Jenny Bruin
Associate Professor
| Degrees: | B.Sc. (Guelph), Ph.D. (McMaster) |
| Phone: | 613-520-2600 x 3656 |
| Email: | Jenny.Bruin@carleton.ca |
| Office: | 244 Nesbitt Building Lab: 220A Nesbitt Building |
| Website: | The Bruin Lab |
Current Research
The Bruin lab studies the pathogenesis of diabetes, with a focus on insulin-secreting beta cells, which are located in endocrine cell clusters within the pancreas called ‘islets’. We are particularly interested in how environmental factors impact the endocrine pancreas during fetal development and during adult periods of metabolic stress.
Our research uses a diverse range of complementary tools and approaches. Our in vivo work includes mouse models of diabetes (type 1 and type 2), transgenic and gene knockout mouse models, and islet transplantation techniques. Our in vitro approaches include differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into pancreas lineage cells (a unique tool for modeling human pancreas development), primary culture of isolated pancreatic islets, and tissue culture of immortalized cell lines.
We are currently recruiting highly motivated undergraduate and graduate students (MSc and PhD) to join the lab. Current projects include investigating the role of xenobiotic metabolism enzymes in pancreatic islets, and screening for environmental toxicants that impact adult beta cell function and survival, as well as critical windows of beta cell development.
Selected Publications
Underline indicates HQP from the Bruin Lab or co-supervised HQP
* Indicates equal contribution by authors
van Allen K, Gang N, Hoyeck MP, Perera I, Zhang D, Atlas E, Lynn FC, Bruin JE. Characterizing the effects of Dechlorane Plus on β-cells: a comparative study across models and species. Islets, 16(1):2361996 (2024). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19382014.2024.2361996
Hoyeck MP, Ching AME, Basu L, van Allen K, Palaniyandi J, Perera I, Poleo-Giorgani E, Hanson AA, Ghorbani P, Fullerton MD, Bruin JE. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor in β-cells mediates the effects of TCDD on glucose homeostasis in mice. Molecular Metabolism. Feb 2;81:101893 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101893
Palaniyandi J, Bruin JE, Kumarathasan P, MacPherson S, Borghese MM, Ashley-Martin J. Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and inflammatory biomarker concentrations. Environmental Epidemiology. 7(4):p e262, (2023). DOI: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000262
Hoyeck MP, Merhi RC, Tulloch C, McCormick K, Hossain SMA, Hanson AA, Bruin JE. Fetal and neonatal dioxin exposure causes sex-specific metabolic alterations in mice. Toxicological Sciences, Jun 28;194(1):70-83 (2023).https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfad042
Hoyeck M*, Matteo G*, MacFarlane EM, Perera I, Bruin JE. Persistent organic pollutants and β-cell toxicity: a comprehensive review. American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology & Metabolism. May 1;322(5):E383-E413 (2022). [Full Text]
Gang N, Van Allen K, Villeneuve P, MacDonald H, Bruin JE. Sex-specific associations between type 2 diabetes incidence and exposure to dioxin and dioxin-like pollutants: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Toxicology. Vol 3, Article 685840 (2022). [Full Text]
Matteo G*, Hoyeck M*, Blair H, Rick KRC, Williams A, Buick JK, Gagné R, Yauk CL, Bruin JE. Chronic low-dose dioxin exposure accelerates high fat diet-induced hyperglycemia in female mice. Endocrinology, 162(6):1-18 (2021). [Full Text]
MacFarlane EM, Bruin JE. Human pluripotent stem cells: a unique tool for toxicity testing in pancreatic progenitor and endocrine cells. Frontiers in Endocrinology (special edition “Advances in Stem Cell Technology to Model and Treat Diabetes”). Jan 19;11:604998 (2021). [Full Text]
Hoyeck M, Merhi R, Blair HL, Spencer CD, Payant MA, Alfonso DIM, Zhang M, Matteo G, Chee MJ, Bruin JE. Female mice exposed to low doses of dioxin during pregnancy and lactation have increased susceptibility to diet-induced obesity and diabetes.Molecular Metabolism. Dec;42:101104 (2020). [Full Text]
Ibrahim M, MacFarlane EM, Matteo G, Hoyeck MP, Rick KRC, Farokhi S, Copley CM, O’Dwyer S, Bruin JE. Functional cytochrome P450 1A enzymes are induced in mouse and human islets following pollutant exposure. Diabetologia. 63(1):162-178 (2020). [Full Text]
Hoyeck MP, Blair H, Ibrahim M, Solanki S, Elsawy M, Prakash A, Rick KRC, Matteo G, O’Dwyer S, Bruin JE. Long-term metabolic consequences of acute dioxin exposure differ between male and female mice. Scientific Reports. 10(1):1448 (2020). [Full Text]
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