Ph.D. 1992 Boston University

Aquatic toxicology, biomarkers of exposure and effect, development of chemical tolerance, fish health

My research focuses on the response of aquatic organisms to pollutants, including metals, fuel oil, organochlorines and pesticides. In these investigations I examine what the consequences are of pollutant exposure to organism health, particularly physiological processes, reproduction, biochemical metabolism and the development of tolerance to chemicals. I conduct my research within an ecological context to determine how season, gender, life history, and habitat affect organism response. My work involves aspects of both field and laboratory research, requires whole animal and molecular manipulations, and is supported by chemical analysis. I am currently developing new research directions to address the effects of multiple stressors on survival, reproduction and physiological processes in fish, with a focus on anadromous species.

Holliday, D.K., Elskus, A.A., Roosenburg, W.M. (2009) Impacts of multiple stressors on growth and metabolic rate of Malaclemys terrapin. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 28 (2): in press

Holliday, D.K., Roosenburg, W.M., Elskus, A.A. (2008) Spacial variation in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in eggs of diamondback terrapins, Malaclemys terrapin, from the Patuxent River, Maryland. Bulletin of Environment Contamination and Toxicology 80(2):119-122.

Elskus, A.A. (2007) Pilot study of sublethal effects on fish of pesticides currently used and proposed for use on Maine blueberries: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1110. April 2007. 10pp.

Arzuaga, X., Wassenburg, D., Di Giulio, R., Elskus, A.A. (2006) The chlorinated AHR ligand 3,3’,4,4’,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) promotes reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during embryonic development in the killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Aquatic Toxicology 76(1):13-23.

Elskus, A.A., LeBlanc, L.A., Kim, C., Van Beneden, R., Mayer, G. (2006) Studying toxicity: The effects of dam removal. International Water Power and Dam Construction March 2006: 30-32.

Elskus, A.A., Collier, T.K., Monosson, E. (2005) Chapter 4. Interactions between lipids and persistent organic pollutants in fish. In: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Fishes, Volume 6. Environmental Toxicology. T.P. Mommsen and T.W. Moon, Eds. Elsevier Science, St. Louis. pp. 119-152.

Wheelock, C.E., Eder, K., Werner, I., Huang, H., Jones, P.D., Brammell, B.F., Elskus, A.A., Hammock, B.D. (2005) Individual variability in esterase activity and CYP1A levels in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) exposed to esfenvalerate and chlorpyrifos. Aquatic Toxicology 74:172-192.

Elskus, A.A. (2005) Toxicological Highlight: The implications of low-affinity AhR for TCDD insensitivity in frogs. Toxicological Sciences 88(1):1-3.

Elskus, A.A. (2004) Estradiol and estriol suppress CYP1A1 expression in rainbow trout hepatocytes. Marine Environmental Research 58:463-467.

Arzuaga, X., Calcaño, W., and Elskus, A.A. (2004) The DNA de-methlating agent 5-azacytidine does not restore CYP1A1 induction in PCB resistant Newark Bay killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Marine Environmental Research 58: 517-520

McArdle, M.E., McElroy, A.E and Elskus, A.A. (2004) CYP1A, CYP3A and estradiol 2-hydroxylase in fish exposed to organic pollutants and sewage effluent. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23(4):953-959.

Brammell, B.F., Price, D.J., Birge, W.J., Elskus, A.A. (2004) Apparent lack of CYP1A1 response to high PCB body burdens in fish from a chronically contaminated PCB site. Marine Environmental Research 58: 251-255

Rohr, J.R., Elskus, A.A., Shepherd, B.S., Crowley, P.H., McCarthy, T.M., Niedzwiecki, J.H., Sager, T., Sih, A. and Palmer, B.D. (2004) Multiple stressors and streamside salamanders: Effects of the herbicide atrazine and food limitation. Ecological Applications 14:1028-1040.

Monosson, E, Ashley, J.T.F, McElroy, A.E., Woltering, D. and. Elskus, A.A., (2003). PCB congener distributions in muscle, liver and gonad of Fundulus heteroclitus from the lower Hudson River Estuary and Newark Bay. Chemosphere 52:777-787.

Rohr, J.R., Elskus, A.A., Shepherd, B.S., Crowley, P.H., McCarthy, T.M., Niedzwiecki, J.H., Sih, A. and Palmer, B.D. (2003). Lethal and sublethal effects of atrazine, carbaryl, endosulfan, and octylphenol on the streamside salamander, Ambystoma barbouri. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 22(10): 2385-2392.

Shepherd, B.S., Drennon, K., Brammell, B.F. and Elskus, A.A. (2002) Effects of Aroclor 1254 on endocrine physiology in the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). In Endocrine Disruptors: Mechanisms and Impacts. M. Vijayan, A. Hontel and D. Mackinlay eds. pp 63-68.

