CEEH Affiliate Dr. Michael Rosenfeld (Member, Cardiovascular Toxicology ARE) heads up a research program focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of atherosclerosis. In a collaboration with Drs. Terry Kavanagh, Dan Luchtel and Joel Kaufman, the Rosenfeld laboratory has exposed ApoE null mice (an animal model that spontaneously develops atherosclerosis) to diesel exhaust for up to 8 weeks, and examined the effects of such exposure on heart rate, heart rate variability, inflammation and the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Diesel exhaust exposure was associated with a decrease in heart rate, and disturbances in heart rate variability, although there was no effect on the degree of atherosclerosis in the diesel-exposed mice. Dr. Rosenfeld plans to examine the effects exposure to diesel exhaust early in adolescence (beginning with 5-6 week old mice) in future studies.