Motoko Mukai, DVM, PhD
Diplomate of American Board of Toxicology
Assistant Professor of Chemical Food Safety
Department of Food Science
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Cornell University

Email: motoko.mukai[at]cornell.edu

Overview
I was trained as a molecular/reproductive/environmental toxicologist as well as a veterinary diagnostic toxicologist over the course of my career.  Most of my research career has been devoted to study the effect of endocrine disrupting compounds on health.  During my diagnostic toxicology career, however, I dealt with variety of animal feed/food contamination issues.  There are strong interconnections between animal feed contamination and human food chemical safety issues.  With globalization of the food market and in anticipation of a future food crisis, food production with the help of food technologies are inevitable in order for ensure human food security.  On the other hand, safety of chemical compounds found in food, whether it is unintentional or intentional, is a growing concern.  I am interested in understanding the potential toxic mechanisms of compounds found in food and water in order to prevent adverse effect of human health.  As a toxicologist, I also feel responsible for educating the students and the public with correct information on risks and safety of chemical compounds based on solid scientific research. Being a veterinarian, I have used various models including rodents, birds and fish in my research to take the best advantages of different and fascinating physiological systems to answer specific scientific questions.

Education

• Veterinary Toxicology Residency, California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory
• Postdoc, University of California - Davis
• PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• DVM, Azabu University

Honors, Awards and Certifications

• Diplomate of American Board of Toxicology (DABT)
• Trainee Award, American Board of Veterinary Toxicology
• Phi Zeta Mu Chapter Basic Research Award, University of Illinois at U-C
• Dr. J.O. Alberts Award, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Eli Lilly Predoctoral Fellowship
• Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Scholarship
• Japanese Food, Drug and Pesticide Safety Center Scholarship