Rachel Leads

Dr. Rachel Leads is an Aquatic Ecotoxicologist and Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and Center for PFAS Research at Michigan State University. She received her B.A. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Albion College where she graduated magna cum laude with honors in Biology. Rachel then received her M.S. in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston where she received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award and her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of North Texas. Her research characterizes the physiological mechanisms and ecological effects of contaminants and environmental stressors on aquatic organisms. She has worked with a variety of contaminants including microplastics, oil spills, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in marine and freshwater environments across the United States. Currently, Rachel studies the impacts of PFAS on native Great Lakes fish. Overall, her work uses both field and laboratory assessments to understand the mechanisms and impacts of contaminant exposure on aquatic organisms across multiple levels of biological organization, from molecular to whole-organism responses. Through her work as an early career scientist, Rachel was awarded the Albion College Young Alumni Award and Kappa Alpha Theta’s 35 Under 35 Award.

Mentees: Jade Madsen, Faria Tavacoli