Dr. Jennifer L. Freeman is a Professor of Toxicology in the School of Health Sciences at Purdue University, with affiliations in Environmental and Ecological Engineering and the Department of Public Health. She also serves as Assistant Vice President for Research Development, and is a co-lead for the PFAS Strategic Research Team at ISF. Dr. Freeman is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in environmental molecular toxicology, advancing understanding of how environmental exposures influence human health across the lifespan.
Jennifer Freeman
Assistant Vice President for Research Development and Professor of Toxicology, Co-Lead of the PFAS Strategic Research Team
Education
PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL Postdoctoral Researcher, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
Research Interests
Dr. Freeman’s research centers on the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of toxicity within the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework. Her work investigates how environmental stressors—including PFAS, pesticides, metals, radiation, and emerging contaminants—impact health outcomes from early development through adulthood and across generations.
Her lab integrates molecular, behavioral, and toxicokinetic approaches to better understand links between environmental exposure and conditions such as neurodegenerative disease and neuroendocrine dysfunction. A hallmark of her work is the use of zebrafish as a translational model, alongside complementary systems such as human-derived neurons and rodent models, to bridge environmental health research to human outcomes.
Dr. Freeman is a sought-after expert who has contributed to major national and international scientific efforts, including service on committees for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). She has also participated in review panels for organizations such as NIH, NSF, CDC, DoD, and international funding agencies across Europe and North America.
Research Impact
Dr. Freeman has significantly advanced the application of zebrafish in toxicological sciences, including innovations in genetics, epigenetics, and central nervous system development and aging. Her work has strengthened the translational relevance of environmental toxicology, contributing to improved understanding of how chemical exposures shape disease risk across populations.