Karin Sørig Hougaard

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

• Jackson P, Halappanavar S, Hougaard KS, Williams A, Madsen AM, Lamson JS, Andersen O, Yauk C, Wallin H & Vogel U. Maternal inhalation of surface-coated nanosized titanium dioxide (UV-Titan): Effects in prenatally exposed offspring on hepatic DNA damage and gene expression. Nanotoxicology. (Accepted)
• Jackson P, Hougaard KS, Vogel U, Wu D, Casavant L, Williams A, Wade M, Yauk CL, Wallin H & Halappanavar S. Exposure of pregnant mice to carbon black by intratracheal instillation: toxicogenomic effects in dams and offspring. Mut Res. (Accepted)
• Jackson P, Hougaard KS, Boisen AMZ, Jacobsen NR, Jensen KA, Møller P, Brunborg G, Gutzkow KB, Andersen O, Loft S, Vogel U & Wallin H. Pulmonary exposure to carbon black by inhalation or instillation in pregnant mice: effects on liver DNA strand breaks in dams and offspring. Nanotoxicology. (E-published)
• Jackson P, Vogel U, Wallin H & Hougaard KS. Prenatal exposure to carbon black (Printex 90): Effects on sexual development and neurofunction. BCPT 2011;109(6):434-437.
• Ritz C, Ruminski W, Hougaard KS, Wallin H, Vogel U & Yauk CL. Germline mutation rates in mice following in utero exposure to diesel exhaust particles by maternal inhalation. Mut Res 2011;712(1-2):55-8.
• Halappanavar S, Jackson P, Williams A, Jensen KA, Hougaard KS, Vogel U, Yauk CL & Wallin H. Pulmonary response of inhaled nano-titanium dioxide particles includes induction of acute phase response genes, inflammatory cascades and changes in microRNAs. Environ Mol Mutagen 2011;52(6):425-39. (1)
• Larsen AD, Hannerz H, Obel C, Thulstrup AM, Bonde JP & Hougaard KS. Testing the association between psychosocial job strain and adverse birth outcomes – design and methods. BMC Public Health 2011;11(1):255.
• Hougaard KS, Mandrup KR, Kjaer SL, Bøgh IB, Rosenberg R & Wegener G. Gestational chronic mild stress: effects on acoustic startle in male offspring of rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2011;29(4):495-500.
• Axelstad M, Boberg J, Nellemann C, Kiersgaard M, Jacobsen PR, Christiansen S, Hougaard KS & Hass U. Exposure to the widely used fungicide Mancozeb causes thyroid hormone disruption in rat dams but no behavioural effects in the offspring. Toxicol Sci. 2011;120(2):439-46.
• Kjær SL, Hougaard KS, Tasker RA, McDonald D, Rosenberg R, Elfving B & Wegener G. Influence of diurnal phase on startle response in adult rats exposed to dexamethasone in utero. Phys Beh 2011;102(5):444-52.
• Feveile H, Schmidt L, Hannerz H & Hougaard KS. Industrial differences in female fertility treatment rates - a new approach to assess differences related to occupation? Scand J Publ Health 2011;39:164-171.
• Axelstad M, Boberg J, Hougaard KS, Christiansen SL, Jacobsen PR, Mandrup KR; Nellemann C, Lund SP & Hass U. Effects of pre- and postnatal exposure to the UV-filter Octyl Methoxycinnamate (OMC) on threproductive, auditory and neurological development of rat offspring. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2011;250(3):278-90. (1)
• Jackson P, Kristiansen G, Andersen O, Lund SP, Vogel U, Wallin H & Hougaard KS. An experimental protocol for maternal pulmonary exposure in developmental toxicology. Clin Pharm Toxicol 2011;108(3):202-7.
• Kjaer SL, Wegener G, Rosenberg R & Hougaard KS. Reduced mobility but unaffected startle response in female rats exposed to prenatal dexamethasone: different sides to a phenotype. Dev Neurosci. 2010;32(3):208-16. Epub 2010 Jul 10.

• Kjaer SL, Wegener G, Rosenberg R, Lund SP & Hougaard KS. Prenatal and adult stress interplay-behavioral implications. Brain Res. 2010;1320:106-13. Epub 2010 Jan 11

• Hougaard KS, Jackson P, Jensen KA, Sloth JJ, Löschner K, Larsen EH, Birkedal RK, Vibenholt A, Boisen AM, Wallin H & Vogel U. Effects of prenatal exposure to surface-coated nanosized titanium dioxide (UV-Titan). A study in mice. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2010;7:16.

• Hougaard KS, Hannerz H, Feveile H & Bonde JP. Increased incidence of infertility treatment among women working in the plastics industry. Reprod Toxicol 2009;27:186-189. Link til abstrakt
• Hougaard KS, Alstrup K, Nordly P, Taxvig C, Vogel U, Saber AT & Wallin H. Effects of prenatal exposure to diesel exhaust particles on postnatal development, behavior, genotoxicity and inflammation in mice. Part Fibre Toxicol 2008;11(5):3. Link til artikel
• Axelstad M, Hansen PR, Boberg J, Bonnichsen M, Nellemann C, Lund SP, Hougaard KS & Hass U. Developmental neurotoxicity of Propylthiouracil (PTU) in rats: Relationship between transient hypothyroxinemia during development and long-lasting behavioural and functional changes. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2008;232:1-13. Link til abstrakt
• Hougaard KS & Hansen ÅM. Enhancement of developmental toxicity effects of chemicals by gestational stress. A review. Neurotox Teratol 2007;29:425-445. Link til abstrakt
• Hougaard KS, Andersen MB, Hansen ÅM, Hass U, Werge T & Lund SP. Prenatal stress may increase vulnerability to life events: comparison with the effects of prenatal dexamethasone. Dev Brain Res, 2005;159:55-63. Link til abstrakt
• Hougaard KS, Andersen MB, Hansen ÅM, Hass U, Werge T & Lund SP. Effects of prenatal exposure to Chronic Mild Stress and toluene in rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol, 2005;27:153-167. Link til abstrakt
• Hougaard KS, Hass U, Lund SP & Simonsen L. Effects of prenatal exposure to toluene on postnatal development and behavior in rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol, 1999;21:241-50. Link til abstrakt  

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

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.
• 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