Eva Oberdörster

Southern Methodist University

Department of Biological Sciences

P.O. Box 750376

Dallas, TX 75275-0376

T:  214-768-1241    

F:  214-768-3955

eoberdor@smu.edu 

ACADEMIC EDUCATION

May 1992             B.S.  Biology (Major), Anthropology (Minor); Phi Beta Kappa                         

                                                    Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY

 May 1997            Ph.D. Zoology;  Integrated Toxicology Program       

                                                     Duke University, Durham, NC.  Dr. Dan Rittschof, Dissertation Advisor

                                           

POST DOCTORAL TRAINING

1997-1998    Post-Doctoral Fellow, Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research    

                                        Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.  Dr. J. A. McLachlan, Advisor  

 

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

1998-2000            Assistant Professor,  Department of Environmental Toxicology  

                                                            Clemson University, Clemson, SC.        

                                                            Adjunct for 2001

2001-present          Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences        

                                                            Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

2002-present          Adjunct Assistant Research Scientist, Division of Coastal Systems Science and Policy

                                                            Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC

2003-present        Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Studies

                                                            Baylor University, Waco, TX

 

MEMBERSHIP IN ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS  

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Chemistry (SETAC) since 1996    

                                elected to Board of Directors, Carolina SETAC, a regional section of SETAC 1998-99  

Society of Toxicology (SOT) since 1998    

                                President of Women in Toxicology (WIT), an SOT Specialty Section, 2004  

American Association of Zoos and Aquaria (AZA) since 2000 

 

PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSIGNMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clemson University (1998-2000)    

     Chair, Departmental Research Committee    

     Chair, Departmental Computing Committee    

     Member, Departmental Curriculum Committee    

     Member, Departmental Search Committee for two tenure-track faculty positions    

     Member, University Honors Committee (1999)   

Southern Methodist University    

     Member, Social Norms Marketing Committee, 2001-present    

     Member, Hunt Leadership Scholars Committee, 2002-present    

     Member, SMU Health Professions Recommendations Committee, 2002-present

     Member, President’s Scholars Committee, 2003-present

     Member, Search Committee for Biology Department Lecturer, 2004

 

EDUCATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

A. Thesis Advisor and member of Thesis Advisory Committees:  

1.  Research Supervisor for Undergraduates, Non-Thesis.

             Paul Gravel:  6/03-10/03:  SMU, Bosque River study; Costa Rica Environmental study       

      Brittany North:  6/03-10/03:  SMU, Bosque River study; Florida alligator research

      Francesca Diggs:  7/03-9/03:  SMU, Bosque River study

      Shilpa Gandhi:  7/03-12/03:  SMU-Dallas Zoo collaborative effort studying Rhinoceros cycling

2.  Undergraduate Honors Thesis advisor:     

      Michelle Rau:  Duke University; Undergraduate Honors Thesis successfully defended April 1997

      Jonathan Oren:  Duke University; Undergraduate Honors Thesis successfully defended April 2004  

3.  M.S. Thesis Advisor     

      Melvenia Martin:  Tulane University; successfully continued into Ph.D. program without defense

      Lisa K. Irwin:  Clemson University; MS thesis successfully defended July 2000   

      “Xenoestrogens from beef cattle farm runoff:  Vitellogenin as a biomarker of exposure in the painted

      turtle (Chrysemys picta)”

      Lee Ann Frederick:  Clemson University; successfully continued into Ph.D. program without defense

      Jacquelyn Brynda:   Clemson University; M.S. Thesis successfully defended November 2001

      “Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) as a biomarker of estrogens from cattle pasture run-off. “

4.  M.S. Thesis Advisory Committee Member   

      Jana Ellis:  Clemson University;  successfully defended Thesis April 1999

      Nancy Dorsey:  SMU, Environmental & Civil Engineering, successfully defended Thesis 7/2004

      Rebekah Hooker:  Baylor University; Thesis in progress

      Adrian Dongell:  SMU, Environmental & Civil Engineering, Thesis in progress

5.  Ph.D. Dissertation Advisory Committee Member    

      Matt Huddleston:   Clemson University;  successfully defended Ph.D. Dissertation March 2001 

      Heidi Atwood:  Clemson University; retired from committee January 2001 due to move to SMU 

      Jacob Stanley:  Baylor University; Dissertation in progress

      Peter Paulos:  University of North Texas; Dissertation in progress

B.  Teaching Experience    

1.  Undergraduate Courses  

Binghamton University (1991-1992)    

     Teaching Assistant, Tropical Marine Ecology (two semesters)    

     Teaching Assistant, Zoology (one semester)  

Duke University (1992-1997)    

            Teaching Assistant, Animal Physiology (one semester)    

            Teaching Assistant, Invertebrate Marine Zoology (4 semesters)    

            Teaching Assistant, Ecotoxicology (one semester)  

Southern Methodist University (2001-present)

