Joanna Wilson - Department of Biology

Joanna Wilson

Title:

Professor, University Scholar, Associate Chair (Research)

Office:

LSB 528

Phone:

(905) 525-9140 ext. 20075

Email:

...

Website:

http://www.wilsontoxlab.ca/

The Wilson laboratory studies the impacts of environmental stressors on aquatic organisms, with a strong emphasis on aquatic toxicology research. Our research intersects environmental physiology, ecology and evolution, and bioinformatics and functional genomics. Our basic research program focuses on the evolution, regulation and function of cytochrome P450 enzymes; enzymes that are critical for xenobiotic metabolism and steroid production. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are an important superfamily involved in chemical defense. Our environmental physiology research examines the impacts of contaminants (e.g. human drugs, metals, complex effluents), temperature, and low dose radiation. We are particularly interested in the effects on development, growth, and reproduction. The biological approaches used in the lab are quite diverse and include gene expression, histology, protein assays (e.g. enzyme activity, steroid levels), morphometrics, growth, and behaviour. Likewise, our species of interest are diverse. Our primary fish model species are zebrafish and rainbow trout but we include important native species such as lake whitefish, round whitefish, and Arctic charr. For invertebrate systems, we use the brown and green hydra, both freshwater Cnidarian species, and a marine annelid Capitella telata.

Research Interests:

