Biography

Education

B.Sc. (1996) Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CANADA
Ph.D. (2002) Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CANADA

Research Interests

I am mainly interested in the renal and branchial physiology of teleost fish, specifically the ureotelic gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta, with a particular emphasis on nitrogenous waste metabolism and excretion mechanisms and the hormones, neurotransmitters and monoamines involved in regulating these processes. Presently, I am working on characterizing the role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) in the periodic activation of a urea transport mechanism (tUT) present in the gill of the toadfish. By exploiting the pharmacology of the different 5-HT receptors, my most current work has identified the 5-HT2 family of receptors as the target for 5-HT-induced urea excretion in toadfish. I intend to use molecular tools to further characterize the 5-HT receptors and transporters that may be involved in regulating tUT.

My long-term research goal is to continue research on the role of monoamines such as serotonin and dopamine, specifically monoaminergic receptors and transporters, in the homeostasis of fish. Like mammals, the implications of monoamines on physiology are extensive and integrative approaches will be necessary to determine the full magnitude of these systems in the regulation of physiological processes in aquatic organisms

Recent Publications (5 of 14 submitted or published as of 12/01/03)

McDonald MD, Wood CM Evidence for facilitated diffusion of urea across the gill basolateral membrane of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembranes In Press.

McDonald MD, Wood CM The effect of chronic cortisol elevation on urea metabolism and excretion in the rainbow trout. J Comp Physiol B In Press.

McDonald MD, Wood CM Differential handling of urea and its analogues suggests carrier-mediated urea excretion in the freshwater rainbow trout. Physiol Biochem Zool In Press.

Wood CM, McDonald MD, Sundin L, Laurent P, Walsh PJ (2003) Pulsatile urea excretion in the gulf toadfish: mechanisms and controls. Comp Biochem Physiol 136B: 667-684

McDonald MD, Grosell M, Wood CM, Walsh PJ (2003) Branchial and renal handling of urea in the gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta: the effect of exogenous urea loading. Comp Biochem Physiol 134A: 763-776.