Arzuaga, X. and Elskus, A.A. (2002) Evidence for resistance to benzo[a]pyrene and 3,4,3'4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl in a chronically polluted Fundulus heteroclitus population. Marine Environmental Research 54:247-251.

Todorov, J.R., Elskus, A.A., Schlenk, D., Ferguson, P.L. Brownawell, B.J. and McElroy, A.E. (2002) Estrogenic responses of larval sunshine bass (Morone saxatilis x M. chrysops) exposed to New York City sewage effluent. Marine Environmental Research 54: 691-695.

National Research Council (2002) A Century of Ecosystem Science: Planning Long-Term Research for the Gulf of Alaska. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. (one of 12 authors)

Elskus, A.A. (2001) Toxicant resistance in wildlife: fish populations. In PCB: Recent Advances in Environmental Toxicology and Health Effects. L.W. Robertson and L.G. Hansen, Editors. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 273-276.

McArdle, M., Elskus, A., McElroy, A, Larsen, B., Benson, W. and Schlenk, D. (2000) Estrogenic and CYP1A1 response of mummichogs and sunshine bass to sewage effluent. Marine Environmental Research 50(1-5):175-180.

Fay, A.A., Brownawell, B., Elskus, A.A., and McElroy, A.E. (2000) Critical body residues in Ampleisca abdita: sediment exposures to organic contaminants. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 19 (4):1028-1035.

McArdle, M., Elskus, A., McElroy, A, Larsen, B., Benson, W. and Schlenk, D. (2000) Estrogenic and CYP1A1 response of mummichogs and sunshine bass to sewage effluent. Marine Environmental Research 50(1-5):175-180.

McElroy, A. E., Elskus, A. A., and Fay, A. A. (2000) New approaches for toxicity identification evaluation of hydrophobic organic contaminants in sediments. In Environmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment: Recent Achievements in Environmental Fate and Transport: Ninth Volume: ASTM STP 1381, F. T. Price. K. V. Brix, and N. K. Lane, Eds,. American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken, PA pp. 239-255.

Elskus, A.A., Monosson, E., McElroy, A.E., Stegeman, J.J. and Woltering, D.S. (1999) Altered CYP1A1 expression in Fundulus heteroclitus adults and larvae: a sign of pollutant resistance? Aquatic Toxicology 45:99-113.

Ackland, J.F., Knox, K.L., Elskus, A.A., Fallest, P.C., Hiatt, E.S. and Schwartz, N.B. (1995) Use of an in vitro perifusion system to study the effects of pulsatile hormone administration on the control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. In Methods in Neuroscience, Academic Press, New York.

Elskus, A.A., and Schwartz, N.B. (1995) Pituitary and hypothalamic regulation of sex differences in serum-luteinizing hormone levels in gonadectomized rats: In vitro perifusion studies. Recent Progress in Hormone Research 50, 397-401.

Elskus, A.A., Stegeman, J.J., Gooch, J.W., Black, D.E. and Pruell, R.J. (1994) Polychlorinated biphenyl congener distributions in winter flounder as related to gender, spawning site, and congener metabolism. Environ. Sci. Technol. 28, 401-407.

Elskus, A.A., Pruell, R.J. and Stegeman, J.J. (1992) Endogenously-mediated, pretranslational suppression of cytochrome P450IA expression in PCB-contaminated flounder. Mar. Environ. Res. 34, 97-101.

Elskus, A.A., Stegeman, J.J., Susani, L.S., Black, D., Pruell, R.J. and Fluck, S.J. (1989). Polychlorinated biphenyls concentration and cytochrome P-450E expression in winter flounder from contaminated environments. Mar. Environ. Res. 28, 25-30.

Elskus, A.A. and Stegeman, J.J. (1989) Further consideration of phenobarbital effects on cytochrome P450 activity in the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 92C, 223-30.

Elskus, A.A. and Stegeman, J.J. (1989) Induced cytochrome P-450 in Fundulus heteroclitus associated with environmental contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Mar. Environ. Res. 27, 31-50.

Gooch, J.W., Elskus, A.A., Kloepper-Sams, P.J., Hahn, M.E. and Stegeman, J.J. (1989) Effects of ortho- and non-ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyl congeners on the hepatic monooxygenase system in scup (Stenotomus chrysops). Toxicol. Appl. Pharmac. 98, 422-433.

Boehm, P.D., Barak, J., Fiest, D.L., and Elskus, A.A. (1982) A chemical investigation of the transport and fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in littoral and benthic environments: The Tsesis oil spill. Mar. Environ. Res. 6, 157-188.

Boehm, P.D., Fiest, D.L. and Elskus, A.A. (1979) Comparative weathering patterns of hydrocarbons from the Amoco Cadiz oil spill observed at a variety of coastal environments. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Amoco Cadiz: Fates and Effects of the Oil Spill. Brest, France, November 19-22, 1979.