Hyeong-Moo Shin, Ph.D.

Education

• Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, 2011
• M.S., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 2007
• B.S., Yonsei University, South Korea, 2005

Appointments

• Assistant Professor, University of Texas, Arlington, 2016-2022
• Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Davis, 2011-2016

Biography

I continued my training in environmental engineering until obtaining my master’s degree. After studying the importance of environmental risk assessment at Carnegie Mellon University, I pursued my doctoral studies in environmental health at the University of California, Irvine. Major scientific contributions of my dissertation studies are related to retrospective exposure assessment of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) for use in various epidemiologic studies in the C8 Health Project. Our research team (C8 Science Panel) found a probable link between PFOA exposure and six adverse health outcomes. These are important findings because the health effects of this toxic compound in humans were largely unknown prior to my study.

During my postdoctoral training at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), I expanded my research in environmental health to include a suite of organic compounds (e.g., flame retardants, pesticides, plasticizers) used in common household products and filled knowledge gaps to improve estimates of exposure to these organic compounds. I also received comprehensive, interdisciplinary training in autism research by world-renowned leaders in their field at the UC Davis Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute.

Before joining Baylor University, I was an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas, Arlington (UT Arlington). My major scientific contributions at UT Arlington are related to epidemiologic studies on how exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during pregnancy contributes to risk for child autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a PI, I completed two NIH-funded autism projects (R21-ES025551, R21-ES028131) which investigated whether prenatal exposure to EDCs (i.e., phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], respectively) was associated with increased risk of child ASD.

Research

For more information about my research, click here.

As a continuation of my prior R21 projects, I am currently leading another NIH project (R21-ES033389) with a hypothesis that thyroid dysfunction mediates a relationship between prenatal exposure to thyroid disruptors and child ASD. The expected outcome of this project is improved understanding of a potential casual pathway from prenatal exposure to thyroid disruptors through abnormal thyroid function to ASD etiology.

Funded by Syngenta, I am currently leading an exposure modeling project to provide realistic distributions of pesticide exposure in an indoor residential setting. The overall outcome of this project will be improved understanding of residential exposure to pesticides.

My research focuses on the measurement, modeling, and health effects of environmental pollutants. Pollutants of interest include particulate matter, pesticides, and organic compounds such as those found in consumer products and building materials. Many of these pollutants have been found to be toxic in animal testing or be associated with adverse health effects in human epidemiological studies. Ultimately, my goal is to develop tools to alert policy makers to environmental pollutants and to assist them to reduce exposure and ill health effects on society.

My current research interests include:

1. Environmental risk factors of autism spectrum disorder
2. Mathematical modeling of environmental quality
3. Assessing exposure to consumer product chemicals
4. High-throughput chemical screening and prioritization

For more information about my publications, click one of the following links below.

Google Scholar | ResearchGate | PubMed | ORCiD

Current Openings

• Undergraduate students: I can provide students with hands-on computing experiences designed to enhance their programming skills using freely accessible software, such as Excel, MATLAB, and R. Students can also use datasets generated from my NIH-funded research projects so they can apply their programming skills to real-life problems. Please contact me if you are interested in data science skills or research with us.

• Graduate students: I am recruiting both masters and doctoral students to join my group in Fall 2023. If you are interested in exposure assessment, environmental epidemiology, or environmental modeling, please contact me to discuss research interests and potential projects. Full-time graduate students in my lab will be fully funded through research or teaching assistantships.

• Postdoctoral researchers: I currently have openings for postdoctoral researchers. If you are interested in my research topics or projects, please contact me to discuss potential opportunities.