Tetyana Cheairs, M.D., M.S.P.H., conducted postdoctoral research at the U.S. FDA National Center for Toxicological Research related to the identification of molecular mechanisms involved in chemical-induced carcinogenesis, with a focus on epigenetic alterations.

In 2014, Dr. Cheairs joined the NYMC as an assistant professor of pathology. At NYMC, she heads an innovative research program focused on the use of non-animal models for the study of hazardous effects of chemicals and validating alternative models for the replacement of animals in safety assessment. Dr. Cheairs is a co-editor of the 7th edition of Hayes’ Principles and Methods of Toxicology textbook. She also serves as an associate editor of Toxicology Research and Application journal and a reviewer for several established journals in the field of toxicology, including Toxicology Research and Food and Chemical Toxicology.  In 2019, Dr. Cheairs was appointed assistant dean for Ph.D. Programs in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Education

• M.S.P.H., Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• M.D., Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University

Areas of Expertise

• Environmental and molecular toxicology
• Molecular biology of cancer and chemical carcinogenesis
• Epigenetics and genomics
• Genotoxic and non-genotoxic chemicals
• Cancer risk and safety assessment
• Non-animal models for chemical safety assessment

Honors and Awards

• 2020: North American Travel Grant, American College of Toxicology (ACT), virtual meeting
• 2019: North American Travel Grant, American College of Toxicology (ACT), Phoenix, AZ
• 2018: Teaching Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance in NYMC Pathology-Physiology Teaching Program, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY

Research

The research program in Dr. Cheairs laboratory, the Core Histology Laboratory, focuses on the use of non-animal models for the study of hazardous effects of chemicals as a replacement of animals in safety assessment. Specifically, the laboratory investigates the use of the avian egg models for an extensive evaluation of multiple endpoints, including genotoxicity, teratogenicity, histopathologic alterations, and gene expression changes after exposure to various environmental chemicals, including prototype carcinogens, flavor and fragrance materials, and pharmaceuticals.

Publications

• Witt KL, van Benthem J, Kobets T, et. al. "A proposed screening strategy for evaluating the genotoxicity potential of botanicals and botanical extracts." Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 197(), (2025) 115277. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2025.115277
• Horakova O, Janovska P, Irodenko I, et. al. "Postnatal surge of adipose-secreted leptin is a robust predictor of fat mass trajectory in mice." American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism, 327(6), (2024) E729-E745. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00237.2024
• Thakkar Y, Kobets T, Api AM, et. al. "Assessment of genotoxic potential of fragrance materials in the chicken egg assays." Environmental and molecular mutagenesis, 65(8), (2024) 261-274. doi: 10.1002/em.22627
• Kasperova BJ, Mraz M, Svoboda P, et. al. "Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors induce anti-inflammatory and anti-ferroptotic shift in epicardial adipose tissue of subjects with severe heart failure." Cardiovascular diabetology, 23(1), (2024) 223. doi: 10.1186/s12933-024-02298-9
• Kobets T, Hickey C, Johnson G, et. al. "Assessment of no-observed-effect-levels for DNA adducts formation by genotoxic carcinogens in fetal turkey livers." Toxicology, 501(), (2024) 153714. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153714
• Kobets T, Smith BPC, Williams GM, et. al. "Food-Borne Chemical Carcinogens and the Evidence for Human Cancer Risk." Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 11(18), (2022) . doi: 10.3390/foods11182828
• Kobets T, Duan JD, Vock E, et. al. "Evaluation of Pharmaceuticals for DNA Damage in the Chicken Egg Genotoxicity Assay (CEGA)." International journal of toxicology, 41(4), (2022) 297-311. doi: 10.1177/10915818221093583

View All PublicationsView All Publications (opens in a new tab)

Professional Service

• 2020-2022: Program Committee Member, ACT
• 2021: ACT 2021 Annual Meeting Contingency Planning Working Group
• 2020: Secretary, GTA
• 2017-2020: Member, Board of Directors, GTA
• 2019: Session Chairperson, Future Directions symposium, Annual GTA Meeting.

Memberships and Affiliations

• 2020-2023: Vice Chair, the Curriculum Committee of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, New York Medical, Valhalla, NY
• 2021: Member, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) working group Standard III (Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience) and Standard V (Educational Effectiveness Assessment)
• 2021: Member, Search committee for Vice Chair of Research
• 2021: Member, Search committee for Junior- to Mid-Career Basic Scientists
• 2021: Co-Chair, GSBMS Strategic Planning Taskforce
• 2021: Member, SOM Strategic Planning, Education and Assessment Workgroup
• 2019-2020: Member education sub-committee for strategic planning process 2020-2025, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
• 2018-2020: Member, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Self-Study Leadership Team, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
• 2017-2020: Member, Summer Trainees in Academic Research (STAR) Steering Committee of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, New York Medical, Valhalla, NY
• 2017-2019: Member, the Curriculum Committee of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, New York Medical, Valhalla, NY
• 2019: Member Academic Standards Committee, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
• 2019: Member Faculty Senate, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
• 2019: Member Steering Committee, Integrated PhD Program, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
• 2019: Member, Animal Care and Use Committee, School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY                                                                                

Membership in Professional or Honorary Societies:

• 2021 – Member, In Vitro Working Group, Quantitative Analysis Working Group, the Genetic Toxicology Technical Committee (GTTC), HESI
• 2020 – Member, Genotoxicity Technical Working Group, Botanical Safety Consortium, Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI)
• 2019 – Full member, American College of Toxicology (ACT)
• 2019 – Full member, Toxicology Forum

Teaching Responsibilities

• Introduction to Pathology
• Systemic Pathology
• Pathology/Pathophysiology Course I and II