            Aquatic Biology of the Southwest US, summer term in Taos, NM starting 2004  

            Biochemistry Laboratory, once annually    

            Environmental Toxicology with laboratory, once annually starting Spring 2003    

            Essentials of Biology (for non-majors), Fall and Summer semesters  

            Human Physiology, once annually 

            Internship (Fall 2002)   

            Research for Undergraduates (Fall 2003)

            Senior Seminar on Endocrine Disruptors or Nanotechnology, once or twice annually

 

Teaching Experience, continued

2.  Graduate Courses  

Clemson University (1998-2000)  

            Biomarkers in Toxicology, with laboratory every spring semester  

            Principles of Toxicology I and II (team-taught) every semester  

            Departmental Seminar Series Fall 1998 and Spring 1999

3. Other Teaching  

 SCUBA Instructor, over 150 students certified at various levels, beginners to specialties, since 1995  

 

INVITED PRESENTATIONS  

3/93              Migration Patterns of Coastal   Bottlenose Dolphins:  Report on Duke/NOAA Dolphin Watch    Program.  First Annual Atlantic Coastal Dolphin Conference. Newport News, VA.

2/95      Effects of low-level, chronic exposure of tributyltin (and 3M proprietary compound) on Daphnia      magna; and a report on Gloeocapsa sheath material.  3M Headquarters, Minneapolis, MN.

1/97      Sex, Drugs, and Invertebrates:  Tributyltin and steroid metabolism in model invertebrates.  NC    State University, Department of Toxicology Seminar Series, Raleigh, NC.

4/97      Effects of Tributyltin on Model Invertebrates.  Haskell Labs, DuPont Corporation, Wilmington,      DE. 8/97  Decline in benthic community structure in Bayou Trepagnier, LA.  Conference on Bayou Trepagnier:  Past, Present, and Future.   New Orleans, LA.

3/98      Law and Policy of Endocrine Disruption—Overview of Effects on Aquatic Organisms.  Louisiana Environment ’98:  Law, Science and Public Interest.  Tulane Law School. 

4/98              Endocrine Disruption in Wildlife and Humans:  Fact and Fiction.  Loyola University, Part of an      Environmental Justice Workshop. New Orleans, LA. 5/98  Pollutants and Invertebrates:  Wreaking Havoc with Hormones.  Frostburg State University Seminar Series, Frostburg, MD.

12/98    A Multi-Tiered approach to detecting Endocrine Disruption in Crustacea.  Fraunhofer Institut for      Ecotoxicology, Schmallenberg, F.R. Germany.

12/98              Phytochemicals, toxicants, and Ecdysone Receptor interactions.  School of Biomedical Sciences,      University of St. Andrews, Fife, UK.

1/99              Endocrine Disruption:  Is there Cause for Human Health Concern?  Environmental Engineering      and Science Seminar Series, Clemson University

3/99              Mechanisms of Endocrine Disruption in Aquatic Invertebrates:  Insights from Louisiana      Environmental  Issues.  Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA.  

6/99              Implications on Human Health from Wildlife Case Studies on Endocrine Disruption.  Educational Testing Service (ETS) Keynote Address.  Clemson, SC.

9/99      A case study of endocrine disruption in grass shrimp.  Duke University Marine Laboratory seminar series, Beaufort, NC

10/99    PAH effects on grass shrimp:  From molecular interactions to reproductive impairments.  SC      Department of Natural Resources, Fort Johnson, SC  

9/00              Endocrine Disruption in Crustacea.  Duke University Medical Center, Integrated Toxicology     Program seminar series, Durham, NC 

4/02              Where’s the beef?  Vitellogenin induction in turtle and fish by estrogen from cattle production      runoff.  University of North Texas, Institute of Applied Science, Denton, TX

10/02    Egg yolk is induced in turtle and fish by estrogen in runoff from beef farms.  SMU Department of Environmental Sciences, Dallas, TX

1/03              Environmental impacts of a small beef farm and future studies on manure from dairy farms along      the Bosque River, TX.  Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 Headquarters, Dallas, TX.

5/03            Biomarkers in grass shrimp:  P450s, vitellin, hsp 63 and MT.  NOAA Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Bimolecular Research.  Charleston, SC

 

Invited presentations, continued

10/03    Aquatic Toxicity Testing for Environmental Impacts of Nanoparticles.  NanoDays 2003, Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, Rice University, Houston, TX

11/03    Don't forget about the boys!  What sex differences in response to pollutants can tell us about endocrine pathways in crustacea and mollusks. ASTM workshop on Invertebrate Lifecycle Toxicity Testing with Endocrine Considerations.  Austin, TX

2/04      Toxicity of Fullerenes to Aquatic Species.  FDA meeting on Nanotechnology and Toxicity. National Toxicology Forum, Washington, DC

