Marissa E. Terry

Marissa E. Terry, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD). Her research focuses on the neurotoxic effects of environmental chemicals, particularly endocrine-disrupting compounds (EACs), and their role in sex-biased neurobehavioral disorders such as ADHD and autism. She examines how early-life exposure to EAC mixtures disrupts developmental hormone signaling, such as the perinatal testosterone surge, leading to lasting behavioral and physiological changes.

Her work integrates translational approaches, including whole-body inhalation models of air pollution exposure, and emphasizes the importance of sex as a biological variable. Key areas of study include the epigenetic mechanisms underlying behavioral toxicity and the cumulative risk of environmental toxicants. Terry leads the Sobolewski Lab, which collaborates with institutions like the Environmental Health Sciences Center and the Toxicology Ph.D. Program. The lab’s projects address public health concerns such as neurodegenerative disorders linked to air pollution and the synergistic effects of chemical mixtures.

Publications highlight her contributions to understanding the neurotoxicity of air pollutants, endocrine disruptors, and metals like lead and copper. She advises graduate students in neuroscience, toxicology, and medical training programs, fostering interdisciplinary research in neurobehavioral toxicology and translational methods.