Current Research Interests

Professor Jack Ng is the Program Leader for Risk Assessment.

Jack is a certified toxicologist (DABT - Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology) and is the Program Manager for Metals and Metalloids (M&M) Research in EnTox. His major research themes include chemical speciation of arsenic species in environmental and biological media, bioaccessibility and bioavailability in relationship to toxicities using various animal models, carcinogenicity and mechanistic studies of chronic arsenic toxicity in both humans and animals. Jack and his team have recently demonstrated that a methylated metabolite (MMA^III) of arsenic is the proximal carcinogen in an in-vivo model. This is a landmark study in arsenic research in addition to his initial proof of the carcinogenic effect of inorganic arsenic in-vivo. One of his current interests is to identify early biomarkers for the diagnosis of arsenicosis in humans and animals using both chemical and molecular biological tools. In CRC-CARE he is developing cell-based tools for better exposure and effect measurements. Other research interests include toxicity of mixed metals, the transfer of heavy metals via the food chain from mine tailings and other mining wastes in addition to study on natural toxins in plants relevant to human health. Projects in the area of natural toxins include “Management of mycotoxins in Australian maize” and “Isolation and charaterisation of unknown toxins in fungal infected sago that can cause human fatalities”. Jack’s projects represent a combination of independent effort as well as linkages through national and international collaboration.

Research Expertise

• Internationally known arsenic researcher.
• Expertise in environmental toxicology and risk assessment – both in-vivo and in-vitro systems.
• Certified Toxicologist (since 2004), a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, USA.
• Coordination Editor – Journal of Geochemistry and Environmental Health (2004-present).
• Editorial Board – Journal of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (invited to join) 

Recent Professional Experience

• Professor/Professorial Research Fellow (UQ) 2007-present
• Associate Professor (UQ) 2001-2006

Academic Qualifications

• PhD (UQ),
• MAppSc (QUT),
• BAppSc(QUT),
• DABT(USA)

Professional Society Memberships

• Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology,
• Australian College of Toxicology and Risk Assessment
• Geochemistry and Health
• ISTEB-Committee

Publications Summary

Over 250 career publications – examples are given below.

Recent refereed articles:

1. Manonmanii Krishnamohan, Lixia Qi, Paul K.S. Lam, Michael R. Moore and Jack C. Ng (2007). Urinary arsenic and porphyrin profile in C57BL/6J mice chronically exposed to monomethylarsonous acid (MMA^III) for two years. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 224: 89-97.
2. Haswell-Elkins M., McGrath V., Moore M. R., Satarug S., Walmby M. and Ng J. C. (2006). Exploring potential dietary contributions including traditional seafood and other determinants of urinary cadmium levels among Indigenous women of a Torres Strait Island (Australia) – Revision I.D. JESEE-06-. J. Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology – accepted.
3. Krishnamohan M, Wu H. J., Huang S. H., Maddelena R., Lam P. K. S, Moore M. R., Ng J. C. (2006) Urinary arsenic methylation and porphyrin profile of C57Bl/6J mice chronically exposed to sodium arsenate. Science of the Total Environment. Doi 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.08.052 (in press)
4. Bricknell L., Blaney B. J., Ng J. C. (2006). Risk management for mycotoxin contamination of Australian maize Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture (accepted).
5. Ng J. C. and Moore M. R. (2005). Editorials: Arsenic: a natural killer in Bangladesh and beyond. Medical J. Aust. 183 (11/12): 562-3.
6. Wu H. J., Manonmanii K., Lam P. K. S., Huang S. H.,  Wang J. P.,  NgJ. C. (2004). Urinary arsenic speciation and porphyrins in C57Bl/6J mice chronically exposed to low doses of sodium arsenate. Toxicology Letters, 154 (1-2): 149-157.
7.  Ranmuthugala G., Milton A. H.,  Smith W. T.,  Ng J. C.,  Sim M.,  Dear K.,  Caldwell B. K. (2004). Intervention trial to assess arsenic exposure from food crops in Bangladesh. Archives of Environmental Health, 59 (4): 209-212 (printed 2005 although dated 2004).
8.  Ng J. C., Wang J. P.,  Kratzmann S.,  Qi L., Zheng B.S., Zhai C.,  Liu F.,  Moore M. R. (2004). Urinary Arsenic And Malondialdehyde To Identify The Risk Among Susceptible Populations Exposed To Coal-Borne Arsenic. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 197(3), 438-39.
9.  Ng J. C., Wang J. P., Shraim A. (2003). Review - A global health problem caused by arsenic from natural sources. Chemosphere, 52: 1353-1359.
10. Ng J.C. (one of Contributing Authors) (2004). WHO IARC Monograph 84: Some drinking water disinfectants and contaminants including arsenic.
11. Shraim A., Cui X., Li S., Ng J. C.,  Wang J. P., Jin Y. L., Liu Y. C., Guo L., Li D. S., Wang S. Q., Zhang R., and Hirano S. (2003). Arsenic speciation in the urine and hair of individuals exposed to airborne arsenic through coal-burning in Guizhou, PR China. Toxicology Letters, 137: 35-48.
12. Bruce S. L., Noller B. N., Grigg A. H., Mullen B. F., Mulligan D. R., Ritchie P. J., Currey N., Ng J. C. (2003). A field study conducted at Kidston Gold Mine, to evaluate the impact of arsenic and zinc from mine tailing to grazing cattle. Toxicology Letters, 137: 23-34.
13. Ng J. C., Qi L., and Moore M. R. (2002). Porphyrin profile in blood and urine as a biomarker for exposure to various arsenic species. Cellular and Molecular Biology, 48(1): 111-123.
14. Tran H.P., Prakash A.S., Barnard R. and Ng J.C. (2002). Arsenic inhibits the repair of DNA damage induced by benzo(a)pyrene. Toxicology Letters, 133: 59-67.

