Research summary
Human activities threaten the health and survival of countless wildlife species, including fish, which can be affected by pollution. One way to monitor the health of fish species is to collect and study their blood plasma. Because plasma can be sampled from fish without harming them, it makes an ideal bio-fluid for monitoring the health of sensitive populations.
As Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Environmental Biology, Dr. Denina Simmons is exploring non-lethal ways to study how pollution affects wild fish species, such as by sampling their blood and epidermal mucus (slimy skin coatings). She and her research team are also combining data gathered over the past five years with new data they collect in order to create an online database containing molecular expression patterns. Ultimately, their work will support the non-lethal monitoring of fish health in aquatic ecosystems and help them understand how pollution affects fish health.