Gerald A. LeBlanc

LeBlanc received his bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 1975, followed by a Master's in Biology from Bridgewater State University in 1981. Following his Bachelor's, he started his professional career as an Aquatic Toxicologist at EG&G Bionomics in Wareham, Massachusetts in 1975, a position he held for five years. Subsequently, in 1980, he was appointed as the Director of Toxicology and held that position until 1983. He then joined the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1983 as a Research Associate and received his Ph.D. in biology in 1986. From 1986 to 1989 he served as a Research Fellow in the Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School where he completed his post-doctoral training.{{Cite web|url=https://sciences.ncsu.edu/news/longtime-nc-state-professor-leblanc-named-head-of-biological-sciences/|title=Longtime NC State Professor LeBlanc Named Head of Biological Sciences|website=College of Sciences}}

LeBlanc began his academic career in 1989 at North Carolina State University, where he became a professor of Toxicology and Environmental Health. He also served as an adjunct professor from 2012 to 2016 in the Department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University in South Carolina.{{Cite journal|url=https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/1669|title=Environmental Toxicants and Unsaturated Fatty Acids Alter Toxicant Sensitivity and Allocation of Polar Lipids in Daphnia Magna|first=Namrata|last=Sengupta|date=May 1, 2016|journal=All Dissertations}}

LeBlanc is most known for his contributions to the field of environmental health sciences, focusing his research on the effects of environmental contaminants on human and environmental health. With a particular emphasis on endocrine-disrupting compounds, his research has centered on exploring the mechanisms of action and toxicological properties of diverse environmental chemicals. In his book, Everyday Chemicals: Understanding the Risks, he has provided details into the potential health risks associated with chemicals to which people are commonly exposed and has given a nontechnical overview of the essential factors involved in assessing whether exposure to chemicals in everyday lives could cause harm.{{cite web|url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/1336407691|title=Everyday chemicals : understanding the risks}}