Other papers

1. Roberts M.C., Seawright A.A. and Ng J.C. (1979) – Chronic phenyl mercuric acetate toxicity in a horse. Veterinary and Human Toxicology. 21: 321-327.
2. Hirono, B., Ng J.C. and Sutton R.H. (1993) – Lead concentrations in tissues of fruit bats (Pteropus sp.) in urban and non-urban locations. Wildlife Research. 20: 315-320.
3. Oelrichs P.B., Ng J.C. and Bartley J. (1995) - The purification, isolation and structure elucidation of Ptaquiloside, the carcinogen from Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Phytochemistry. 40(1), 53-56.
4. Ng J.C. and Moore M.R. (1996) - Bioavailability of arsenic in soils from contaminated sites using a 96 hour rat blood model. In: The Health Risk Assessment and Management of Contaminated Sites. Eds: A. Langley, B. Markey and H. Hill. Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health and the Environmental Protection Agency. Contaminated Sites Monograph Series. No. 5, 355-363.
5. Gordon A.N., Pople A.R. and Ng J. C. (1998). Trace metal concentrations in livers and kidneys of sea turtles from south-eastern Queensland, Australia. Marine and Fresh Water Research. 49: 409-414.
6. Ng J.C., Kratzmann S.M., Qi L., Crawley H., Chiswell B. and Moore M.R. (1998). Speciation and bioavailability: risk assessment of arsenic contaminated sites in a residential suburb in Canberra. The Analyst.123: 889-892.
7. Oelrichs PB, MacLeod JK, Seawright AA, Moore MR, Ng JC, Dutra F, Riet-Corréa F, Mendez MC and Thamsborg SM (1999) Unique toxic peptides isolated from sawfly larvae in three continents.  Toxicon, 37, 537-544.
8. Ng JC (2000). Toxicology and Indoor Air Quality. In: Indoor Air Quality – A Report on Health Impacts and Management Options. Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra, ACT, Australia. ISBN 0642446679. Pp 123-131.
9. Ng J.C. (2001). WHO IPCS EHC on Arsenic and Arsenic Compounds, Editor and author, 521 pages.
10. Jack C. Ng (2002). Degradation of land and its relation to public health. Chapter 2. In: The Restoration and Management of derelict lands: Modern Approaches. M.H. Wong & A.D. Bradshaw (eds.), World Scientific Publishing Co, Singapore. Pp 7-18.