Bruce Blumberg, PhD

Cancer Cell Biology, Developmental Genetics, Environmental Toxicology, Molecular Signaling, Stem Cell Biology

Bruce Blumberg

Epigenetic inheritance, nuclear hormone receptors, gene-environment interactions, endocrine disruptors

Researchers in the Blumberg laboratory study a family of ligand-modulated transcription factors, the nuclear hormone receptors, and their role in development, physiology and disease.

One major research interest in the Blumberg laboratory concerns gene-environment interactions and the developmental basis of health and disease. Obesity and obesity-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease have become an epidemic of global proportions. Excessive consumption of calorie-dense food and diminished physical activity (the “Couch Potato or energy balance model”) are the generally accepted causal factors for obesity. But can environmental factors play a role in exposing preexisting genetic differences or amplifying the effects of diet and exercise? Our “obesogen hypothesis” proposes the existence of environmental chemicals that can perturb lipid homeostasis, adipocyte development and adipose tissue function. We identified organotins as bona fide obesogens that cause adipocyte differentiation in vitro and fat accumulation in vivo. Moreover, prenatal exposure to organotins reprograms metabolism such that affected animals are predisposed to weight gain later in life, despite a normal diet. Effects of prenatal obesogen exposure can be transmitted transgenerationally through at least 4 subsequent generations by altering large scale chromatin structure to promote a “thrifty phenotype”. Understanding how environmental factors such as obesogens alter chromatin structure to elicit transgenerational effects on development, physiology and disease will provide important insights into gene-environment interactions and the developmental origins of health and disease.