2/04            Nanoparticle Toxicity:  A case study of fullerenes (nC60).  University of Texas, Dallas

5/04            Nanomaterials and Ecotoxicity:  Lessons Learned and Future Directions.  Environmental Defense Science Day, San Francisco, CA

5/04      The Central Nervous System as a Target:  The Good and the Bad.  Presented at the Institute of Medicine, National Academies. Technology and the Environment:  Implications of Nanotechnology for Environmental Health Sciences.  Washington, DC

8/04      Impacts of fullerenes and SWNT on two freshwater fish species.   Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DC

10/04            Nanoparticle Reactivity in the Environment:  The Risks and the Benefits.  Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

12/04            Nanotoxicology.  UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Dallas, TX

12/04    SRC Environmental Safety and Health, NNI Meeting, Arlington, VA

2/05            Nanomedicine &Nanotoxicology.  Presbyterian Hospital, Environmental Health Ctr, Dallas, TX

CHAIRMANSHIPS—MEETINGS  

2000     Session Co-Chair, SETAC Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN; Endocrine Disruptors

2002     Session Chair, e.hormone 2002 meeting, New Orleans, LA; Ecological Signals 

2003     Session Co-Chair, PRIMO 12 meeting, Tampa, FL; Mechanisms of Toxicity,  Metals

2004     Session Co-Chair, Society of Toxicology meeting, Baltimore, MD; Environmental/Ecotoxicology

2005     Session Co-Chair, Society of Toxcicology meeting, New Orleans, LA; Ecotoxicology

 

PRESENTATIONS AT MAJOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

A.  Platform Presentations

11/97    [14C]-Testosterone metabolism by gastropod mollusks:  Differences due to species, imposex and tributyltin exposure. 18th Annual SETAC Meeting, San Francisco, CA

3/98      Panelist for Discussion Session on Endocrine Disruptor Detection and Risk Assessment.         37thAnnual  Society of Toxicology meeting, Seattle, WA.

11/98    Multi-Tiered approach to detecting PAH effects on Grass Shrimp.  19th Annual SETAC Meeting, Charlotte, NC.

12/98    Expert on panel for SETAC’s Workshop on Endocrine Disruption in Invertebrates:   Endocrinology, Testing, and Assessment (EDIETA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

4/99      PAH Effects on grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio:  Interactions with the ecdysteroid  system.  10th PRIMO (Pollutant Responses in Marine Organisms), Williamsburg, VA

 6/00     Peptide hormonal control of imposex induction in the mud snail.  Gordon Research      Conference on Environmental Endocrine Disruption, Plymouth, NH.

10/00    Peptide Hormones vs. Steroid Hormones:  Case studies from snail and turtle populations.       e.hormones 2000, New Orleans, LA 

11/00    Fate and effects of xenoestrogens excreted by cattle into farm ponds on painted turtle,      Chrysemis picta.  21st Annual SETAC meeting, Nashville, TN

7/01                Mechanisms of imposex induction in mud snail, Ilyanassa obsoleta:  TBT as a neurotoxin and aromatase inhibitor.  Pollution Responses in Marine Organisms (PRIMO) 11 meeting,     Plymouth, UK

 

Platform Presentations, continued

5/03      The neuropeptide hormone APGWamide is elevated in imposes snails dosed with TBT or collected from the field.  Pollution Responses in Marine Organisms (PRIMO) 12 meeting., Tampa, FL

11/03    Hepatic phase I and II enzyme levels in juvenile alligators collected from three Florida sites.  24th Annual SETAC meeting, Austin, TX

11/03            Imposex snails have elevated neuropeptide hormone levels when dosed with TBT or induced in

            the field. 24th Annual SETAC meeting, Austin, TX

1/04      The role of peptide hormones in Endocrine Disruption in Mollusks.  Society of Integrated and

            Comparative Biology (SICB).  New Orleans, LA (invited)

4/04      Toxicity of nC60 fullerenes to two aquatic species: Daphnia and largemouth bass.  American

            Chemical Society meeting, Anaheim, CA (invited)

2/05            Biological Effects of Engineered Nanomaterials to Aquatic Species.  American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting, Washington, DC (invited)

 

B.  Poster Presentations

11/95     Altered steroid hormone metabolic profiles as a biomarker of reproductive toxicity of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.  GA LeBlanc, LG Parks, WS Baldwin, JB McLachlan, E Oberdörster.  16th Annual SETAC meeting, Washington, DC.

3/96      Acute and Chronic Effects of Tributyltin on Daphnia magna: Alteration of Testosterone Metabolism.  E. Oberdörster, GA LeBlanc, D Rittschof.  35th SOT meeting, New Orleans, LA.

8/96      Uptake, Metabolism, and Tissue Distribution of  [14 C]-Testosterone by Imposexed and Control

            Mud Snails.  E. Oberdörster, D Rittschof.  ISSX meeting, San Diego, CA.