LeBlanc's research in the field of toxicology, particularly centered on endocrine disruption, has contributed to the understanding of the impact of environmental contaminants on human{{Cite journal|title=Chapel Hill bisphenol A expert panel consensus statement: Integration of mechanisms, effects in animals and potential to impact human health at current levels of exposure|first1=Frederick S.|last1=vom Saal|first2=Benson T.|last2=Akingbemi|first3=Scott M.|last3=Belcher|first4=Linda S.|last4=Birnbaum|first5=D. Andrew|last5=Crain|first6=Marcus|last6=Eriksen|first7=Francesca|last7=Farabollini|first8=Louis J.|last8=Guillette|first9=Russ|last9=Hauser|first10=Jerrold J.|last10=Heindel|first11=Shuk-Mei|last11=Ho|first12=Patricia A.|last12=Hunt|first13=Taisen|last13=Iguchi|first14=Susan|last14=Jobling|first15=Jun|last15=Kanno|first16=Ruth A.|last16=Keri|first17=Karen E.|last17=Knudsen|first18=Hans|last18=Laufer|first19=Gerald A.|last19=LeBlanc|first20=Michele|last20=Marcus|first21=John A.|last21=McLachlan|first22=John Peterson|last22=Myers|first23=Angel|last23=Nadal|first24=Retha R.|last24=Newbold|first25=Nicolas|last25=Olea|first26=Gail S.|last26=Prins|first27=Catherine A.|last27=Richter|first28=Beverly S.|last28=Rubin|first29=Carlos|last29=Sonnenschein|first30=Ana M.|last30=Soto|first31=Chris E.|last31=Talsness|first32=John G.|last32=Vandenbergh|first33=Laura N.|last33=Vandenberg|first34=Debby R.|last34=Walser-Kuntz|first35=Cheryl S.|last35=Watson|first36=Wade V.|last36=Welshons|first37=Yelena|last37=Wetherill|first38=R. Thomas|last38=Zoeller|date=August 1, 2007|journal=Reproductive Toxicology|volume=24|issue=2|pages=131–138|doi=10.1016/j.reprotox.2007.07.005|pmid=17768031 |pmc=2967230 |hdl=10481/24820 }} and wildlife health.{{Cite book|url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.3109/9781420093100-14/overview-endocrine-disruptor-ecotoxicity-wildlife-gerald-leblanc|title=Endocrine Toxicology|first=Gerald A.|last=LeBlanc|date=May 22, 2010|publisher=CRC Press|doi=10.3109/9781420093100-14}} He investigated the impacts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on mammals,{{Cite journal|url=|title=Endosulfan Elevates Testosterone Biotransformation and Clearance in CD-1 Mice|first1=Vickie S.|last1=Wilson|first2=Gerald A.|last2=LeBlanc|date=January 1, 1998|journal=Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology|volume=148|issue=1|pages=158–168|doi=10.1006/taap.1997.8319|pmid=9465275 }} fishes,{{Cite journal|url=|title=Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) vitellogenin: purification, characterization and quantitative immunoassay for the detection of estrogenic compounds|first1=Louise G.|last1=Parks|first2=Ann O.|last2=Cheek|first3=Nancy D.|last3=Denslow|first4=Scott A.|last4=Heppell|first5=John A.|last5=McLachlan|first6=Gerald A.|last6=LeBlanc|first7=Craig V.|last7=Sullivan|date=June 1, 1999|journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Endocrinology|volume=123|issue=2|pages=113–125|doi=10.1016/S0742-8413(99)00010-9|pmid=10442820 }} reptiles,{{Cite journal|title=Alterations in sexually dimorphic biotransformation of testosterone in juvenile American alligators (alligator mississippiensis) from contaminated lakes|first1=M. P.|last1=Gunderson|first2=G. A.|last2=LeBlanc|first3=L. J.|last3=Guillette|date=December 22, 2001|journal=Environmental Health Perspectives|volume=109|issue=12|pages=1257–1264|doi=10.1289/ehp.011091257|pmid=11748033|pmc=1240508}} and invertebrates.{{Cite journal|url=|title=The screening of chemicals for juvenoid-related endocrine activity using the water flea Daphnia magna|first1=Helen Ying|last1=Wang|first2=Allen W.|last2=Olmstead|first3=Hong|last3=Li|first4=Gerald A.|last4=LeBlanc|date=September 10, 2005|journal=Aquatic Toxicology|volume=74|issue=3|pages=193–204|doi=10.1016/j.aquatox.2005.05.010|pmid=16046008 }} He identified the suite of nuclear receptors in the crustacean, Daphnia pulex,{{Cite web|url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Annotation%2C+phylogenetics%2C+and+expression+of+the+nuclear+receptors+in+Daphnia+pulex&author=Thomson+Susanne&publication_year=2009|title=Annotation, phylogenetics, and expression of the nuclear receptors in Daphnia pulex|first1=Thomson|last1=Susanne|first2=Baldwin|last2=William|first3=Wang|last3=Ying|first4=Kwon|last4=Gwijun|first5=LeBlanc|last5=Gerald|date=May 22, 2009|via=agris.fao.org}} and functionally characterized several of these receptors.{{Cite journal|title=Interactions of the crustacean nuclear receptors HR3 and E75 in the regulation of gene transcription|first1=Bethany R.|last1=Hannas|first2=Ying H.|last2=Wang|first3=William S.|last3=Baldwin|first4=Yangchun|last4=Li|first5=Andrew D.|last5=Wallace|first6=Gerald A.|last6=LeBlanc|date=June 1, 2010|journal=General and Comparative Endocrinology|volume=167|issue=2|pages=268–278|doi=10.1016/j.ygcen.2010.03.025|pmid=20346363 |pmc=2873136 }} He deciphered the neuro-endocrine signaling pathway responsible for sex determination in some crustaceans,{{Cite journal|url=|title=Involvement of glutamate and serotonin transmitter systems in male sex determination in Daphnia pulex|first1=Allison A.|last1=Camp|first2=Jeonga|last2=Yun|first3=Samantha A.|last3=Chambers|first4=Maher H.|last4=Haeba|first5=Gerald A.|last5=LeBlanc|date=February 1, 2020|journal=Journal of Insect Physiology|volume=121|pages=104015|doi=10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104015|pmid=31930975 |s2cid=210195862 |pmc=7098118}} including the discovery of the hormone responsible for sex determination, methyl farnesoate,{{Cite journal|url=|title=Juvenoid hormone methyl farnesoate is a sex determinant in the crustaceanDaphnia magna|first1=Allen W.|last1=Olmstead|first2=Gerald A.|last2=Leblanc|date=December 1, 2002|journal=Journal of Experimental Zoology|volume=293|issue=7|pages=736–739|via=CrossRef|doi=10.1002/jez.10162|pmid=12410602 }} and its receptor protein.{{Cite journal|title=A Transgenerational Endocrine Signaling Pathway in Crustacea|first1=Gerald A.|last1=LeBlanc|first2=Ying H.|last2=Wang|first3=Charisse N.|last3=Holmes|first4=Gwijun|last4=Kwon|first5=Elizabeth K.|last5=Medlock|date=April 17, 2013|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=8|issue=4|pages=e61715|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0061715|pmid=23613913|pmc=3629115 |bibcode=2013PLoSO...861715L |doi-access=free }} He also demonstrated that some insecticides can mimic the action of methyl farnesoate in daphnids resulting in altered sex ratios of offspring.{{Cite journal|title=Ligand-Mediated Receptor Assembly as an End Point for High-Throughput Chemical Toxicity Screening|first1=Elizabeth K.|last1=Medlock Kakaley|first2=Stephanie A.|last2=Eytcheson|first3=Gerald A.|last3=LeBlanc|date=August 15, 2017|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|volume=51|issue=16|pages=9327–9333|doi=10.1021/acs.est.7b02882|pmid=28708939|pmc=5831241|bibcode=2017EnST...51.9327M }}

In 2005, LeBlanc created a mathematical model that integrated concentration addition, response addition, and toxicokinetic interactions to enable the assessment of the toxicity of chemical mixtures.{{cite web|url=https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/87/2/520/1730749|title= An Integrated Addition and Interaction Model for Assessing Toxicity of Chemical Mixtures}} He demonstrated the utility of this model by assessing the joint toxicity of 9 chemicals commonly found in surface waters in the US.{{Cite journal|title=Toxicity Assessment of Environmentally Relevant Pollutant Mixtures Using a Heuristic Model|first1=Allen W.|last1=Olmstead|first2=Gerald A.|last2=LeBlanc|date=May 22, 2005|journal=Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management|volume=1|issue=2|pages=114–122|doi=10.1897/IEAM_2004-005R.1|s2cid=45495510 |doi-access=free|pmid=16639893 |bibcode=2005IEAM....1..114O }} This model has been used by regulatory agencies{{Cite journal|title=Predictive Modeling of a Mixture of Thyroid Hormone Disrupting Chemicals That Affect Production and Clearance of Thyroxine|first1=J. L.|last1=Flippin|first2=J. M.|last2=Hedge|first3=M. J.|last3=DeVito|first4=G. A.|last4=LeBlanc|first5=K. M.|last5=Crofton|date=September 22, 2009|journal=International Journal of Toxicology|volume=28|issue=5|pages=368–381|doi=10.1177/1091581809341883|pmid=19815844 |s2cid=206688219 |doi-access=free}} and has been recommended by the National Research Council in the assessment of risks to endangered and threatened species from exposure to pesticide mixtures.{{cite web|url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/863087949|title=Assessing risks to endangered and threatened species from pesticides}}