Environmental Physiology

Galus, M., Kirischian, N., Higgins, S., Purdy, J., Chow, J., Ragaranjan, S., Li, H., Metcalfe, C., and Wilson, J.Y. 2013. Chronic, low concentration exposure to pharmaceuticals impacts mulitple organ systems in zebrafish. Aquatic Toxicology. 132-133:200-211.
Galus, M., Jeyaranjaan, J., Smith, E.M., Li, H, Metcalfe, C., and Wilson, J.Y. 2013. Chronic effects of exposure to a pharmaceutical mixture and municipal wastewater in zebrafish. Aquatic Toxicology. 132-133:212-222.
Smith, E.S., Iftikar, F.I., Higgins, S., Irshad, S., Jandoc, R., Lee, M., and Wilson, J.Y. 2012. In vitro inhibition of cytochrome P450-mediated reactions by gemfibrozil, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin and fluoxetine in fish liver microsomes. Aquatic Toxicology. 109:259-266.
Harskamp J., Britz-McKibbin P., Wilson J.Y. 2012. Functional screening of cytochrome P450 activity and uncoupling by capillary electrophoresis.Analytical Chemistry. 84:862-6.
Kirischian N.L., Wilson J.Y. 2012. Phylogenetic and functional analyses of the cytochrome P450 family 4. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 62: 458-71.
Smith E.M., Iftikar F.I., Higgins S., Irshad A., Jandoc R., Lee M., Wilson J.Y. 2012. In vitro inhibition of cytochrome P450-mediated reactions by gemfibrozil, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin and fluoxetine in fish liver microsomes. Aquatic Toxicology. 109:259-66.
Kirischian, N., McArthur A.G., Jesuthasan C., Krattenmacher B., and Wilson J.Y. 2011. Phylogenetic and Functional Analysis of the Vertebrate Cytochrome P450 2 Family.Journal of Molecular Evolution, 72:56-71.
Scornaienchi, M.L., Thornton, C., Willett, K.L., Wilson, J.Y. 2010. Cytochrome P450 mediated 17-beta estradiol metabolism in zebrafish (Danio rerio).Journal of Endocrinology, 206:317-325.
Marentette, J.R., Gooderham,K.L., Hynes, H., McMaster, M.E., Ng, T., Parrott, J.L., Slater, G.F., Wilson, J.Y., Wood, C.M., and Balshine, S. 2010. Signatures of Contamination in Invasive Round Gobies (Neogobius melanostomus): A double strike for ecosystem health in highly polluted areas? Journal of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 73:1755-1764.
Scornaienchi, M.L., Thornton, C., Willett, K.L., Wilson, J.Y. 2010. Functional differences in the cytochrome P450 1 family enzymes from Zebrafish (Danio rerio) using heterologously expressed proteins. Archive of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 502:17-22.
Bowley, L.A., Alam, F., Marentette, J.R., Balshine, S., Wilson, J.Y. 2010. Characterization of vitellogenin gene expression in round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) using a quantitative PCR assay. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 29:2751-2760.
Smith, E.M. and Wilson, J.Y. 2010. Assessment of cytochrome P450 fluorometric substrates with rainbow trout and killifish exposed to dexamethasone, pregnenolone-16α-carbonitrile, rifampicin, and β-naphthoflavone. Aquatic Toxicology 97:324-333.
Smith, E.M., Chu, S., Paterson, G., Metcalfe, C.D. and Wilson J.Y. 2010. Cross species comparison of fluoxetine metabolism with fish liver microsomes.Chemosphere 79:26-32.
Wilson, J.Y. and Stegeman J.J. 2010. Catalytic and Immunochemical Detection of Hepatic and Extrahepatic Microsomal Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) in White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) Aquatic Toxicology 96:216-224.
Noori, A., Selvaganapathy, P.R., and Wilson, J. 2009. Microinjection in a microfluidic format using flexible and compliant channels and electroosmotic dosage control. Lab on a Chip 9: 3202:3211.
Hooker, S.K., Metcalfe, T.L., Metcalfe, C.D., Angell, C.M., Wilson, J.Y., Moore, M.J., and Whitehead, H. 2008. Changes in persistent contaminant load and CYP1A1 enzyme activity in biopsy samples from Northern bottlenose whales, Hyperoodon ampullatus, following the onset of nearby oil and gas activity. Environmental Pollution, 152 (1): 205-216
Wilson, J.Y., Wells, R. Aguiliar, A., Borrell, A., Tornero, V., Reijnders, P., Moore, M., and Stegeman, J.J. 2007. Corrrelates of cytochrome P450 1A1(CYP1A1) expression in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus)integument biopsies. Toxicological Sciences, 97(1):111-119.
Garrick, R.A., Woodin, B.R., Wilson, J.Y., Middlebrooks, B.L., and Stegeman, J.J. 2006. Cytochrome P4501A is induced in endothelial cell lines from the kidney and lung of the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncates. Aquatic Toxicology, 76(3-4):295-305.
Wilson, J.Y., Cooke,S.R., Moore, M.J., Martineau, D., Mikaelian, I., Metner, D.A., Lockhart, W.L., and Stegeman, J.J. 2005. Systemic Effects of Arctic Pollutants in Beluga whales Indicated by CYP1A1 expression. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113(11):1594-1599.
Wilson, J.Y., McArthur, A.G., and Stegeman, J.J. 2005. Characterization of a Cetacean Aromatase (CYP19) and the Phylogeny and Functional Conservation of Vertebrate Aromatase. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 140:74-83.
Angell, C.M., Wilson, J.Y., Moore, M.J. and Stegeman, J.J. 2004 Cytochrome P450 1A1 expression in cetacean integument: implications for detecting contaminant exposure and effects. Marine Mammal Science 20(3):554-566.
Godard, C., Smolowitz, R., Wilson, J.Y., Payne, R., Stegeman, J.J. 2004. Induction of cetacean cytochrome P4501A1 by B-naphthoflavone exposure of skin biopsy slices.Toxicological Sciences 80:268-275.
Wilson, JY; Kruzynski, GM; Addison, RF. 2001. Experimental exposure of juvenile chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to bleached kraft mill effluent: hepatic CYP1A induction is correlated with DNA adducts but not with organochlorine residues. Aquatic Toxicology, 53(1):49-63.
Wilson, J.Y., Addison, R.F., Martens, D., Gordon, R. and Glickman, B. 2000. Cytochrome P450 1A and related measurements in juvenile chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from the Fraser River. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 57(2):405-413.
Hodson, P.V., Efler, S., Wilson, J.Y., El-Shaarawi, A., Maj, M. and Williams, T.G. 1996. Measuring the Potency of Pulp Mill Effluents for Induction of Hepatic Mixed Function Oxygenase Activity in Fish. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 49(1):83:110.
LaPierre, N., Wilson, J., Bourreau, J.P., Tougas, G., Kwan, C.Y., Daniel, E.E. 1993. Norepinephrine Release in Rat Vas Deferens - Effect of Rauwolscine and BHT-920. Life Sciences, 53(2): PL19-PL24.

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