Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and Disease Research Facility Core Technology Team
Active
By Environmental Health Program
March 2, 2024
About the Research
The Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and Disease Research Facility Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program provides an integrated mechanism for conducting controlled exposure studies on wildlife at varied spatiotemporal scales.
Media
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The Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and Disease Research CTT has three main research mechanisms:
- Captive bird colonies that can be used as models for various species of wild birds to address specific toxicological, disease or ecological hypotheses or questions;
- A variety of facilities to conduct these studies; and
- Laboratories that support this research by providing data on various non-apical genomic-molecular and biochemical indicators.
Bird Colonies
- The CTT research colonies are available for use in various types of toxicological, ecological and disease studies, including short-term exposures, reproductive and multigenerational studies, immune-challenge and disease resistance research.
- Current species include American Kestrel, Japanese quail (an avian model species for endocrine research) and several seaduck species. All of these species reproduce in captivity and are well-accepted research models used in wildlife toxicology.
Facilites
Media
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- Raptor facility which maintains kestrels in a series of large flight pens that have enabled the colony to reproduce and remain self-sustaining for over 50 years
- Smaller pens used for more controlled exposure studies, such as PFAS impacts on avian reproduction and physiological responses to pesticides
- Seaduck facility which include large pens with flow through water systems that provide clean filtered water to the ducks in a covered, outdoor setting
- Indoor diving tanks that serve as experimental chambers in which the birds’ diving behavior can be studied under various environmental conditions
- Mesocosms, each with its own pump house and wetland/marsh area that provides habitat for an entire food chain from invertebrates to amphibians, to birds
- Indoor experimental animal facilities, which permit temperature-controlled studies to be conducted
- Egg incubators can be used to hatch bird eggs whether collected from our own colonies or brought in from the field
- Two environmental chambers that provide for controlled temperature and light conditions used for reptile and amphibian exposures
Laboratories for Biomarker Analyses
- Fully equipped laboratory that provides gene expression, microbiome, antibiotic resistance and virulome analyses, along with other molecular methods
- Immune and chromogenic assays to analyze various biochemical indicators including those for oxidative stress, steroid and thyroid hormones
- Blood clotting assays and analyze for various response endpoints from both arms of the immune system.
Environmental Health Integrated Science Team Collaborators
Environmental Health Integrated Science Team Collaborators
-
Food Resources Lifecycle Integrated Science Team
The team studies the movement of toxicants and pathogens that could originate from the growing, raising, and processing/manufacturing of plant and animal products through the environment where exposure can occur. This information is used to understand if there are adverse effects upon exposure and to develop decision tools to protect health.Energy Resources Life Cycle Integrated Science Team
The Energy Resources Life Cycle Integrated Science Team focuses on the potential for environmental contaminant exposures that might originate from energy resource activities including extraction, production, transportation, storage, waste management, and restoration. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified...
About the Research
The Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and Disease Research Facility Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program provides an integrated mechanism for conducting controlled exposure studies on wildlife at varied spatiotemporal scales.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and Disease Research CTT has three main research mechanisms:
- Captive bird colonies that can be used as models for various species of wild birds to address specific toxicological, disease or ecological hypotheses or questions;
- A variety of facilities to conduct these studies; and
- Laboratories that support this research by providing data on various non-apical genomic-molecular and biochemical indicators.
Bird Colonies
- The CTT research colonies are available for use in various types of toxicological, ecological and disease studies, including short-term exposures, reproductive and multigenerational studies, immune-challenge and disease resistance research.
- Current species include American Kestrel, Japanese quail (an avian model species for endocrine research) and several seaduck species. All of these species reproduce in captivity and are well-accepted research models used in wildlife toxicology.
Facilites
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
- Raptor facility which maintains kestrels in a series of large flight pens that have enabled the colony to reproduce and remain self-sustaining for over 50 years
- Smaller pens used for more controlled exposure studies, such as PFAS impacts on avian reproduction and physiological responses to pesticides
- Seaduck facility which include large pens with flow through water systems that provide clean filtered water to the ducks in a covered, outdoor setting
- Indoor diving tanks that serve as experimental chambers in which the birds’ diving behavior can be studied under various environmental conditions
- Mesocosms, each with its own pump house and wetland/marsh area that provides habitat for an entire food chain from invertebrates to amphibians, to birds
- Indoor experimental animal facilities, which permit temperature-controlled studies to be conducted
- Egg incubators can be used to hatch bird eggs whether collected from our own colonies or brought in from the field
- Two environmental chambers that provide for controlled temperature and light conditions used for reptile and amphibian exposures
Laboratories for Biomarker Analyses
- Fully equipped laboratory that provides gene expression, microbiome, antibiotic resistance and virulome analyses, along with other molecular methods
- Immune and chromogenic assays to analyze various biochemical indicators including those for oxidative stress, steroid and thyroid hormones
- Blood clotting assays and analyze for various response endpoints from both arms of the immune system.
Environmental Health Integrated Science Team Collaborators
Environmental Health Integrated Science Team Collaborators
-
Food Resources Lifecycle Integrated Science Team
The team studies the movement of toxicants and pathogens that could originate from the growing, raising, and processing/manufacturing of plant and animal products through the environment where exposure can occur. This information is used to understand if there are adverse effects upon exposure and to develop decision tools to protect health.Energy Resources Life Cycle Integrated Science Team
The Energy Resources Life Cycle Integrated Science Team focuses on the potential for environmental contaminant exposures that might originate from energy resource activities including extraction, production, transportation, storage, waste management, and restoration. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified...