My research program is focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying pathological and toxicological effects of contaminant exposure in aquatic organisms. Studies in my lab specifically addresses contaminant-induced changes in endocrine and immune function as these pathways are intimately tied to development, reproduction and survival Moreover, the interactions of the endocrine and immune systems means that endocrine disruption and immunotoxicity (and therefore susceptibility to disease/infection) can occur simultaneously, and probably do in many environments where organisms are challenged with contaminants, pathogens and other environmental stressors. Understanding how genes and pathways direct physiological processes and respond to environmental stress will ultimately allow us to make better predictions of the risk that contaminants pose to individual and population health.
1. Hogan NS, Lee KS, Köllner B, and MR van den Heuvel. 2010 The effects of the alkyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon retene on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) immune response. Aquatic Toxicology 100:246-254.
2. Forzán MJ, Vanderstichel R, Hogan NS, Teather K, and J Wood. 2010. Prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in three species of wild frogs on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 91:91-96
3. Hogan NS, LeBlanc S, Lippert K, Currie S, and DL MacLatchy. 2010. Modulation of steroidogenesis and estrogen signalling the estuarine killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) exposed to ethinylestradiol. Aquat Toxicol.
4. Wartman CA, Hogan NS, Hewitt LM, McMaster ME, Landman M, Taylor S, and MR van den Heuvel. 2009. Androgenic effects of a pulp and paper effluent as assessed using threespine stickleback bioassays. Aquatic Toxicology. 92:131-139.
5. Hogan NS, Wartman C, Finley M, van der Lee J, and MR van den Heuvel. 2008. Simultaneous determination of androgenic and estrogenic endpoints in the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) using quantitative RT-PCR. Aquatic Toxicology 90:269-276.
Dr. Bernd Kollner, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany and Dr. Mike van den Heuvel, UPEI: Immune suppression in fish from oil sands impacted sites
Dr. Suzie Currie, Mount Allison University and Dr. Deborah MacLatchy, Wilfrid Laurier University: Mechanisms of endocrine disruption of steroidogenesis in fish
Dr. Maria Forzan, Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Prevalence of disease in amphibian populations on PEI
