Project Team

GLEN VAN DER KRAAK, PHD

Glen Van Der Kraak is the Professor of Zoology, University of Guelph where he is also the Chair of the Zoology Department. Dr. Van Der Kraak is the Leader of the Reproductive and Endocrine Ecotoxicology Program, Canadian Network of Toxicology Centres. Dr. Van Der Kraak's research interests include Regulation of Ovarian Function in Teleosts, a project in which fish are used as the experimental model for studies investigating how the actions of hormones, growth factors of ovarian origin and intracellular signal transduction pathways interact to coordinate ovarian growth and differentiation. Current research focuses on the hormonal control of growth, artesian and functional competence of goldfish and trout ovarian follicles during development. A second research project, Evaluation of Reproductive Fitness in Fish, is based on the growing awareness that chemicals in the environment affect reproductive performance of feral fish populations through effects on endocrine homeostasis. The long term goal of this work is to establish whether chemicals which are identified on the basis of in vitro bioactivity are predictive of effects in vivo and to determine which endocrine responses are most sensitive in terms of whole animal and population levels effects.

Selected Publications:

Leanos-Castaneda O, Van Der Kraak G, Lister A, Sima-Alvarez R, Gold-Bouchot G. O,p'-DDT induction of vitellogenesis and its inhibition by tamoxifen in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Mar Environ Res. 2002;54(3-5):703-7.

Schoenfuss HL, Levitt JT, Van der Kraak G, Sorensen PW. Ten-week exposure to treated sewage discharge has relatively minor, variable effects on reproductive behavior and sperm production in goldfish. Environ Toxicol Chem. 2002;21(10):2185-90.

Wood AW, Van der Kraak G. Inhibition of apoptosis in vitellogenic ovarian follicles of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by salmon gonadotropin, epidermal growth factor, and 17beta-estradiol. Mol Reprod Dev. 2002;61(4):511-8.

Lister A, Van Der Kraak G. Modulation of goldfish testicular testosterone production in vitro by tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1beta, and macrophage conditioned media. J Exp Zool. 2002 ;292(5):477-86.

Stacey N, Fraser EJ, Sorensen P, Van der Kraak G. Milt production in goldfish: regulation by multiple social stimuli. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2001; 130(4):467-76.

Alsop D, Brown S, Van Der Kraak G. Development of a retinoic acid receptor-binding assay with rainbow trout tissue: characterization of retinoic acid binding, receptor tissue distribution, and developmental changes. Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2001;123(3):254-67.

Evanson M, Van Der Kraak GJ. Stimulatory effects of selected PAHs on testosterone production in goldfish and rainbow trout and possible mechanisms of action. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2001;130(2):249-58.

McMaster ME, Jardine JJ, Ankley GT, Benson WH, Greeley MS Jr, Gross TS, Guillette LJ Jr, MacLatchy DL, Orlando EF, Van Der Kraak GJ, Munkittrick KR. An interlaboratory study on the use of steroid hormones in examining endocrine disruption. Environ Toxicol Chem. 2001;20(9):2081-7.

Wood AW, Van Der Kraak GJ. Apoptosis and ovarian function: novel perspectives from the teleosts. Biol Reprod. 2001;64(1):264-71.

Makynen EA, Kahl MD, Jensen KM, Tietge JE, Wells KL, Van Der Kraak G, Ankley GT. Effects of the mammalian antiandrogen vinclozolin on development and reproduction of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Aquat Toxicol. 2000; 48(4):461-475.