Karin Sørig Hougaard

Position	Senior Researcher
Education	MSc, PhD
Telephone	39165217
Email	ksh@arbejdsmiljoforskning.dk
Secretary	Bodil Holst

Work

• Research
• Supervising students
• Homepage with links to databases concerning the toxicology of chemicals in the work environment LINK
• Teaching, especially reproductive toxicology and toxicological databases on the internet

Current Research

Exposure to nanoparticles during pregnency

When pregnant women inhale polluted air, the content of particles plays a role for development of the fetus. In the same line of thinking, exposure to specifically engineered nanosized particles may pose a risk to pregnant women and their fetuses. Products containing engineered nanoparticles are expected to increase in future years. We therefore investigate, in animal models, if prenatal exposure to nanoparticles affects fetal development. Endpoints include among others CNS development, gene expression in the fetus and immune reactivity.

 

Stress during pregnancy

Stress in pregnant women may influence the fetus during development, and change offspring behavior and physiology later in life. Many women are stressed at work, but at present knowledge does not suffice for specific recommendations regarding stress and pregnancy at work. At NRCWE, we use the Danish Birthe Cohort to investigate whether maternal stress at work influences child development later in life. Furthermore, we look into the association between maternal gestational stress and development of anxiety later in life, in an animal model.

 

Fertility and work environment

Some exposures in the work environment decreases the ability to obtain pregnancy, but knowledge is scarce regarding specific exposures. We investigate, whether trade affect female (in)fertility differentially, by use of the Danish Occupational Hospitalization Register.

 

Reproduction and parental work

Some trades involve more exposure to chemicals than other. We are currently establishing the Danish Occupational and Birth Register, by coupling of information regarding parental work and birth outcomes in the child. This register will allow us to monitor if adverse birth outcomes are more common in some occupations.

Research Interests

My primary interest are effects of exposures in the work environment and effects on reproduction (fetal development, fertility), especially:

 

 

• Nanoparticles
• Chemicals (e.g. endocrine disruptors)
• Maternal stress

Selected Publications

• Hougaard KS, Jackson P, Jensen KA, Sloth JJ, Löschner K, Larsen EH, Birkedal RK, Vibenholt A, Boisen AMZ, Wallin H, Vogel U (Submitted) Effects of prenatal exposure to surface-coated nanosized titanium dioxide (UV-Titan) EHP.

• Kjær SL, Wegener G, Rosenberg R, Lund SP, Hougaard KS (Accepted for publication) Prenatal and adult stress interplay – behavioral implications. Brain Res

• Hougaard KS, Hannerz H, Feveile H, Bonde JP (2009) Increased incidence of infertility treatment among women working in the plastics industry. Reprod Toxicol 27 186-189. Link to abstract

• Hougaard KS, Alstrup K, Nordly P, Taxvig C, Vogel U, Saber AT, Wallin H (2008) Effects of prenatal exposure to diesel exhaust particles on postnatal development, behavior, genotoxicity and inflammation in mice. Part Fibre Toxicol 11; 5: 3.  

• Axelstad M, Hansen PR, Boberg J, Bonnichsen M, Nellemann C, Lund SP, Hougaard KS, Hass U (2008) Developmental neurotoxicity of Propylthiouracil (PTU) in rats: Relationship between transient hypothyroxinemia during development and long-lasting behavioural and functional changes. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 232 1-13. Link to abstract

• Hougaard KS, Hansen ÅM (2007) Enhancement of developmental toxicity effects of chemicals by gestational stress. A review. Neurotox Teratol 29 425-445. Link to abstract

• Hougaard KS, Andersen MB, Hansen ÅM, Hass U, Werge T, Lund SP (2005) Prenatal stress may increase vulnerability to life events: comparison with the effects of prenatal dexamethasone. Dev Brain Res, 159 55-63. Link to abstract

• Hougaard KS, Andersen MB, Hansen ÅM, Hass U, Werge T, Lund SP (2005) Effects of prenatal exposure to Chronic Mild Stress and toluene in rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol, 27 153-167. Link to abstract

• Hougaard KS, Hass U, Lund SP, Simonsen L. (1999) Effects of prenatal exposure to toluene on postnatal development and behavior in rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol, 21 241-50. Link to abstract  

Memberships and Networks

• European Teratology Society LINK 
• Danish Society for Pharmacologi and Toxicology LINK
• Danish Society for Reproduction and Fetal Development
• AIRPOLIFE (Air Pollution in a Lifetime Health Perspective) LINK

Honorary positions

2008                 2002-2008 2006-	Board of the National Research Centre for the Working Environment Nordic ExpertGroup for OELs in the work environment LINK Board of the Danish Society for Reproduction and Fetal Development
2004	EU's Topic Centre for Good Practice, Systems and Programmes, Work Environment Agenture, Bilbao
2001-2004   2000	Member of the council of the European Teratology Society (ETS)   International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) for Monografi nr. 77 (2000): Some Industrial Chemicals: member of working group

Honorary Titles and Awards

- First author of 4 papers among the 25 most downloaded papers during the lifetime of the popular scientific journal "Biozoom" (http://www.biokemi.org/biozoom), during Biozoom's 10-year anniversary.

- Best oral presenation at the yearly competition for oral scientific presentations at the Danish Society for Reproduction and Fetal Development (www.dsrfinfo.dk).
- First author of popular scintific paper nominated among the best of 5 papers during 2005, in the he popular scientific journal "Dansk Kemi" (Danish Chemistry, http://www.techmedia.dk/Default.asp?Action=Details&Item=552).
- Best oral short communication of the year during European Teratology Society Conference 2002, Hannover.

 

Employments

Education

2003	Ph.D. (University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Medicine and NIOH): Neurobehaviroral teratology of maternal stress in combination with     chemical exposure in rats
1997	M.Sc., Biology (University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Science). Dissertation: Neurobehavioral teratology and toluene (in Danish).
1990	B.M. (University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Medicine)

Updated 03-03-2010