3/97              Induction of Cytochrome P450 3A by tributyltin in blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  E. Oberdörster, D Rittschof and P McClellan-Green.  36th SOT meeting, San Francisco, CA.  

11/97    Effects of Tributyltin on Cytochrome P450 Expression in the Southern Flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma.  M. Rau, E. Oberdörster, P. McClellan-Green.  SETAC 18th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

3/98      Interaction of PAHs, PCBs and phytoestrogens with Drosophila ecdysone receptor in vitro.  E. Oberdörster, J. A. McLachlan. 37th SOT meeting, Seattle, WA.

8/98      Multi-Tiered Approach to Detecting PAH Interactions with the Arthropod Ecdysone Receptor.  E. Oberdörster and J. A. McLachlan.  Gordon Research Conference, Plymouth, NH

11/98     Multi-Tiered Approach to Detecting PAH Effects on Grass Shrimp.  E. Oberdörster, M. Martin, J. A. McLachlan.  19th SETAC meeting.  Charlotte, NC.

11/98    Benthic Invertebrate community structure in a PAH contaminated Bayou.  M. Martin, E. Oberdörster, J. A. McLachlan.  19th SETAC meeting.  Charlotte, NC.

3/99      Inhibition of Ecdysone-dependent gene expression by phytochemicals.  MA Clay, J.A. McLachlan, E Oberdörster.  38th Annual SOT meeting, New Orleans, LA.

4/99      PAH effects on grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio:  Interactions with the ecdysteroid system.  Pollution Responses in Marine Organisms (PRIMO) 10, Williamsburg, VA.

11/99    Production and screening of  antibodies against lipovitellin from grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio.  L. K. Irwin, C. D.  Rice, E. Oberdörster.   20th SETAC meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

11/99    Long-term pyrene exposure of grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, affects male molting and reproduction.  E.  Oberdörster, M. Brouwer, T. Brouwer-Hoexum, S. Manning, J.A. McLachlan.     20th SETAC meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

3/00      Imposex induction by neurohormones.  E. Oberdörster and P. McClellan-Green.  39th SOT meeting.  Philadelphia, PA.

 

Poster Presentations, continued

8/00      Peptide hormonal control of imposex induction.  P. McClellan-Green and E. Oberdörster.  Gordon Research Conference on Environmental Endocrine Disruptors, Plymouth, NH

8/00      Effects of xenoestrogens excreted by beef cattle on painted turtle, C.  picta. E. Oberdörster and L.K. Irwin.  Gordon Research Conference Environmental Endocrine Disruptors, Plymouth, NH

3/01      Association of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with the crustacean egg yolk protein.  E. Oberdörster.  40th SOT meeting, San Francisco, CA.

7/01      Impact of co-exposure of PAH and TBT on imposex induction and reproductive success in mud snail.  P. McClellan-Green and E. Oberdörster.   PRIMO 11, Plymouth, UK.

10/01    Re-analysis of the mechanism of imposex induction:  Integrating peptide hormones and steroid hormones.  E. Oberdörster and P. McClellan-Green.  e.hormone 2001 meeting, New Orleans, LA.

10/02    Levels of the neuropeptide hormone APGWamide are elevated in TBT-dosed snails and in snails transferred to a contaminated site.  E. Oberdörster, P. McClellan-Green.  Endocrine Disruptors Workshop:  Program Review of extramural and intramural research.  US EPA, Raleigh, NC 

10/03    Imposex in a Pacific Coastal Area in Costa Rica. Gravel, P; McLachlan, J; Vargas, JA; Johanning,

            KM; Oberdörster, E.  e.hormone meeting, New Orleans, LA.

10/03    A Case Study of the North Bosque River.  E. Oberdörster, P. Gravel, B. North, F. Diggs, J.H. Easton.  e.hormone meeting, New Orleans, LA.

11/03            Characterization of the Levels of Hormones from a CAFO Impacted Watershed and Municipal Sewage.  A. Dongell, JH Easton, E Oberdörster, P Gravel, B North, F Diggs. 

The Texas Water Summit, Texas Agricultural and Natural Resources Summit Initiative, Austin, TX

11/03    Levels of steroid hormones in an Agricultural watershed.  E. Oberdörster, B. Brooks, P. Gravel, B. North, F. Diggs, J.H. Easton.  24th Annual SETAC meeting, Austin, TX

3/04      Sex steroid hormones in a watershed dominated by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.  E.

            Oberdörster, P. Gravel, B. North, J.H. Easton.  SOT Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.

10/04    A Comparison of Hormone Levels and Land Use Patterns in a North-Central Texas watershed. A. Dongell,  J.H. Easton, E. Oberdörster. Water Environment Federation (WEFTEC) Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

11/04            Biocompatibility Studies of Human Epithelial-like Cells Exposed to Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes.  Shook-Fong Chen, Eva Oberdörster, Ray Baughman, Gregg Dieckmann, Inga Musselman, Paul Pantano.  Strategic Partnership for Research in Nanotechnology (SPRING), Dallas, TX.

