April 25, 2006 Source: :
http://communications.uwo.ca/media_newsroom/story.html?listing_id=21234 Environmental Contaminants and Their Impact on Reproduction London, ON. - A leading expert on environmental contaminants will speak to an audience at The University of Western Ontario later this week in a community currently debating the cosmetic use of pesticides - presently a hot topic in Canada. Louis J. Guillette Jr. is also expected to touch on how pollution may have contributed to the steady decline in the proportion of male births at a First Nations reserve near Sarnia, a fact that came to light when the community questioned why there were three all-girl baseball teams and only one all-boy. The renowned zoologist has spent the last decade studying the influence of environmental contaminants on the fetal development and reproductive systems of wildlife and humans. He will be at The University of Western Ontario from April 26 to 28 to share his research. Guillette is an award winning teacher of Biology, Embryology and Reproductive Biology, as well as the Associate Dean for Research at the University of Florida. His research examining the role of pollution as an inducer of birth defects in wildlife species has drawn international attention. The media and public are invited to hear Guillette give this year's address in the Charles W. Gowdey Distinguished Lecture Series presented by the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. His talk is titled "Environmental Contaminants and Health: Lessons from Wildlife." It takes place on Thursday, April 27 at
4 p.m. at University Hospital, Auditorium A. Guillette will give a second lecture on Friday, April 28 at 11 a.m. in the Dental Sciences Building, Room 1002. For more background on Guillette, go to his Web site at: www.zoo.ufl.edu/ljg -30- For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact
Kathy Wallis, Media Relations Officer, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western,
(519) 661-2111 ext. 81136, Kathy.wallis@schulich.uwo.ca
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