Lina Nikoleris

My research interests focus on the sex hormone systems in aquatic ecosystem, especially the estrogen receptor system in fish. I am interested in evolutionary history as well as gene expression dynamic of hormone receptors and how gene activities are influenced by anthropogenic factors (e.g. environmental pollutant and sewage treatment plant effluents) throughout the life cycle.

More knowledge is needed about functions and activation of the estrogen receptor in economically important fish species such as salmon and trout, which are my primary target species. The salmonids are anadromous fish that can display very different life histories within the species. They have tetraploid genomes with numerous retained duplicated genes. This causes salmonids to have two or three gene copies of hormone receptors, which in other vertebrates would only be found in a single copy. How the high number of gene copies is involved in the complicated life histories of salmonids and affect the displayed high sensitivity to environmental pollutants seen in these species is currently unknown. Molecular analyses can reveal changes that affect important system such as reproduction and biotransformation processes. We would like to know if different genetic profiles can influence the biological processes and thereby increase or decrease sensitivity to pollutants and endocrine disrupters.