Recent Publications

  • Chang RC, Avila M, Huang Y, To K, Aguilar-Pimentel JA, Adler T, Gailus-Durner V, Fuchs H Hrabe de Angelis M, Blumberg B. (2026) Maternal tributyltin exposure is associated with male-biased immune dysregulation across generations. Endocrinology, in press, https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqag097
  • Chang RC, Egusquiza R, Amato A, Li Z, Dougherty AL, To KT, Avila M, Joloya EM, Wheeler HB, Nguyen A, Shioda K, Odajima J, Lawrence MS, Shioda T, Blumberg B. (2026) Heritable Changes in Chromatin Contacts Associated with Transgenerational Susceptibility to Diet-Induced Insulin Dysregulation and Obesity. Nat Commun. 17: 2662. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69214-5
  • Dougherty, A. L. and Blumberg, B. (2026). Exploring Nuclear Receptor Functions in Multipotent MesenchymalStromal Stem Cell Differentiation. Receptors 5(1): 5. doi: 10.3390/receptors5010005
  • Ikeda K, Horie K, Inoue S, Blumberg B. Physiological Functions and Pathological Roles of PXR. J Endocr Soc. 2025;9(9):bvaf119. PMCID: PMC12301092. PMID:40726484.
  • Chang RC, Huang Y, To K, Whitlock RS, Nguyen KU, Joemon MC, Lopez M, Deeprompt KG, Shioda T, Blumberg B. (2025) Transgenerational Effects of the Obesogen Tributyltin on Metabolic Health in Mice: Interactions With a Western Diet. Endocrinology. 166(5). PMCID: PMC11986328. PMID:40179257.
  • La Merrill MA, Smith MT, McHale CM, Heindel JJ, Atlas E, Cave MC, Collier D, Guyton KZ, Koliwad S, Nadal A, Rhodes CJ, Sargis RM, Zeise L, Blumberg B. (2025) Consensus on the key characteristics of metabolism disruptors. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 21(4):245-261.  PMCID:PMC11916920; PMID:39613954.
  • Ren X-M, Chang RC, Amato AA, Huang Y, Yukimtiao B, Esser A, Witteveen E, Legler J, Kamstra JH, Blumberg B. (2025) Development and characterization of a standardized adipogenesis assay for testing metabolism disrupting chemicals using human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. NAM Journal. 1:100029.
  • Chang RC, Whitlock RS, Joloya E, To KT, Huang Y, Blumberg B. (2024) Tributyltin Enhances Macrophage Inflammation and Lipolysis, Contributing to Adipose Tissue Dysfunction. J Endocr Soc. 8(12):bvae187. PMCID: PMC11535727. PMID:39502475.
  • Blumberg B, (2024) Do we need a new unifying theory for obesity?: Endocrinology 165(4). doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqae029. PMID 38546853; PMCID: PMC10977274 Endocrinology Featured Article, week of 4/29/2024
  • Lee H, Blumberg, B, Lawrence MS, Shioda T (2023) Revisiting the use of structural similarity index in Hi-C. Nat Genet. 55(12): 2049-2052. Epub 20231205. do1: 10.1038/s41588-023-01594-6. PMID: 38052962.
  • Cunha, YGO, do Amaral GCB, Felix AA, Blumberg, B and Amato AA. (2023) Early-life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemcials and autistic traits in childhood and adolescence: a systematic review of epidemiological studies. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 14:1184546. Epub 20230609. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1184546. PMID: 37361542; PMCID: PMC10289191
  • Wang F, Liu J, hernandez R, Park SH, Lai YJ, Wang S, Blumberg B, and Zhou C (2023) Adipocyte-derived PXR signaling is dispensable for diet-induced obesity and metabolic disorders in mice. Drug Metab Dispos. 51(9):1207-1215.Epub 20230525. doi: 10.1124/dmd.123.001311. PMID: 37230767; PMCID: PMC10449100
  • Heindel JJ, Alvarez JA, Atlas E, Cave MC, Chatzi VL, Collier D, Corkey B, Fischer D, Goran MI, Howard S, Kahan S, Kayhoe M, Koliwad S, Kotz CM, La Merrill M, Lobstein T, Lumeng C, Ludwig DS, Lustig RH, Myers P, Nadal A, Trasande L, Redman LM, Rodeheffer MS, Sargis RM, Stephens JM, Ziegler TR, and Blumberg, B (2023) Obesogens and Obesity: State-of-the-science and future directions Summary from a healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptors Strategies Workshop. Am J Clin Nutr. 118(1):329-337. Epub 20230523. do9i: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.024. PMID: 37230178; PMCID: PMC10731763
  • Chang RC, Joloya EM, Li Z, Shoucri BM, Shioda T, Blumberg B. (2023) miR-223 Plays a Key Role in Obesogen-Enhanced Adipogenesis in Mesenchymal Stem Cells and in Transgenerational Obesity. Endocrinology 164(5). PMID:36740725