3/05            Exposure of  Fathead Minnow to Fullerene and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Eva Oberdörster, Alfonso Ortiz-Acevedo, Hui Xie, Paul Pantano, Ray H. Baughman,  Gregg R. Dieckmann, Inga H. Musselman, Rockford K. Draper. Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

           

REVIEWING ASSIGNMENTS

A.  Reviewer of manuscripts from the following journals:

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology              General & Comparative Endocrinology

Aquatic Toxicology                                                                                                                          Journal of the American Chemistry Society

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta                                                                                  Journal of Comparative Physiology B    

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology                                                        Marine Pollution Bulletin       

Environmental Health Perspectives                                                                      Particle and Fibre Toxicology

Environmental Pollution                                                                                                           Peptides 

Environmental Research                                                                                                    Toxicological Sciences

Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry                                                                    Water, Air and Soil Pollution

 

B.  Reviewer for Granting Agencies

10/01              National Science Foundation (US, NSF) ad hoc reviewer, CAREER Program, Integrative Plant      Biology

4/02      Natural Environment Research Council (UK, NERC) ad hoc reviewer, Freshwater Sciences Peer      Review Committee

5/02              National Sea Grant (US) Virginia Marine Environment Biotechnology Program

Reviewer for Granting agencies, continued

7/02      Natural Environment Research Council (UK, NERC) ad hoc reviewer, Small Research Grants      Committee

10/02             National Science Foundation (US, NSF), ad hoc reviewer MCB-Cell Biology Section

6/03      Georgia Sea Grant ad hoc reviewer

8/03      Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Research Partnerships Program

8/03      SC Sea Grant, ad hoc reviewer

9/03            CALFED Science program through National Sea Grant, ad hoc reviewer

10/04    Coastal Response Research Center  (CCRC) in conjunction with NOAA/UNH, ad hoc reviewer

C.  Other Reviewing Assignments

Book Reviewer for Ecology                                                             

Chapter Reviewer for Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Biology/Ecology textbooks for Texas grades 6-12

 

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEES

12/98                  SETAC/SETAC Europe Expert Panel on Endocrine Disruption in Invertebrates. 

                          Committee on Laboratory Testing

2001-present       Advisory Board, e.hormone web site on K-12  education

5/2003                NOAA panel: “The use of grass shrimp as an indicator of injury to Estuarine

                          Ecosystems.” held in Charleston, SC

6/2003                USDA Stakeholder Workshop:  “Future directions and research priorities for the USDA

                          Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Programs ” held in Washington, DC

2004                   NSF and NNI sponsored “Citizens’ Technology Forum” Content Expert on Nanotox

 

HONORS AND AWARDS

1993-95  3M Corporation Dissertation Research Award ($89,000 for 3 yrs), co-P.I. Dr. Dan Rittschof, Duke University Marine Laboratory.

1996        PADI Project AWARE Foundation ($250), matching funds by Duke Zoology Dept. Dissertation Research Award; Investigation of hsp Induction by TBT  in Marine Invertebrates

1996        PADI Project AWARE  Foundation ($250); Underwater Beach Sweep, with public education

               seminar on anthropogenic contaminant impacts

1996            SETAC, Student Travel Award, Annual Meeting

1997           Society of Toxicology (SOT), Student Travel Award, Annual  Meeting  

2003                 President’s Partners Grant (SMU, 1 year) to establish a field Limnology course at Taos, NM

2003-4              Southern Methodist University HOPE Professor, 2003-2004 academic year

 

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

A.  Research grants obtained    

1.  PI or co-PI

1998            University Research Grant, Clemson University ($3000).  “Pollution resistance in estuarine shrimp.”   

1999     US EPA, Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program ($430,000, 3 years)  

            Co-P.I. with  Patricia McClellan-Green, Duke University Marine Laboratory.

            “Endocrine Disruption in Marine Gastropods by Environmental Chemical Mixtures. “

1999     USDA, SC Agriculture and Forestry Research System ($70,000, 2 years)     

            “Physiological and reproductive effects of cropland production chemicals on aquatic

             invertebrates. “

 

Research grants obtained, continued

2002     US Fish and Wildlife Service, open-ended contract      

            Analysis of fish from Arkansas Wildlife Refuges for elevated liver EROD activity.  

2002     US EPA, Region 6 ($170,000, 3 years)      

            Co-PI with Dr. John Easton, SMU Environmental Engineering      

            “Environmental levels and toxicity of ED hormones released from concentrated animal feeding

            operations and sanitary sewer overflows in the Bosque River, TX.”

