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FOCAL AREA #2:
ECOTOX TESTING IN 21st CENTURY Ecotoxicity testing is costly, time-consuming, and uses many animals, and thus there is a great demand for new testing tools. In recent years, spurred by the NRC Report "Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century", there has been acceleration in the development and application of new testing tools. Our lab is focused on the development of such tools, with an emphasis on platforms that cut across native species, involve low-tech approaches, and/or are scalable for widespread adoption. |
PROJECT AIMS
1) Develop and test cell-free ecotoxicity testing tools, particularly for native species of interest;
2) Develop and test tissue culture/co-culture methods that mimic in vivo conditions; and
3) Engage with stakeholders (government regulators and industry) to best understand needs and opportunities
1) Develop and test cell-free ecotoxicity testing tools, particularly for native species of interest;
2) Develop and test tissue culture/co-culture methods that mimic in vivo conditions; and
3) Engage with stakeholders (government regulators and industry) to best understand needs and opportunities
KEY PARTNERS
- Doug Crump, Environment Canada
- Dr. Cheryl Murphy, Michigan State University
- Prof. Markus Hecker, University of Saskatchewan
- Dr. Keith Houck, U.S. EPA ToxCast Program
- Doug Crump, Environment Canada
- Dr. Cheryl Murphy, Michigan State University
- Prof. Markus Hecker, University of Saskatchewan
- Dr. Keith Houck, U.S. EPA ToxCast Program
KEY FUNDED PROJECTS
Funder: Genome Canada Large Scale Applied Research Program [2016-2020]
Title: EcoToxChip-A toxicogenomics tool for chemical prioritization and environmental management
Develop, test, validate, and commercialize EcoToxChip, a qPCR-array technology that provides an accessible, affordable, consistent, and reliable platform for chemical evaluation. A user-friendly bioinformatics portal (EcoToxXplorer.ca) and an end user-validated technical guidance document will help ensure the uptake of EcoToxChips.
Link to Project Website
Link to funding announcement
Funder: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STAR Program [2012-2017]
Title: Cell-Free Neurochemical Screening Assays to Predict Adverse Effects in Mammals, Fish, and Birds
Advance a high-throughput in vitro screening platform to assess risks across multiple species, toxicants, and neurological endpoints critical in reproduction and behavior.
Link to US EPA grant listing
Funder: NSERC-Canada Discovery Grant [2013-2018]
Title: Neuroexcitatory environmental stress
Avian models to study the mechanisms by which developmental exposure to physiologic and real-world excitatory stressors affect NMDA receptor plasticity and shape early-life behaviors.
Link to NSERC grant listing
Funder: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Great Lakes Restoration Initiative [2011-2015]
Title: Scaling the subtle effects of MeHg to perch population dynamics.
Develop a multi-tiered experimental approach that is guided by an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework which can be used to eventually assess ecological exposures and effects of mercury (and other contaminants) on Great Lakes fish and their potential impacts on their population dynamics.
Funder: Genome Canada Large Scale Applied Research Program [2016-2020]
Title: EcoToxChip-A toxicogenomics tool for chemical prioritization and environmental management
Develop, test, validate, and commercialize EcoToxChip, a qPCR-array technology that provides an accessible, affordable, consistent, and reliable platform for chemical evaluation. A user-friendly bioinformatics portal (EcoToxXplorer.ca) and an end user-validated technical guidance document will help ensure the uptake of EcoToxChips.
Link to Project Website
Link to funding announcement
Funder: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STAR Program [2012-2017]
Title: Cell-Free Neurochemical Screening Assays to Predict Adverse Effects in Mammals, Fish, and Birds
Advance a high-throughput in vitro screening platform to assess risks across multiple species, toxicants, and neurological endpoints critical in reproduction and behavior.
Link to US EPA grant listing
Funder: NSERC-Canada Discovery Grant [2013-2018]
Title: Neuroexcitatory environmental stress
Avian models to study the mechanisms by which developmental exposure to physiologic and real-world excitatory stressors affect NMDA receptor plasticity and shape early-life behaviors.
Link to NSERC grant listing
Funder: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Great Lakes Restoration Initiative [2011-2015]
Title: Scaling the subtle effects of MeHg to perch population dynamics.
Develop a multi-tiered experimental approach that is guided by an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework which can be used to eventually assess ecological exposures and effects of mercury (and other contaminants) on Great Lakes fish and their potential impacts on their population dynamics.
TOP FIVE KEY PUBLICATIONS / RESOURCES
1) Basu, N. 2015. Applications and Implications of Neurochemical Biomarkers in Environmental Toxicology. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 34: 22-29. LINK
2) Basu, N., Ta, C.A., Waye, A., Mao, J., Hewitt, M., Arnason, J., Trudeau, V. 2009. Pulp and paper mill effluents contain neuroactive substances that potentially disrupt neuroendocrine control of fish reproduction. Environmental Science and Technology. 43(5):1635-1641. LINK
3) Watanabe, K., Anderson, M., Basu, N., Carvan, MJ 3rd, Crofton, K.M., King, K.A., Suñol, C., Tiffany-Castiglioni, E., Schultz, I.R. 2011. Defining and modeling known adverse outcome pathways: Domoic acid and neuronal signaling as a case study. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 30(1): 9-21. LINK
4) Goodrich, J., Basu, N. 2012. Variants of glutathione s-transferase pi 1 exhibit differential enzymatic activity and heavy metal inhibition. Toxicology In Vitro. 26(4): 630-635. LINK
5) Arini, A., Cavallin, J., Berninger, J., Marfil-Vega, R., Mills, M., Villeneuve, D., Basu, N., 2016. In vitro and in vivo neurochemical-based assessments of wastewater effluents from the Maumee River Area of Concern. Environmental Pollution. 211:9-19. LINK
1) Basu, N. 2015. Applications and Implications of Neurochemical Biomarkers in Environmental Toxicology. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 34: 22-29. LINK
2) Basu, N., Ta, C.A., Waye, A., Mao, J., Hewitt, M., Arnason, J., Trudeau, V. 2009. Pulp and paper mill effluents contain neuroactive substances that potentially disrupt neuroendocrine control of fish reproduction. Environmental Science and Technology. 43(5):1635-1641. LINK
3) Watanabe, K., Anderson, M., Basu, N., Carvan, MJ 3rd, Crofton, K.M., King, K.A., Suñol, C., Tiffany-Castiglioni, E., Schultz, I.R. 2011. Defining and modeling known adverse outcome pathways: Domoic acid and neuronal signaling as a case study. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 30(1): 9-21. LINK
4) Goodrich, J., Basu, N. 2012. Variants of glutathione s-transferase pi 1 exhibit differential enzymatic activity and heavy metal inhibition. Toxicology In Vitro. 26(4): 630-635. LINK
5) Arini, A., Cavallin, J., Berninger, J., Marfil-Vega, R., Mills, M., Villeneuve, D., Basu, N., 2016. In vitro and in vivo neurochemical-based assessments of wastewater effluents from the Maumee River Area of Concern. Environmental Pollution. 211:9-19. LINK