His research focused on the effects of prenatal hormone exposure and endocrine disruption on rodent behaviour, physiology and anatomy.
In 1977 he moved to NC State University to head the Department of Zoology, focusing on administration and research.
One of his research findings included the identification of the pheromonal effects that regulate the onset of puberty in mice.
[2] Outside of teaching, Vandenbergh is a founding board member of the NC Association for Biomedical Research (http://www.ncabr.org/) at state level, and is a fellow and former president of the national Animal Behavior Society.
Most recently, Vandenbergh served on the National Toxicology Program's Expert Panel on the risks of exposure to BPA, especially in young and pregnant women.