 

2.  Collaborator/Consultant   

2002     Impacts of anthropogenic chemicals on hepatic function in Florida’s American alligator. In

                    collaboration with Dr. Lou Guillette, University of Florida  

2003 Costa Rica-USA Foundation (CRUSAF)      

            Biological Monitors of Contamination and Endocrine Disruption in Coastal Areas of Costa Rica.

            PI John McLachlan, Tulane Center for Bioenvironmental Research

2003  Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN), Rice University.  Toxicity of

            nanoparticles to aquatic species.  In collaboration with Dr. Vicki L Colvin.

 

3.  Pending or To Be Submitted   

2005  EPA/NSF/NIOSH joint program on nanomaterial toxicity, in collaboration with Pat McClellan-Green (Duke) and Mary Haasch (U. Mississippi) focusing on metabolism of fullerene and SWNT

 

B.  Research projects in progress and future goals:

1.  What is the mechanism of nanoparticle toxicity?

             Nanoparticles are being engineered as high-surface area spheres or rods that have specific chemical properties that are useful in manufacturing (ex: produce reactive oxygen species, ROS).  Little research has been done on the toxicity of these specifically engineered nanoparticles in terms of impacts on aquatic organisms.  There are two major areas of concern:  1.  How do filter-feeding organisms such as bivalve mollusks and zooplankton (ex:  Daphnia) regulate the intake and distribution of these nanoparticles?, and 2.  How are fish impacted as they are exposed to these nanoparticles via the gills?  The goal is to explore uptake and distribution of nanoparticles, as well as oxidative stress endpoints and gene expression changes. 

2.  What types of cell-signaling pathways are used by invertebrate peptide and steroid hormones?   

     My research focus is on the neuropeptides in mollusks and the ecdysteroids in crustaceans.  In mollusks, steroid hormones do not seem to play an important physiological role.  As yet unidentified or little-studied peptides are the primary endocrine signals in this Phylum, and I will continue to study the role of neuropeptides in the annual reproductive cycle of gastropods.  In crustaceans, ecdysteroids are important in growth (molting) and reproduction, two processes which must be tightly coupled in females.  With the recent concern about environmental chemicals that can interact with the endocrine system, my research also focuses on assessing the impacts of pollutants on these systems and especially the interference with cell signaling pathways.

    

 

 

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

1989-            Earthwatch Volunteer, Field Assistant, Sarasota, FL, Dr. Randall Wells

1990                  ? study on wild dolphin interactions, genetics, toxicological blood screens

1995-    Held seminars for the public on biodiversity in North Carolina inshore waters at   

1997     Discovery Diving’s Anniversary Events

1996                Research Assistant, Divers Alert Network, in Turks and Caicos October 12-19

1996                Assistant, PAGE Science Fun Days, Morehead City, NC, March 12-13, 1996    

                        ? educated gifted K-12 students on physics of estuaries and local marine fauna using touch

                         tanks and mini-experiments

1996                Assistant, COSEN Research Experiences in Science & Math, Beaufort, NC, May      

                        ? educated college students about marine life and barrier island ecology 

1996     Aide, KIDFEST, Atlantic Beach, NC, June 1  

                        ? educated children about local marine life using touch tanks  

1996     Co-coordinator, Graduate Student Mini-Symposium, DUML Sept 13-15   

                        ? raised and budgeted $3,000 to support Symposium  

                        ? organized oral presentations, poster sessions, and social events

1996                Coordinator, Underwater Beach Sweep, part of the International Beach Sweep  

                        ? supervised divers, coordinated data collecting, arranged social events  

                        ? seminar: “Get to know the underwater world:  How you can protect our oceans.” 

1997-8    Volunteer at Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA

1997            Earthfest Volunteer, New Orleans, LA; educated public about local bayous using touch tanks

1998-    Judge, Best Student Poster/Platform Presentation; and  Mentor for Graduate Students

2003    Annual SETAC Meetings

1999    Speaker at Career Day, Mitchell Road Elementary School, Greenville, SC, May 6

2000                Participant in SC Aquarium Research Workshop, Charleston, SC, Jan.  27-28

2000    Judge, Best Thesis for the Association of Environmental Engineering Science Professors 

2001    Platform participant, “Career compass—getting started in the right direction and how to change”

            presented by the SOT Placement Committee

2002    Speaker at Expanding your Horizons Career Conference for the Dallas chapter of the American 

           Association of University Women held at the University of Dallas, February

2002    Grand Prize Judge, Dallas Regional Science & Engineering Fair @ Fair Park, April 6

2002    Taught an introduction to SCUBA to underprivileged and military children in Camp Lejune, NC

           as part of the Drug Education For Youth program; June 25

2002    Group Leader, freshman orientation trip to the Dallas Zoo, August 19

2003    “How to Catch a Thief” DNA fingerprint demonstration for Dallas County Science Fair winners

2003    Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) day at SMU.  Gel electrophoresis demonstration for

           fifty 5th-6th grade girls from the Dallas area.

