The Barkholtz Toxicology Laboratory includes researchers from diverse personal and professional backgrounds. We foster an inclusive and supportive environment and collaborative group culture to facilitate efficient and effective scientific and academic progress. Our impact is larger and reaches farther when research questions and experimental design are considered and developed from transdisciplinary perspectives.
Please look through our member biographies to learn more about each team member’s interests and expertise.
Heather Barkholtz
Credentials: PhD
Position title: Assistant Professor of Forensic Toxicology - School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences & Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Forensic Toxicology
Email:
hbarkholtz
Address:
Postdoctoral Appointee – Energy Storage Technology & Systems, Sandia National Laboratories
Doctor of Philosophy - Chemistry, Northern Illinois University
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Forensic toxicology, particularly the detection of drugs of abuse and understanding their action in the human body, is a critical public health issue. Many drugs, including illicit, prescription, and over-the-counter drugs, have impairing effects. These drugs may impair coordination, reaction time, tracking, judgement, attention, and perception. If taken in high doses or in combination with other drugs, they can result in overdoses requiring emergency medical intervention. However, intra- and inter-personal variations in drug distribution, effects, and outcomes are not well understood. I take a interdisciplinary approach and partner with public health stakeholders to add to the body of knowledge surrounding drug of abuse action and detection in the body.
When I am not working, I spend time with my husband and two children. We like to go camping, hiking, and biking. I also love to cook, read, and run.
A complete list of published work is available here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/heather.barkholtz.1/bibliography/public/
Graduate Students
Maia Bates
Position title: NSF GRFP Fellow
Email:
mbates6
Will Naviaux
Email:
naviaux
Steffi Omadio
Undergraduate Students
Former Lab Members
Interested in Joining the Lab?
The Barkholtz Toxicology Laboratory is always looking for talented scientists, clinicians, and practitioners to collaborate with or to join the interdisciplinary team. Across all lab positions we value, respect, and celebrate those who wish to work and learn in a transdisciplinary environment.
Particularly well-qualified applicants may have training or experience in analytical chemistry, chromatography, mass spectrometry, sample preparation and extraction, pharmacokinetics modeling, clinical trials, controlled substances, and a biosafety level-2 (BSL-2) laboratory.
If your skills and interests align with the group, please get in touch!
Prospective PhD students:
Apply through the Pharmaceutical Sciences, PhD program in the School of Pharmacy, the Chemistry, PhD program in the College of Letters & Science, or the Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, PhD Program.
Undergraduate, PharmD, and MS students
Please send your inquiry and CV to hbarkholtz@wisc.edu.