neural systems.