EOHSI

• B.S. (Biology), College of William and Mary, 1973
• M.S. (Marine Biology), Texas A&M University, 1976
• Ph.D. (Animal Pathology), University of Rhode Island, 1979
• M.S. (Industrial Toxicology), Thomas Jefferson University, 1981

Research Areas

Xenobiotic metabolism in aquatic animals

Studies are currently examining the effects of endocrine disrupting compounds on finish and bivalve mollusks. The compounds of current interest include dioxin-like compounds and phthalates. The model systems used for these studies include the Japanese Medaka, winter flounder and the American oyster. The research on the finish involves the development of multigenerational studies examining the effects at multiple levels of organization from biochemical to population endpoints. The studies on the American oyster are examining the effects on gonadal development and larval development. Both food web and physiological based pharmacokinetic models are also being developed to better predict chemical movement both in the environment as well as within the organism of concern. The overall research in the laboratory is centered around comparative toxicology.

Research Highlights

• Toxicity of bisphenol A and its derivatives in the zebrafish embryo model
• Reproductive neurotoxicity of pyrethroid insecticides
• Effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) on gametogenesis

Recent Publications

1. Post, GB, Gleason, JA, Cooper, KR. Key scientific issues in developing drinking water guidelines for perfluoroalkyl acids: Contaminants of emerging concern. PLoS Biol. 2017;15 (12):e2002855. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002855. PubMed PMID:29261653 PubMed Central PMC5737881
2. Butler, JD, Parkerton, TF, Redman, AD, Letinski, DJ, Cooper, KR. Response to Comment on “Assessing Aromatic-Hydrocarbon Toxicity to Fish Early Life Stages Using Passive-Dosing Methods and Target-Lipid and Chemical-Activity Models”. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2017;51 (6):3586-3587. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00384. PubMed PMID:28263567
3. Jantzen, CE, Toor, F, Annunziato, KA, Cooper, KR. Effects of chronic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at low concentration on morphometrics, gene expression, and fecundity in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Reprod. Toxicol. 2017;69 :34-42. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.01.009. PubMed PMID:28143724
4. Jantzen, CE, Annunziato, KM, Cooper, KR. Behavioral, morphometric, and gene expression effects in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryonically exposed to PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA. Aquat. Toxicol. 2016;180 :123-130. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2016.09.011. PubMed PMID:27710860
5. Butler, JD, Parkerton, TF, Redman, AD, Letinski, DJ, Cooper, KR. Assessing Aromatic-Hydrocarbon Toxicity to Fish Early Life Stages Using Passive-Dosing Methods and Target-Lipid and Chemical-Activity Models. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2016;50 (15):8305-15. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b01758. PubMed PMID:27398931
6. Jantzen, CE, Annunziato, KA, Bugel, SM, Cooper, KR. PFOS, PFNA, and PFOA sub-lethal exposure to embryonic zebrafish have different toxicity profiles in terms of morphometrics, behavior and gene expression. Aquat. Toxicol. 2016;175 :160-70. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2016.03.026. PubMed PMID:27058923 PubMed Central PMC5204304
7. Bentivegna, CS, Cooper, KR, Olson, G, Pena, EA, Millemann, DR, Portier, RJ. Chemical and histological comparisons between Brevoortia sp. (menhaden) collected in fall 2010 from Barataria Bay, LA and Delaware Bay, NJ following the DeepWater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. Mar. Environ. Res. 2015;112 (Pt A):21-34. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.08.011. PubMed PMID:26385175