Mechanisms in Systemic Toxicology (MIST) Lab
The MIST Laboratory focuses on basic, but innovative toxicology research related to hazardous risks and emerging/advanced threats. We work with physicians and scientists as we explore molecular mechanisms of chemical and biological agents so that we may identify potential biomarkers for early detection of exposure/effects and therapeutic strategies to promote survival. A core mission is the development and evaluation of countermeasures to mitigate risks posed by novel threats, including those in industrial, environmental, and security contexts. We work closely with many academic and government partners to develop scientific solutions that are able to be translated directly back into the field or clinic.
Leadership
Jonathan W. Boyd. Ph.D
COMBAT Center Lead for Advanced Threats and Countermeasures
Faculty Profile | LinkedIn Profile
Research and Publications
| Project Title | Funder |
| Aptameric Expansion of ChemDX Platform: Fentanyl Triage | Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) |
| Spatiotemporal Inflammation Associated with Agent Exposure | DTRA |
| Project Title | Funder |
| Neuroinflammation-related phosphoprotein signaling pathways as potential therapeutic targets for GWI using an established animal model | DoD CDMRP |
| Cerebral Vascular Dysfunction and Stroke in Offspring Exposed to Maternal Vaping | American Heart Association |
| Fluorescence and Biomarkers in Prosthetic Joint Infection | NIH NIAMS |
| Effects of electronic cigarette wattage setting on vascular harm | NIH NIEHS / FDA CTP |
| RAPID: Prototype of a medical mask using a novel antimicrobial/antiviral biofilter material | NSF |
| Autonomous Collective Protection Systems (CPS) | U.S. Navy SBIR |
| Future fieldable mass spectrometry for stress biomarkers | U.S. Air Force STTR |
| Research and Education in Nanotoxicology at West Virginia University | NSF IGERT |
| Using Estimations of Entropy to Optimize Complex Human Dynamic Networks Under Stress | DARPA / DSO |
| Natural Designs for Network Threats | DARPA / DSO |
| Selective Nanowire Sensors for Chemical Agent Detection | Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) |
| Authors | Title | Journal | Year |
| Boyd J, Newman M, Warner K, Chaves M, Brown J, Bauer A, Chakraborty N, Hammamieh R, Gautam A, Lin V, Smith J, Wright L, Colburn H | Lethality is Local, but Survival is Systemic: Temporal and Multi-Organ Responses to Chlorine Gas Exposure in a Murine Model. | Current Research in Toxicology | 2026 |
| Boyd J, Chaves M, Warner K, Reixinger C. | Bioenergetic Analyses to Guide Toxicological Endpoints | Methods in Molecular Biology | 2026 |
| Patel M, Kannan S, Moyler C, Dimitrov G, Gautam A, Newman M, Hendry-Hofer T, Boyd J, Hammamieh R | Fentanyl-Induced Cortical and Cardiopulmonary Damage Linked to Apoptosis-Necrosis and Immune Response in a Multi-Omics Mouse Model. | Frontiers in Immunology | 2026 |
| Mills A, Daklallah D, Ranpara A, Goldsmith WT, Chantler PD, Huang Y-W, Boyd J, Olfert IM. | Pregnancy and Postpartum Effects of Electronic Cigarettes on Maternal and Vascular Function in the Fourth Trimester | Cardiovascular Toxicology | 2025 |
| Morandini L, Heath T, Sheakley LS, Avery D, Grabiec M, Friedman M, Martin RK, Boyd J, Olivares-Navarrete R. | Adoptive Transfer of Immunomodulatory Macrophages Reduces the Pro-Inflammatory Microenvironment and Increases Bone Formation on Titanium Implants | Acta Biomaterialia | 2025 |
| Newman M, Connery H, Kannan S, Gautum A, Hammamieh R, Chakraborty N, Boyd J | Fentanyl Overdose Causes Prolonged Cardiopulmonary Dysregulation in Male SKH1 Mice | Pharmaceuticals | 2024 |
| Newman M, Lynch C, Connery H, Goldsmith W, Nurkiewicz T, Raylman R, Boyd J | Fentanyl overdose: Temporal effects and prognostic factors in SKH1 mice | Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology | 2024 |
| Newman M, Connery H, Boyd J | Opioids and Vitamin C: Known Interactions and Potential for Redox-Signaling Crosstalk | Antioxidants | 2022 |
| Penatzer JA, Miller JV, Prince N, Newman M, Lynch C, Hobbs GR, Boyd JW | Corticosterone and chlorpyrifos oxon exposure elicits spatiotemporal MAPK phosphoprotein signaling in a mouse brain | Food and Chemical Toxicology | 2021 |
| Penatzer JA, Miller JV, Prince N, Lynch C, Newman M, Hobbs GR, Boyd JW | Differential phosphoprotein signaling in the cortex in mouse models of Gulf War Illness using corticosterone and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors | Heliyon | 2021 |
| Prince N, Penatzer JA, Shackleford TL, Dietz MJ, Boyd JW | Tissue-level cytokines in a rodent model of chronic implant-associated infection (Featured Cover Article) | Journal of Orthopaedic Research | 2021 |
| Prince N, Penatzer J, Dietz M, Boyd J | Localized cytokine responses to total knee arthroplasty and total knee revision complications | Journal of Translational Medicine | 2020 |
| Prince N, Penatzer JA, Dietz MJ, Boyd JW | Impact of cytokines and phosphoproteins in response to chronic joint infection | Biology | 2020 |
| Penatzer JA, Miller JV, Han AA, Prince N, Boyd JW | Salivary cytokines as a biomarker of social stress in a mock hostage rescue mission | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health | 2020 |
| Dietz MJ, Hare JT, Ueno C, Prudhomme BJ, Boyd JW | Laser Assisted Fluorescence Angiography to Assess Tissue Perfusion in the Setting of Traumatic Elbow Dislocation | Wounds | 2018 |
| Han AA, Currie HN, Loos MS, Scardoni G, Miller JV, Boyd JW | The impact of cytokine responses in the intra- and extracellular signaling network of a traumatic injury | Cytokine | 2018 |
| Han AA, Fabyanic EB, Vrana JA, Prediger MS, Boyd JW | In vitro toxicological assessment of a West Virginia chemical spill mixture involving 4-methyl cyclohexane methanol and propylene glycol phenyl ether | Environmental Monitoring and Assessment | 2017 |
| Boyd JW, Han AA | Deguelin and Its Role in Chronic Diseases | Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology | 2016 |
| Han AA, Currie HN, Loos MS, Vrana JA, Fabyanic EB, Prediger MS, Boyd JW | Spatiotemporal Phosphoprotein Distribution and Associated Cytokine Response of a Traumatic Injury | Cytokine | 2016 |
| Vrana JA, Currie (Williams) HN, Han AA, Boyd JW | Forecasting cell death dose-response from early signal transduction responses in vitro (Selected as a Key Scientific Article by Global Medical Discovery) | Toxicological Sciences | 2014 |
| Currie (Williams) HN, Vrana JA, Han AA, Scardoni G, Boggs N, Boyd JW | An approach to investigate intracellular protein network responses | Chemical Research in Toxicology | 2014 |
| Currie (Williams) HN, Loos MS, Dragan K, Vrana JA, Boyd JW | Spatial cytokine distribution following traumatic injury | Cytokine | 2014 |
| Vrana JA, Boggs NT, Currie (Williams) HN, Boyd JW | Amelioration of an undesired action of deguelin | Toxicon | 2013 |
| Boyd JW, Vrana JA, Williams HN | In Vitro Approach to Predict Post-translational Phosphorylation Response to Mixtures | Toxicology | 2013 |