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FIONA McNEILLAssistant Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy Office: NRB-228 Phone: (905) 525-9140 x21437 |
Fiona E McNeill obtained a B.Sc. (1986) in physics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and a Ph.D. (1989) in physics from the University of Birmingham, England. In 1990, she spent a year at the Lund University Radiophysics Institute in Malmö, Sweden, on a Royal Society European Science Exchange Fellowship. She then spent four years in the Toxicology Program of the University of Maryland, before joining the Department in 1995.
Dr. McNeill's research has been in the development and application of techniques for the measurement of elements in vivo. Dr McNeill's work has been largely cross-sectional studies of lead exposure using x-ray fluorescence (XRF) bone lead measurements, which provide a painless non-invasive marker of long term lead exposure. The measurements have been used to study populations of occupationally exposed workers and environmentally exposed subjects and have investigated the possible neuropsychological effects of lead.
In addition to applying the techniques, Dr. McNeill has been involved with graduate students in the development of systems to measure toxic elements. Ana Pejovic-Milic (Ph.D. candidate) has been developing neutron activation measurement of aluminum; there is a controversial connection of aluminum exposure to dementia. Dr. Joanne O' Meara (Ph.D. 1999) developed uranium measurements as a possible method of assessing Persian Gulf War verteran's exposure.
Dr McNeill's current research work is the development of accelerator based systems; improved NAA methods for the measurement of cadmium, mercury and aluminum are being developed. However, research into essential elements is also being studied. Michelle Arnold (Ph.D. candidate) has been assessing the feasibility of measuring manganese in vivo. Manganese is an essential element which can, however, be toxic in large doses and is associated with Parkinson's like symptoms.