| Patrick
Walsh Center Director NIEHS-MFBSC 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy Marine Biology and Fisheries Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Miami. FL 33149 Phone: 305-361-4617 Fax: 305-361-4600 Web Site http://www.rsmas.miami.edu Email:pwalsh@rsmas.miami.edu |
| B. S. | (1975) | Biology and Chemistry, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL |
| Ph. D. | (1981) | Marine Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA |
| Post doc. | (1981-82) | Biology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, CAN |
My laboratory is pursuing research under two main themes:
(1) the biochemical and physiological mechanisms by which marine organisms adapt to environmental changes;
(2) the environmental features controlling survival, genetic structure and dispersal in populations of marine organisms with pelagic life history stages.
We work with both fish and invertebrates. In the first theme, we are examining adaptation to both natural and man-made environmental changes. For example, we are studying how natural stress exerts its effects on nitrogen metabolism and excretion in toadfish. We study this problem on levels ranging from field observations to DNA analysis. In a toxicological setting, we are also examining the effects of sub-lethal effects of ammonia on metabolism, acid-base balance, and CNS function in toadfish. In the second theme, we are using biochemical methods (enzyme activity indices, PCR and rDNA analyses, etc.) to examine where species originate and what influences the physiological state of pelagic larvae. Besides addressing basic hypotheses in biological oceanography, this information is of vital importance to fisheries and to hatchery-based operations. For example, we are conducting genetic studies on hatchery reared individuals of Aplysia californica.
McDonald, M.D.. Wood, C.M., Wang, Y.S. and Walsh, P.J. (2000) Differential branchial and renal handling of urea, acetamide and thiourea in the gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta:evidence for two tranporters. J. exp. Biol. 203:1027-1037.
Kong, H., N. Kahatapitiya, K. Kingsley, W.L. Salo, P.M. Anderson, Y. Wang and P.J. Walsh. (2000). Induction of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase III and glutamine synthetase mRNA during confinement stress in the gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta). J. exp. Biol. 203: 311-320.
Wang, Y.S. and P.J. Walsh. (2000) High ammonia tolerance in fishes of the Family Betrachoididae (toadfish and midshipmen). Aq. Toxicol. 50:205-219.
Walsh, P.J., M. Heitz, C.E. Campbell, G.J. Cooper, M. Medina, Y.S. Wang, G.G. Goss, V. Vincek, C.M., Wood and C.P. Smith. (2000) Molecular identification of a urea transporter in gill of the ureotelic gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta).J exp. Biol. 203:2357-2364.