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Melissa Suter

Suter

Melissa Suter, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

(713) 798-4192

Positions

Assistant Professor
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Houston, TX, US
Co-Director
Clinical Translational Research Certificate of Added Qualification (CTR-CAQ) Program
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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Faculty Member
Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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Faculty Member
Cancer & Cell Biology Graduate Program
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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Education

BA from College of the Holy Cross
06/1999 - Worecster, MA
Biology, Psychology
PhD from University of Massachusetts Medical School
07/2008 - Worcester, MA

Professional Interests

  • Women's Health
  • Toxicology and Environmental Exposures
  • Obesity and Metabolism

Professional Statement

As an environmental health scientist focused on pregnancy and dedicated educator, I lead a translational research program focused on understanding how environmental exposures shape placental biology and contribute to preterm birth risk. Supported by NIH/NIEHS funding, my work employs advanced molecular, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and exposure‑science approaches to identify mechanisms linking PAHs, microplastics, metabolic stressors, and maternal health with fetal development. Complementing my research, I provide sustained leadership in graduate education as Associate Director of the CTR‑CAQ Program and Course Director for several institutional translational research curricula. I have a strong track record of mentoring trainees at all stages and cultivating interdisciplinary learning environments that prepare them for careers in science and medicine. My goal is to advance knowledge that improves maternal–infant health while shaping educational programs that develop the next generation of translational researchers.

Websites

Selected Publications

  • Shope CD, Lucas AE, Cherry SM, Aagaard KM, Suter MA.. " " Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2025 Nov 4; 4;19:e309
    Pubmed PMID: .
  • Neumann O, Sánchez-Alvarado AB, Jiang W, Zhou GD, Jorveka SB, Dhindsa P, Putluri N, Nordlander P, Suter MA, Moorthy B, Halas NJ.. " " J Raman Spectrosc.. 2025 Oct 9; 10
    Pubmed PMID: .
  • Hummel G, Banerjee S, Putluri V, Malick I, Johnson G, Kamal AHM, Ambati CSR, Putluri N, Showalter L, Shope CD, Hagan J, Aagaard KM, Moorthy B, Suter MA. " " Int J Mol Sci.. 2025 Aug 23; 26
    Pubmed PMID: .
  • Neumann O, Ju Y, Sanchez-Alvarado AB, Zhou G, Jiang W, Moorthy B, Suter MA, Patel A, Nordlander P, Halas NJ.. " " Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2025 Feb 18; 122(7)
    Pubmed PMID: .

Memberships

Society of Toxicology
Perinatal Research Society

Funding

Investigating the role of PAH exposures associated with superfund site proximity in preterm birth etiology through placental transcriptomics and metagenomics
#5P42ES027725-07
(02/01/2020 - 01/31/2030)
Grant funding from National Institutes of Health

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