Kestas Bendinskas

Research

My research group works with: 

-Exploring effects of toxic metals and semi-metals on human health, i.e. omics of lead (Pb), cadmium, mercury, arsenic in kids and steel mill workers in Oswego and Syracuse in the USA, Kolkata in India, and Tbilisi in Georgia; 

-Measuring cortisol and testosterone in saliva/urine/hair/nails to help psychologists and medical professionals in their research 

-Studying metal-binding properties of proteins, e.g., the quenching of fluorescence of alpha-macroglobulin due to its binding to Pb 

-Developing modern biochemistry and omics teaching laboratory experiments 

Publications 

Targeting the ‘DNA methylation mark’: Analysis of early epigenetic-alterations in children chronically exposed to arsenic Science of The Total Environment 2024-02 | Journal article DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169049 

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and lead (Pb) as “cardiovascular disruptors” in 9–11-year-old children living in Syracuse, New York, United States Environmental Research 2023-11 | Journal article | Author DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116758 

Race, cortisol, and subclinical cardiovascular disease in 9- to 11-year-old children. Health Psychology 2023-09 | Journal article | Author DOI: 10.1037/hea0001300 

Exposure to Arsenic and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in 9- to 11-Year-Old Children, Syracuse, New York JAMA Network Open 2023-06-30 | Journal article DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.21379 

Feasibility of remote self‐collection of dried blood spots, hair, and nails among people with HIV/with hazardous alcohol use Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 2023-05 | Journal article DOI: 10.1111/acer.15063 

Airborne levels of cadmium are correlated with urinary cadmium concentrations among young children living in the New York state city of Syracuse, USA Environmental Research 2023-04 | Journal articleDOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115450 

Education 

Post-doctoral fellow, Johns Hopkins University, 1996–1997 Ph.D., Bowling Green State University, 1996