Research is hard! Not everything will go as planned, and there will be more curve balls than you can count along the way. Don't let this deter you and remind yourself you are the expert in your specific study area. You know more than anyone else on your research subject, and that in itself is pretty amazing.
What is your specific area of research?
I am completing my MSc in the Pyle Laboratory for Aquatic Health here at the University of Lethbridge. This behavioural ecotoxicology lab is interested in exploring environmental contaminants and their effects on aquatic organisms. My study in particular looks at both platinum and palladium and their individual impacts on chemosensory function and related behaviours in juvenile rainbow trout. Fish use their sense of smell, or chemosensory function, to act on a multitude of behaviours such as foraging for food, finding mates, or escaping predators. My research explores this sublethal area and how it may be altered when fish are exposed acutely to these two rare earth metals.
What sparked your interest in water research?
My love of water and subsequent interest in water research stems from growing up on Vancouver Island. During my last year of my undergraduate degree, I knew I wanted to pursue graduate studies; I just didn't know exactly which area of biology intrigued me the most. I was fortunate enough to complete two independent studies in the Pyle Lab at the University of Lethbridge during my undergrad. I find toxicology to be a fascinating field of biology as you frequently compare molecular, organismal, and ecological areas. I knew I wanted my research to make a real impact, and I believe this project does just that.
What excites you about your research?
Studying data-poor metals such as platinum and palladium means the results I obtain, intended or not, spark excitement due to the novelty of them. Many results I get can come as a surprise! As aforementioned I believe I can make a true impact with my research. I do think by the end of my thesis, I will have developed an intriguing story outlining these metals in a way they haven’t been seen before and this in itself is an exciting thought.
Tell us about the first time you felt really excited about a research finding?
In our lab we use a neurophysiological technique called electro-olfactography. This technique allows us to assess the chemosensory (or smell) response in a fish to a variety of smell cues. As such, the first time I got really excited was after my first preliminary experiment when I got quantitative results showing sublethal impairment in my study organisms after acute exposure to palladium.
What do you hope to accomplish through your scientific research?
The overarching goal of my research is to fill current knowledge gaps for these precious metals in the area of toxicology. Considering the sensitivity of the fish olfactory system to low concentrations of certain toxicants, results from this study will provide evidence for the effects of platinum and palladium on chemosensory-mediated functions of a model species of freshwater fish. This project will ultimately determine if contamination by two platinum group element members, platinum and palladium, pose a realistic risk in aquatic ecosystems based on the sublethal effects found when studying rainbow trout. Results from this study will provide valuable information that will be useful to predict if action is required in the near or far future to mediate this potentially threatening form of aquatic contamination.
Why is your research important? What are the local, national and global implications?
Currently, water quality guidelines for Canada at both federal and provincial levels do not have sufficient data on platinum or palladium to establish an approved limit for these substances in aqueous environments. Very few studies have focused on the fate of these metals when entering an aquatic environment, and the limited amount of data on the uptake and toxicity of platinum and palladium in aquatic species makes reporting ecological risk assessments in aquatic ecosystems futile. Thus, present aquatic ecosystems could be at risk for environmental contamination not only in Canada, but around the world.
What words of inspiration would you like to share with the next generation of researchers?
Research is hard! Not everything will go as planned, and there will be more curve balls than you can count along the way. Don't let this deter you and remind yourself you are the expert in your specific study area. You know more than anyone else on your research subject, and that in itself is pretty amazing.