CURRENT PROJECTS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS                                      

Kimberly Ralston-Hooper (Ph.D.) – Kim is studying the use of genomics and proteomics for determination of novel biomarkers of contaminant exposure and effects in Hyalella azteca and Diporeia spp.  These studies are being conducted in collaboration with Drs. Jiri Adamec (Bindley Biosciences, Purdue University), and Hugo-Ochoa-Acuña (College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University).  Kim is an Agricultural Research Fellow who started at Purdue in the spring of 2005.

Photographs of Diporeia spp (A). and Hyalella azteca (amplexed pair) (B).

Presentations by Kimberly Ralston-Hooper:

Ralston-Hooper KJ, Sepúlveda MS , Ochoa- Acuña HG. (2006). A species sensitivity comparison of the toxicity of atrazine and its metabolites deethylatrazine (DEA) and deisopropylatrazine (DIA). To be presented at this years' SETAC North America 27 th Annual Meeting to be held 5 - 9 November, Montréal, Québec , Canada .

Sanchez BC, Ralston-Hooper KJ, Sepú lveda MS , Ochoa-Acuna HG, Porterfield DM. (2006). Physiologically coupled biosensing: A new approach for environmental monitoring. 23 rd Annual Meeting Ohio Valley Chapter SETAC, April 20 - 21, Fort Wayne , IN.

Ralston-Hooper K, Ochoa-Acuna H, Hahn L, Shaner G, Sepú lveda M . (2005). Species sensitivity distribution of aquatic biota exposed to soybean rust fungicides. SET AC 26 th Annual Meeting, November 13 - 17, Baltimore , MD.

Ralston-Hooper K, Sepúlveda MS , Ochoa-Acuña H, Nalepa T. (2005). New approaches for measuring the effects of multiple stressors on Diporeia survival. 1 st Diporeia Workshop, October 20 - 21, Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, NOAA, Ann Arbor , MI .

Sonia Johns (Ph.D.) – Sonia is studying the relationship between reproductive and developmental endpoints and gene expression in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals. These studies are being conducted in collaboration with Drs. Nancy Denslow (University of Florida), Karen Watanabe (Oregon Health & Sciences University), Ed Orlando (Florida Atlantic University), and Mike Kane (Purdue University).  Sonia is being supported by an FNR assistantship and started at Purdue in the fall 2005.

Effects of a synthetic estrogen, ethinyl estradiol (EE2) on secondary sex characteristics, gonad histology, and liver gene expression. Adult male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to EE2 for 21 d responded with a decreased expression of secondary sex characteristics such as decrease size and number of head tubercules, decrease body size, and absence of distinct body coloration and banding (B) and with a decrease in spermatogenic activity (D) compared to controls (A, C). In addition, these phenotypic changes were correlated with an induction of female-specific genes, such as vitellogenin (VTG) and estrogen receptor alpha (ER-a) in liver (E). Shown are the relative changes in gene expression of EE2 –treated males compared to controls. Light horizontal bar denotes 1.5-fold increases or decreases in gene expression. Sepúlveda, Johns, Reyero, and Denslow (unpublished data).

Presentations by Sonia Johns:

Sepúlveda MS, Orlando EF, Watanabe KH, Reyero N, Kroll K, Johns SM, Denslow ND. (2006). Systems biology modeling of fathead minnow response to endocrine disruption. SETAC Europe 16 th Annual Meeting, May 7 - 11, The Hague , The Netherlands . ( oral )

Johns SM, Sepúlveda MS, Garcia-Reyero N, Watanabe KH, Orlando EF, Denslow ND . (2006). Can reproductive alterations in fish exposed to endocrine disruptors be predicted by changes in gene expression? 23 rd Annual Meeting Ohio Valley Chapter SETAC, April 20 - 21, Fort Wayne , IN.

Brian Sanchez (Ph.D.) – Brian is studying the use of several "omic" tools (genomics, proteomics, and physiomics) for determination of real time sensing and novel biomarkers of contaminant exposure in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). These studies are being conducted in collaboration with Drs. Marshall Porterfield (Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University), Jiri Adamec (Bindley Biosciences, Purdue University), and Hugo-Ochoa-Acuña (College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University). Brian is a GAANN fellow who started at Purdue in the fall of 2005.

(A) Photo of the SRO system (only one channel shown) being used to measure oxygen fluxes in fathead minnow embryos. The system utilizes specialized amplifiers (Applicable Electronics) and ASET software (ScienceWares) to operate a gain setting required to measure small differential flux signals in a gradient with a high baseline signal. The system is mounted on an anti-vibration air-table inside an enclosure originally designed for electromagnetic shielding, but here the Faraday box serves as a light shield. Everything can be operated remotely through monitors and computer controls. (B) Oxygen flux measurement being taken on fathead minnow egg.

Presentations by Brian Sanchez:

Sanchez BC, Sepúlveda MS , Ochoa-Acuña H, Porterfield DM. (2006). Incorporating oxygen flux and protein expression into the development of real-time biomarkers of fish egg contaminant exposure. To be presented at this years' SETAC North America 27 th Annual Meeting to be held 5 - 9 November, Montréal, Québec , Canada.

Sanchez BC, Ralston-Hooper KJ, Sepú lveda MS , Ochoa-Acuna HG, Porterfield DM. (2006). Physiologically coupled biosensing: A new approach for environmental monitoring. 23 rd Annual Meeting Ohio Valley Chapter SETAC, April 20 - 21, Fort Wayne , IN.

Leslie Dorworth (Ph.D.) – Leslie is studying the impacts of fish advisories on human health, fish consumption, and local economy.  Leslie is being supported by funds from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and started at Purdue in the summer of 2006.

COMPLETED PROJECTS AND PAST GRADUATE STUDENTS 

Stephanie Baker (M.S.) – Stephanie evaluated the effects of persistent environmental contaminants on the reproductive success of great blue herons (Ardea herodias) in Indiana.  Stephanie received a graduate assistantship under a project funded by U.S. EPA (Crop II) for her first year, and a departmental assistantship from FNR for her second year. She started at Purdue in the summer of 2005 and graduated in the summer of 2007.

Undergraduate Joe Uhler climbing a sycamore tree for the collection of Great Blue Heron eggs.  Tippecanoe County, West Lafayette, IN. 

Presentations by Stephanie Baker:

Baker SD, Sepúlveda MS, Adamec J. (2006). Effects of persistent environmental contaminants on the reproductive success of Great Blue Herons ( Ardea herodias ) in Indiana . To be presented at this years' SETAC North America 27 th Annual Meeting to be held 5 - 9 November, Montréal, Québec , Canada.

Baker SD, Sepúlveda MS. (2006). Impacts of environmental contaminants on the reproductive success of great blue herons in Indiana . Joint Meeting of the Indiana Chapters of The Wildlife Society and American Fisheries Society, March 2 - 3, South Bend , IN.

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