PROJECT COORDINATION

William H. van der Schalie, Ph.D., Ecologist, National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, and Paul L. Knechtges, Ph.D., Director, U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research. Drs. van der Schalie and Knechtges share overall leadership and coordination for this project. Dr. van der Schalie has extensive experience with automated biomonitoring systems, and Dr. Knechtges has directed research involving the application of automated biomonitoring systems to environmental monitoring.

THE MARYLAND PROJECT TEAM (listed alphabetically)

Cindy Driscoll, D.V.M., Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Oxford Cooperative Laboratory. Dr. Driscoll is the state coordinator of aquatic animal health in Maryland portions of the Chesapeake Bay and has many years of experience working with a wide variety of aquatic, estuarine and marine organisms. She will serve as an important liaison between the project investigators and State personnel to coordinate field activities. Dr. Driscoll¹s insights will support proper and timely deployment of the biomonitoring system during the field season.

Andrew S. Kane, Ph.D., and Geoffrey Gipson. University of Maryland Department of Veterinary Medicine (College Park) and Department of Pathology (Baltimore). Dr. Kane is the Director of the University¹s Aquatic Pathobiology Center and his research focuses on stress responses of fish and other aquatic organisms. He has extensive experience in bioassay development and is part of the Maryland Pfiesteria study team. With the assistance of Mr. Gipson, Dr. Kane is responsible for carrying out laboratory validation studies with the biomonitoring system and coordinating efforts with Dr. Renate Reimschuessel and Dr. Ellen Silbergeld. Drs. Reimschuessel and Silbergeld will contribute their expertise in this EMPACT project in the areas of aquatic pathology and neurtoxicology, respectively). Dr. Kane is also responsible for the development of web-based outreach for this project.

Mark Poli, Ph.D. U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease. Dr. Poli has 16 years experience in the molecular pharmacology, physiology, and detection of marine algal toxins. He will act primarily in a consulting role, providing input into experimental design and data evaluation. In addition, he will provide an invaluable liaison to the marine toxin research community and current Pfiesteria work by other investigators around the country.

Renate Reimschuessel, V.M.D., Ph.D., Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Reimschuessel has extensive research experience in fish pathology and is responsible for conducting and reporting histopathology on specimens exposed during laboratory studies. Dr. Reimschuessel also plays an integral role in the experimental design of the laboratory components of this project.

Charles C. Sarabun, Jr., Ph.D. Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Sarabun has been involved with numerous projects concerned with measurement and analysis of physical oceanographic, electric field, electromagnetic, and acoustic data from the marine environment. His role in this project will include modifying the fish ventilatory monitoring electrodes/signal conditioning for field operations in brackish water, developing improved algorithms used for data analysis, and the measurement of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) and chlorophyll-a fluorescence.

Tommy R. Shedd, Research Biologist, U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research. Mr. Shedd has 18 years of experience in toxicity testing with a wide range of aquatic organisms and with fish ventilatory monitoring systems. He will conduct tests to validate the electrode configuration for increased saltwater concentrations and be primarily responsible for operation and interpretation of the automated biomonitoring system ventilatory laboratory/field data. He will also coordinate water sampling and analysis of physical-chemical parameters to be done in conjunction with operation of the biomonitoring system.

Ellen K. Silbergeld, Ph.D., Jennifer Sass, Ph.D., and Jennifer Choich, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Program in Human Health and the Environment. Dr. Silbergeld is a highly regarded neurotoxicologist who is also part of the Maryland Pfiesteria study team and has conceptualized the application of "PET scans" in fish. Together with Dr. Sass, Dr. Kane and Ms. Choich, assays have been developed to elucidate alterations in brain glucose utilization as a function of HAB toxin exposure. Neurotoxic endpoints will be correlated with effects on fish ventilation and movement from laboratory field bioassays.

Mark W. Widder, Research Biologist, U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research . Mr. Widder has experience in the construction and deployment of continuous biomonitoring systems. He will set up and conduct the field tests at the selected site on the Chicamocomico River.