2004    Self-cleaning windows and other current uses of nanomaterials.  Park Cities Investment Club, Dallas, TX

 

MEDIA INTERACTIONS

5/97    Consulted for Cox Communications (local  New Orleans cable station) on: “Toxic Avenger”    

5/98    Interviewed by “The Scoop”, a Japanese film on Endocrine Disruption, New Orleans

12/01   Interviewed by Janet Raloff,  for an article on “Environmental concerns reemerge over steroids

           given to livestock.” Science News 161(1):10-12.

4/02    Interviewed by the Dallas Morning News on alcohol education programs @ SMU

7/02    Interviewed by Channel 11 (CBS) and Channel 5 (NBC) on toxicity of mosquitocides, Dallas , TX

6/03    Channel 11 (CBS) on toxicity of mosquitocides, Dallas, TX

9/03  Videotaping of my Essentials of Biology lecture for a documentary on SMU student life

10/03  Interviewed and photographed by the NY Times for an article appearing 11/3/03 on Nano-

           technology and nanoparticle toxicity.

3/04  Interviewed for articles on nanotoxicology appearing 3/04 in the NY Times, Washington Post, Science News, Popular Science, Financial Times, LeMonde, Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Dallas Morning News, Boston Globe, Houston Chronicle, Fort Worth Star

           Telegram, New Scientist, Geo Magazine (Germany), and many others

5/04  Interviewed by BBC radio for a program aired on 6/16/04

7/04  Interviewed and videotaped by Science Central for a short segment on Nanotoxicology for public

           education purposes

8/04  Interviewed by the Chronicle of Higher Education for a front-page article appearing on the

           9/10/2004 issue

9/04  Interviewed by USA Today, Science News, and New Scientist for a stories on nanotechnology

1./05  Interviewed by the Boston Globe for a story on nanotoxicology

1/05            Interviewd by Camilla Rossi-Linnemann (Content Developer), Science Museum, London, UK

 

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Shelburne JD, VL Roggli, P Ingram, A Lefurgey, E Oberdörster, 1993. Electron Mircoscopy in    Environmental Pathology.  Microscopy Soc. America Bull. 23(4)242-252.

Oberdörster E, D Rittschof,  P McClellan-Green. 1998. Induction of Cytochrome P450 3A and heat    shock protein by tributyltin in blue crab, Callinectes sapidusAquat. Toxicol.  41:83-100. 

Oberdörster E, D Rittschof, GA LeBlanc. 1998.  Alteration of [14C]-Testosterone metabolism after    chronic tributyltin exposure in Daphnia  magnaArch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.  34:21-25.

Oberdörster E, D Rittschof, and P McClellan-Green. 1998.  Testosterone metabolism in imposex and normal I. obsoleta:  Studies with field collected and TBT Cl-induced imposex snails.  Mar. Poll.    Bull.  36:144-151.

Cheek AO, P Vonier, BC Burow, E Oberdörster, JA McLachlan. 1998. Environmental Signaling: A    biological context for endocrine disruption.  Environ. Health Persp. 106, Suppl. 1:5-10.

Oberdörster E, M Martin, CF Ide, JA McLachlan. 1999. Benthic community structure and biomarker    induction in grass shrimp in an estuarine system. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 37(4):512-518.

Oberdörster E, DM Cottam, FA Wilmot, MJ Milner, JA McLachlan. 1999.  Interaction of PAHs and PCBs with ecdysone-dependent gene expression and cell proliferation. Tox. Appl. Pharm.    160(1):101-108.

Ingersoll CG, M Crane, S Dodson, T De Witt, A Gies, M-C Huet, T Hutchinson, C McKenney, E Oberdörster, D Pascoe, DJ Versteeg, O Warwick. 1999. Chapter 3: Laboratory toxicity tests for use in evaluating potential effects of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs).  In:  Endocrine Disruption in Invertebrates:  Endocrinology, Testing and Assessment.  DeFur P, Crane M,    Ingersoll C and Tattersfield L, Eds. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL. pp. 107-197.

 

Peer Reviewed Publications, continued

Oberdörster E,  M Brouwer, T Hoexum-Brouwer, S Manning and JA McLachlan. 2000.  Long-term pyrene exposure of grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, affects molting and reproduction of males    and offspring of exposed females.  Environ. Health Persp. 108(7):641-646.

Oberdörster E, LK Irwin and CD Rice. 2000. Purification of lipovitellin from grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio, generation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies, and validation for    the detection of lipovitellin in Crustacea.  Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 127C(2):199-207.

Oberdörster E, P McClellan-Green.  2000. The neuropeptide APGWamide induces imposex in the   mud snail Ilyanassa obsoleta. Peptides. 21(9):1323-1330.

Oberdörster E, AO Cheek. 2001.  Gender Benders at the Beach:  Endocrine Disruption in Marine   and Estuarine Organisms.  Environ. Toxicol. Chem . 20(1):23-36.

