UNews - Dr. Steve Wiseman

Undergrad scores big with research poster

caroline.zentner — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 17:13:46 +0000

As an undergraduate student researcher, Justin Miller was simply excited to be attending the Canadian Ecotoxicity Workshop recently held in Vancouver. As Canada’s predominant annual conference for ecotoxicologists, he knew he’d be learning about the latest developments in the field. What he didn’t expect was to come away with a third-place award and a cash prize for his research poster.

“I was one of the only, if not the only, undergrad there,” he says. “That was cool in and of itself and then to take home an award was a complete honour. I couldn’t believe it and I still can’t, to tell you the truth.”

“This workshop is the largest and most important annual meeting of ecotoxicologists in Canada and it’s very rare that an undergraduate student wins one of these awards,” says Dr. Steve Wiseman, a U of L biology professor and Miller’s supervisor. “The award speaks volumes about the quality of Justin’s work and the U of L’s strong commitment to undergraduate research.”

Miller’s poster was built around the research he conducted in Wiseman’s lab during the summer, thanks to an Undergraduate Student Research Award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). He investigated the effects of a commonly used herbicide in Canada on fish.

“The research I did over the summer was using rainbow trout raised in the lab,” says Miller. “I wanted to see how fish exposed to dicamba, an herbicide used to kill broadleaf weeds, would be affected. The main process I looked at was oxidative stress. The primary spot where these chemicals would be found is in the liver, as that’s where they’re processed.”

Oxidative stress occurs when an imbalance exists between anti-oxidants and pro-oxidants, something that can occur with exposure to environmental chemicals. Too many pro-oxidants can damage structures within the cell and can result in a variety of physiological impairments.

“What I found is that oxidative stress is not a mechanism of toxicity induced by dicamba but I did find there was a change in the methyl pool, specifically an increase in methyl groups, and I’m investigating that further,” says Miller.

He also looked at DNA methylation in his fish subjects. Methyl groups attached to DNA are important for regulation of gene expression. So far, Miller hasn’t found much in terms of effects of dicamba on DNA methylation but he’s waiting on more data. He also intends to explore whether any changes in DNA methylation caused by exposure to dicamba get passed on to future generations in upcoming research.

Miller, from Cranbrook, British Columbia, started his post-secondary studies at the College of the Rockies in a university transfer program after taking a year after high school to play junior hockey with the Columbia Valley Rockies and the Summerland Steam. Thanks to the college’s dual admission program with the U of L, Miller was able to complete his first two years in Cranbrook.

“Pretty much since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be a doctor,” he says. “I still want to be one and I’m working every day to do that. Everything I do is pretty much centred around that goal.”

As a youngster, Miller remembers helping his mother study when she was taking a medical transcriptionist course. He read her flashcards and was intrigued to learn the meaning of the words. Throughout his post-secondary schooling, he’s kept his grades up while getting involved in all kinds of activities.

“I do a lot of coaching; I’m a goalie coach and I run a goaltending clinic in Taber every week,” he says. “I’m involved in the U of L Pre-Med club and I also volunteer at the hospital in a leader rounding support position. I really enjoy that. It’s such an incredible experience and I’m really lucky to be doing it. I’m grateful I was chosen for that position.”

In this role, Miller talks to patients about the care they received, their future goals with their care and what kinds of supports they might need at home. As the medical representative on the Pre-Med Club, he’s organized events to help members learn about the admission process and held MCAT study sessions. One such event is the club’s Hoof-It Run, a fundraiser for the Students’ Union food bank, scheduled for March.

Miller is currently working on his undergraduate honour’s thesis, with plans to start a master’s program with Wiseman next spring and apply to medical school next summer.

U of L aquatic toxicologist named Canada Research Chair

caroline.zentner — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 16:27:45 +0000

The federal government has named Dr. Steve Wiseman, a biology professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Aquatic and Mechanistic Toxicology.

Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, announced more than $173 million in funding to support 203 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs at 48 post-secondary institutions across the country.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the new and renewed Canada Research Chairs,” says Duncan. “The Government of Canada is proud to support talented researchers whose hard work will improve our scientific understanding and strengthen Canada’s reputation for research excellence. The Chairs’ efforts will also provide us with the evidence needed to inform decisions that help us build a vibrant society and a strong middle class.”

Wiseman’s research program primarily focuses on determining whether chemical stressors in aquatic systems pose a risk to aquatic organisms, especially fish.

“The goal of my research program is to understand toxic effects that chemicals might have on freshwater fish and the mechanisms by which they cause these effects,” says Wiseman. “Most of this research is conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. However, the goal is to use the knowledge and tools that are generated from this laboratory research to assess whether fish in the wild have been exposed to a toxic chemical and whether that chemical poses a threat to the animal and the greater aquatic environment.”

His appointment as a Canada Research Chair will allow him to develop a world-class research program that not only answers these important questions, but also trains the next generation of scientists.

Wiseman, who also conducts research in freshwater systems, studies animals’ responses after they have been exposed to a chemical, synthetic or natural, and whether it affects an animal adversely.

“As populations grow and as industrial activity increases, more chemicals end up in aquatic environments. We’ve got new chemicals and we’ve got lots and lots of old chemicals and for the vast majority of them, we have no idea what they do to aquatic organisms, including fish,” he says.

Pharmaceuticals intended for human use are often flushed down the drain and wastewater treatment plants are unable to remove them from the water. The drug compounds end up in rivers where fish are then exposed to them.

“A lot of my research over the last seven years has been related to oilsands development, which is a huge concern here in Alberta and also nationally and internationally. In that development, the chemicals are naturally occurring and after you extract the oil, many of these chemicals are left behind in water that companies store in ponds that are cut off from the natural environment. Ultimately, we need to know if the water in these ponds is detoxifying and if it is safe either for establishing new habitat or for releasing to the wider environment. It’s an important issue not only in terms of environmental science but it’s also an important research area in terms of economics,” he says.

In addition to national and global issues, Wiseman wants to look at issues that are important to southern Alberta. Water is a finite resource but numerous activities put more and more pressure on water supplies for people, animals and industry.

“No industry in my mind is worth more than our natural resources and our ecosystems but there’s always a balance there. They’re important questions to ask, not just from the point of view of the effects on animals and the environment, but also from a societal perspective. Most industrial activity is sustainable if it’s done in the right way and done responsibly,” he says.

Wiseman is originally from Newfoundland. He attended Mount Allison ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for his undergraduate degree and then completed his graduate degrees at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Waterloo. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan and stayed on as a research associate before coming to the U of L.

UNews - Dr. Steve Wiseman

Undergrad scores big with research poster

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U of L aquatic toxicologist named Canada Research Chair

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