Within and Transgenerational Disruption of the Stress Response
Join the team of our members Vance Trudeau and Carole Yauk.
They are looking for graduate students interested in basic endocrine research and hormonal control of reproduction and development and how these processes are disrupted by environmental contaminants. There are several exciting projects currently available. There are excellent opportunities to learn new technique and to collaborate with otgher groups and institutes in Ottawa, across Canada and internationally. There are compelling recent discoveries in the lab that lay the foundation for new projects. Your ideas and suggestions are welcomed and these projects need input and direction from dynamic candidates.
Description
Our work has shown that the brain is a major target for the actions of contaminants and that these disrupt normal development and reproduction. Such research has helped to shape the emerging field of “neuroendocrine disruption”. We are now examining the impacts of neuroactive substances on stress physiology in the zebrafish model using transgenic and transcriptomic approaches. This project will be in collaboration with Dr. Carol Yauk and is suitable for the MSc, with the possibilities of PhD fast-tracking. This position is available immediately and Specialization in Chemical and Environmental Toxicology is possible. Please consult the following publications:
- Vera-Chang MN, St-Jacques AD, Gagné R, et al. Transgenerational hypocortisolism and behavioral disruption are induced by the antidepressant fluoxetine in male zebrafish Danio rerio. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018;115(52):E12435-E12442. doi:10.1073/pnas.1811695115
- Vera-Chang MN, Moon TW, Trudeau VL. Cortisol disruption and transgenerational alteration in the expression of stress-related genes in zebrafish larvae following fluoxetine exposure. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2019;382:114742. doi:10.1016/j.taap.2019.114742
Submit an Application
This position is open until they are filled but is available immediately. Apply now for full consideration. Applications for these positions must consist of the following: (1) a letter expressing your interest; (2) an unofficial transcript; (3) names of three references; and (4) an example of your scientific writing.
These should be sent by email to: Prof. Vance L. Trudeau, University Research Chair in Neuroendocrinology, Dept. of Biology, University of Ottawa (trudeauv@uottawa.ca). Informal inquiries on some of the project details are also welcomed.
Other Relevant Information
The University of Ottawa has great scholarship programs for both domestic and international students. If you have the equivalent of A minus (A-; GPA 8/10 in the uOttawa system) average your tuition may be covered. Check this out at https://www.uottawa.ca/graduate-studies/students/awards/admission-scholarship.
Note also that there are other scholarship possibilities including Ontario Government Scholarships and NSERC CGS-M and CGS-D, depending on eligibility.
Other important University web link:
https://science.uottawa.ca/en/programs-of-study/grad/BIO
Information on V.L Trudeau:
https://science.uottawa.ca/biology/people/trudeau-vance
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=i2YLKPgAAAAJ&hl=en
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0845-9444
Media link on our work:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/prozac-may-transcend-generations/