LeBlanc has conducted research in risk assessments, notably, identifying chemicals for prioritization in environmental risk assessments.{{Cite journal|title=Retrospective: Acute Toxicity of Priority Pollutants|first=Gerald A.|last=LeBlanc|date=September 1, 2016|journal=Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology|volume=97|issue=3|pages=301–302|doi=10.1007/s00128-016-1859-7|pmid=27334097 |s2cid=206881731 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2016BuECT..97..301L }} He suggested the integration of surrogate species and biomarkers of chronic toxicity into conventional toxicity assessments to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of environmental risk assessments.{{Cite journal|title=Chronic toxicity of environmental contaminants: sentinels and biomarkers.|first1=G A|last1=LeBlanc|first2=L J|last2=Bain|date=February 22, 1997|journal=Environmental Health Perspectives|volume=105|issue=suppl 1|pages=65–80|doi=10.1289/ehp.97105s165|pmid=9114278|pmc=1470223}} In a collaborative study, he suggested that hepatic testosterone biotransformation enzymes serve as more reliable indicators of puberty compared to preputial separation, and recommended the inclusion of these enzymes in risk assessment protocols for potential xenoestrogens.{{cite web|url=https://academic.oup.com/biolreprod/article/65/5/1496/2723639|title=Neonatal Low- and High-Dose Exposure to Estradiol Benzoate in the Male Rat: I. Effects on the Prostate Gland}} He assessed the risk associated with several environmental chemicals including phthalate esters in bottled drinking water{{Cite journal|title=Phthalate Esters and Their Potential Risk in PET Bottled Water Stored under Common Conditions|first1=Xiangqin|last1=Xu|first2=Gang|last2=Zhou|first3=Kun|last3=Lei|first4=Gerald A.|last4=LeBlanc|first5=Lihui|last5=An|date=January 22, 2020|journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health|volume=17|issue=1|pages=141|doi=10.3390/ijerph17010141 |pmid=31878152 |doi-access=free |pmc=6982309}} and tributyltin in marine organisms.{{Cite journal|url=|title=Organotins in a food web from the Three Gorges Reservoir, China: Trophic enrichment and potential health risk|first1=Jia|last1=You|first2=Jun-min|last2=Gao|first3=Ping-ting|last3=Fu|first4=Gerald A.|last4=LeBlanc|first5=Jin-song|last5=Guo|first6=Li-xia|last6=Zhang|first7=Mao-qiu|last7=Li|date=November 1, 2022|journal=Science of the Total Environment|volume=845|pages=157276|doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157276|pmid=35835194 |bibcode= 2022ScTEn.84557276Y|s2cid=250464518 }}

• 1985 – Outstanding research, Sigma Xi
• 1985 – Outstanding research, Florida Academy of Sciences
• 1986 – Outstanding research, Florida Academy of Sciences
• 1987 – Richard A. Smith Award, Harvard Medical School

• Everyday Chemicals: Understanding the Risks (2023) ISBN 978-0231205962

• Vom Saal, F. S., Akingbemi, B. T., Belcher, S. M., Birnbaum, L. S., Crain, D. A., Eriksen, M., ... & Zoeller, R. T. (2007). Chapel Hill bisphenol A expert panel consensus statement: integration of mechanisms, effects in animals and potential to impact human health at current levels of exposure. Reproductive Toxicology, 24(2), 131–138.
• LeBlanc G.A. (2007). Crustacean endocrine toxicology: a review. Ecotoxicology, 16, 61–81.
• Camp A. A., Yun J., Chambers S. A., Maher H. H., LeBlanc G. A. (2020). Involvement of glutamate and serotonin transmitter systems in male sex determination in Daphnia pulex. Journal of Insect Physiology. 121: doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104015.
• Xu, X., Zhou, G., Lei, K., LeBlanc, G. A., & An, L. (2020). Phthalate esters and their potential risk in PET bottled water stored under common conditions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), 141.
• Ford, A. T., & LeBlanc, G. A. (2020). Endocrine disruption in invertebrates: A survey of research progress. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(21), 13365–13369.
• Morthorst J.E, Holbech H., De Croze N., Mattiessen P., & LeBlanc G.A. (2022). Thyroid-like hormone signaling in invertebrates and its potential role in initial screening of thyroid hormone system disrupting chemicals. Integrative Environmental Assessment & Management. 18:62-82.

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Category:American biologists

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