Irwin, LK, SL Gray, E Oberdörster. 2001.  Vitellogenin induction in painted turtle, Chrysemys picta,   as a biomarker of exposure to environmental levels of estradiol.  Aquat. Toxicol. 55: 49-60.

Oberdörster E, MA Clay, DM Cottam, FA Wilmot, JA McLachlan, MJ Milner.  2001. Common phytochemicals are Ecdysteroid agonists and antagonists:  A possible evolutionary link between    vertebrate and invertebrate steroid hormones. J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol. 77(4-5):229-38.

Oberdörster E.  2001.  Peptide hormones vs. Steroid hormones:  Case studies from snail and turtle populations.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.  Special Issue:  Environmental    Hormones:  The Scientific Basis of Endocrine Disruption.  948:75-79.

Oberdörster E. and P. McClellan-Green.  2002.  Mechanisms of imposex induction in mud snail, Ilyanassa obsoleta:  TBT as a neurotoxin and aromatase inhibitor.  Marine Environmental   Research.  54(3-5) p. 715-718.  

Oberdörster, E.  2004.  Manufactured nanomaterials (Fullerenes, C60) induce oxidative stress in brain of juvenile largemouth bass.  Environ. Health Persp. 112(10):1058-1062.

Gunderson M.P., Oberdörster E., Guillette L.J. Jr. 2004.  Phase I and II liver enzyme activities in juvenile alligators  (Alligator mississipiensis) collected from three sites in the Kissimmee-Everglades drainage, Florida (USA).  Comp Biochem Physiol.  139C:39-46.

Oberdörster, E, J. Romano, P. McClellan-Green. 2005.  The neuropeptide APGWamide as a Penis Morphogenic Factor (PMF) in gastropod mollusks.  Integrative Comp Biol.  45:in press.

Oberdörster G., E. Oberdörster, J. Oberdoerster.  2005.  Nanotoxicology:  An Evolving Discipline Emerging from Studies of Ultrafine Particles.  Environ. Health Persp.  In press.

Easton, JH, AR Dongell, E. Oberdörster.  2005.  Instream steroid-hormone levels in a CAFO-impacted watershed and biological removal strategies.  ASCE Proceedings. In press.

Gravel, P, KM Johanning, J Vargas, JA McLachlan and E. Oberdörster.  In Review.  Imposex in Costa Rican waters in Acanthais brevidentata.

McClellan-Green, P., M. Celander, E. Oberdörster.  In Press.  Chapter 5:  Hepatic and Renal Toxicology.  In: Reptilian Toxicology.  (S. Gardner and E. Oberdörster, Eds).  CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

 

Peer Reviewed Publications—submitted or in preparation

McClellan-Green, P.,  J. Romano and E. Oberdörster.  In Review.  Does gender really matter in contaminant exposure?  A case for invertebrate risk assessment.

Gunderson, M.P., E Oberdörster,  B. North, L.J. Guillette, Jr.  In preparation.  A one-time low-dose of ethanol during development alters liver enzyme activities in juvenile alligators.

 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Books

Gardner, S and E. Oberdörster, Eds.  Reptilian Toxicology. Part of the New Perspectives:  Toxicology and the Environment Series. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.  In press for 2005 publication.

Other Publications, continued

White Papers

Oberdörster, E. 2004. Chapter IV, Section 7:  Environmental Impacts of Nanoparticles.  In ECETOC White Paper on “Occupational and Environmental Risks of Nanomaterials”

 

Reports

Oberdörster, E.  2000.  Cooper River Water Quality Testing for the SC Aquarium.  An internal  report on the toxicity of Cooper River water for use in the Aquarium.

Oberdörster, E.  2002.  Hepatic Ethoxyresorufin induction in fish from an Arkansas Wildlife Refuge:  Lapoile Creek is contaminated.  An internal report for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arkansas Division.

 

Short Essays

Oberdörster, E.  2003.  The Future of Endocrine Disruptor Research:  Beyond steroid hormones.   In the SETAC’s  Short Course on Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, Austin, TX.

Oberdörster, E.  2004.  Nanotechnology.  For the e.hormone web-commentary, Summer 2004 posting. http://e.hormone.tulane.edu/newsAndViews.html

Oberdörster, E.  2004.  Opinion Piece.  For the Citizens’ Technology Forum on Nanotechnology (NSF-funded public outreach effort).

 

Book Reviews

Oberdörster, E.  2001.  Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment:  A Tool for Policy Makers.  Ecology.  82(1):303-304.

Oberdörster, E.  2003.  Environmental Toxicology:  A New Textbook for Upper-College level courses.  Ecology.  84(2):540-541.

 

Other

Oberdörster, E.  2002.  Laboratory Manual for Biology 4160:  Environmental and Human Toxicology