Ecological Research

Development of molecular diagnostic indicators contributes to several of the GPRA Diagnostic Research Goals. Methods will employ differential DNA microarray technology and expression proteomics, to focus on species of relevance to aquatic ecosystem risk assessment. Significantly, these diagnostic indicators will open the door to understanding subcellular interactions resulting from exposure to complex chemical mixtures.

Molecular biological approaches allow for the development of the first diagnostic indicators which

• can be measured immediately (within hours) after exposure
• can diagnose exposure to stressors such as estrogen mimics in an integrated fashion even within mixtures
• can measure bioavailability to extremely low levels of stressors.

The technology being developed has the potential to be noninvasive to the sample organism and field methods have been piloted which will allow for regional characterization of stressors never before measured in the field. The technology used in these molecular analyses is readily transferable to other Regions, Federal and state agencies, and grass roots (regional/neighborhood) environmental groups.

• Development of a Genomic Screening Tool for Identifying Gene Expression Patterns