  • Ren XM, Chang RC, Huang Y, Amorim Amato A, Carivenc C, Grimaldi M, Kuo Y, Balaguer P, Bourguet W, Blumberg B. (2023) 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol Induces Adipogenesis in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Activating Retinoid X Receptors. Endocrinology. 164(4). PMCID: PMC9969416. PMID:36750942.
  • Shioda K, Odajima J, Blumberg B, Shioda T. (2022) Transgenerational Transcriptomic and DNA Methylome Profiling of Mouse Fetal Testicular Germline and Somatic Cells after Exposure of Pregnant Mothers to Tributyltin, a Potent Obesogen. Metabolites.12(2). Epub 2022/02/26. doi: 10.3390/metabo12020095. PubMed PMID: 35208169; PMCID: PMC8874857.
  • Kassotis CD, Vom Saal FS, Babin PJ, Lagadic-Gossmann D, Le Mentec H, Blumberg B, Mohajer N, Legrand A, Munic Kos V, Martin-Chouly C, Podechard N, Langouet S, Touma C, Barouki R, Ji Kim M, Audouze K, Choudhury M, Shree N, Bansal A, Howard S, Heindel JJ. (2022) Obesity III: Obesogen assays: Limitations, strengths, and new directions. Biochem Pharmacol. 199:115014. Epub 2022/04/09. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115014. PubMed PMID: 35393121; PMCID: PMC9050906.
  • Heindel JJ, Howard S, Agay-Shay K, Arrebola JP, Audouze K, Babin PJ, Barouki R, Bansal A, Blanc E, Cave MC, Chatterjee S, Chevalier N, Choudhury M, Collier D, Connolly L, Coumoul X, Garruti G, Gilbertson M, Hoepner LA, Holloway AC, Howell G, 3rd, Kassotis CD, Kay MK, Ji Kim M, Lagadic-Gossmann D, Langouet S, Legrand A, Li Z, Le Mentec H, Lind L, Monica Lind P, Lustig RH, Martin-Chouly C, Munic Kos V, Podechard N, Roepke TA, Sargis RM, Starling A, Tomlinson CR, Touma C, Vondracek J, Vom Saal F, Blumberg B. Obesity II: Establishing causal links between chemical exposures and obesity. Biochem Pharmacol. 2022;199:115015. Epub 2022/04/09. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115015. PubMed PMID: 35395240.
  • Chang RC, Thangavelu CS, Joloya EM, Kuo A, Li Z, Blumberg B. (2022) Cannabidiol promotes adipogenesis of human and mouse mesenchymal stem cells via PPARgamma by inducing lipogenesis but not lipolysis. Biochem Pharmacol. 197:114910. Epub 2022/01/14. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.114910. PubMed PMID: 35026188; PMCID: PMC8917779.
  • Mohajer N, Joloya EM, Seo J, Shioda T, Blumberg B. (2021) Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance of the Effects of Obesogen Exposure. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne).12:787580. Epub 2022/01/04. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.787580. PubMed PMID: 34975759; PMCID: PMC8716683.
  • Mohajer N, Du CY, Checkcinco C, Blumberg B. (2021) Obesogens: How They Are Identified and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Their Action. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne);12:780888. Epub 2021/12/14. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.780888. PubMed PMID: 34899613; PMCID: PMC8655100.
  • Kirk AB, Michelsen-Correa S, Rosen C, Martin CF, Blumberg B. (2021) PFAS and Potential Adverse Effects on Bone and Adipose Tissue Through Interactions With PPARgamma. Endocrinology, 162(12). Epub 2021/09/05. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqab194. PubMed PMID: 34480479; PMCID: PMC9034324.
  • Chamorro-Garcia R, Poupin N, Tremblay-Franco M, Canlet C, Egusquiza R, Gautier R, Jouanin I, Shoucri BM, Blumberg B, Zalko D (2021) Transgenerational metabolomic fingerprints in mice ancestrally exposed to the obesogen TBT. Environ Internat 157, 106822
  • Amato AA, Wheeler HB, Blumberg B. (2021) Obesity and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Endocr Connect. 10(2):R87-R105. PubMed PMID: 33449914; PMCID: PMC7983487.
  • Thangavelu G, Wang C, Loschi M, Saha A, Osborn MJ, Furlan SN, Aoyama K, McDonald-Hyman C, Aguilar EG, Janesick AS, Chandraratna RA, Refaeli Y, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, MacDonald KP, Hill GR, Zeiser R, Maillard I, Serody JS, Murphy WJ, Munn DH, Blumberg B, Brown C, Kuchroo V, Kean LS, Hippen KL, Noelle RJ, Blazar BR.(2021)  Repurposing a novel anti-cancer RXR agonist to attenuate murine acute GVHD and maintain graft-versus-leukemia responses. Blood. 137(8):1090-103. PubMed PMID: 32976550; PMCID: PMC7907720.
  • Ren XM, Kuo Y, Blumberg B. (2020) Agrochemicals and obesity. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 515:110926. PubMed PMID: 32619583; PMCID: PMC7484009.
  • Legler J, Zalko D, Jourdan F, Jacobs M, Fromenty B, Balaguer P, Bourguet W, Munic Kos V, Nadal A, Beausoleil C, Cristobal S, Remy S, Ermler S, Margiotta-Casaluci L, Griffin JL, Blumberg B, Chesne C, Hoffmann S, Andersson PL, Kamstra JH. (2020) The GOLIATH Project: Towards an Internationally Harmonised Approach for Testing Metabolism Disrupting Compounds. Int J Mol Sci. 21(10). PubMed PMID: 32423144; PMCID: PMC7279023
  • Ahluwalia A, Hoa N, Ge L, Blumberg B, Levin ER. (2020) Mechanisms by Which Membrane and Nuclear ER Alpha Inhibit Adipogenesis in Cells Isolated From Female Mice. Endocrinology. 61(11). Epub 2020/09/26. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa175. PubMed PMID: 32976570.
  • Egusquiza RJ, Ambrosio ME, Wang SG, Kay KM, Zhang C, Lehmler HJ, Blumberg, B. (2020) Evaluating the Role of the Steroid and Xenobiotic Receptor (SXR/PXR) in PCB-153 Metabolism and Protection against Associated Adverse Effects during Perinatal and Chronic Exposure in Mice. Environ Health Perspect.;128(4):47011. PMID:32352317.
  • Egusquiza RJ, Blumberg B. (2020) Environmental Obesogens and Their Impact on Susceptibility to Obesity: New Mechanisms and Chemicals. Endocrinology;161(3). PMCID: PMC7060764. PMID:32067051
  • Diaz-Castillo C, Chamorro-Garcia R, Shioda T, Blumberg B. (2019) Transgenerational Self-Reconstruction of Disrupted Chromatin Organization After Exposure To An Environmental Stressor in Mice. Scientific Reports. 2019;9(1):13057. PMCID: PMC6736928. PMID:31506492. r
  • Janesick, A., Tang, W., Ampig, K., and Blumberg, B. (2019) ZNF703 is a novel RA target in the neural plate border. Scientific Reports 9 (1) 8275. DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-44722-1
  • Lee, MK, Blumberg, B. (2019) Transgenerational effects of obesogens. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 125 suppl3, 44-57. PMCID: PMC6708505. PMID:30801972
  • Chamorro-Garcia, R, Blumberg, B. (2019) Current Research Approaches and Challenges in the Obesogen Field. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 10: 167. PMCID: PMC6438851
  • Heindel, JJ, Blumberg, B. (2019) Environmental Obesogens: Mechanisms and Controversies. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 59: 89-106. PMCID: PMC6559802. PMID: 30044726.
  • Lille-Langoy, R, Karlsen, OA, Myklebust, LM, Goldstone, JV, Mork-Jansson, A, Male, R, Blumberg, B, Stegeman, JJ, Goksoyr, A. (2019) Sequence variations in pxr (nr1i2) from zebrafish (Danio rerio) strains affect nuclear receptor function. Toxicol Sci., 168(1): 28-39 PMCID: 6390661.
  • Janesick, A, Tang, W, Shioda, T, Blumberg, B. (2018) RARgamma is required for mesodermal gene expression prior to gastrulation in Xenopus. Development (Cambridge, England) 145(18): dev147769.
  • Chappell, VA, Janesick, A, Blumberg, B, Fenton, SE. (2018) Tetrabromobisphenol-A Promotes Early Adipogenesis and Lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Cells. Toxicol Sci 166(2): 332-44. PMCID: 6260163.
  • Shoucri, BM, Hung, VT, Chamorro-Garcia, R, Shioda, T, Blumberg, B. (2018) Retinoid X Receptor Activation During Adipogenesis of Female Mesenchymal Stem Cells Programs a Dysfunctional Adipocyte. Endocrinology 159(8): 2863-83.
  • Chamorro-Garcia, R, Shoucri, BM, Willner, S, Kach, H, Janesick, A, Blumberg, B. (2018) Effects of Perinatal Exposure to Dibutyltin Chloride on Fat and Glucose Metabolism in Mice, and Molecular Mechanisms, in Vitro. Environ Health Perspect 126(5): 057006. PMCID: 6072003.
  • Chamorro-Garcia, R, Diaz-Castillo, C, Shoucri, BM, Kach, H, Leavitt, R, Shioda, T, Blumberg, B. (2017) Ancestral perinatal obesogen exposure results in a transgenerational thrifty phenotype in mice. Nat Commun 8(1): 2012. PMCID: 5722856
  • Shoucri, BM, Martinez, ES, Abreo, TJ, Hung, VT, Moosova, Z, Shioda, T, Blumberg, B. (2017) Retinoid X Receptor Activation Alters the Chromatin Landscape To Commit Mesenchymal Stem Cells to the Adipose Lineage. Endocrinology 158(10): 3109-25.
  • Janesick, A, Tang, W, Nguyen, TTL, Blumberg, B. (2017) RARbeta2 is required for vertebrate somitogenesis. Development (Cambridge, England) 144(11): 1997-2008.

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