Connie McKibben and Carla Conway (USGS) taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon for detection and quantification of Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) in the fish, while Joy Evered observes. Dr. Evered is a USFWS Veterinary Medical Officer and the USFWS Project Officer for this research project.
Diane Elliott, Ph.D.
Diane participates in collaborative studies of infectious and noninfectious diseases in a variety of finfish species, utilizing techniques of microbiology, histopathology and molecular biology.
Research Interests
Development of improved sampling and testing methods for fish pathogen detection (including nonlethal sampling methods), understanding etiology and pathogenesis of fish diseases in wild and hatchery fish, development of methods for disease prevention and control.
Mentorship/Outreach
- “Spotlight on Women in Fisheries,” Fisheries, March 2012, vol. 37 no. 3., DOI: 10.1080/03632415.2012.669617.
- “AFS Fish Health Section hosts annual meeting, honors several of its top professionals,” Fish Farming News 2015, Issue 4.
- 1995 to Present - Affiliate Associate Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- 1986-1995 - Affiliate Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Science and Products
Detection Protocols - Renibacterium salmoninarum
Protocols for the Detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum in salmon
Non-lethal Detection of Skin Injuries in Juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha by Fast Green FCF Dye
In fish, as in humans, an intact epidermis is critical to defense against entry of pathogens into the skin. Macroscopic examination of scale loss is the principal method of evaluating physical damage to juvenile salmonids out-migrating through hydroelectric dams in the Snake and Columbia Rivers, and in fish subjected to capture and handling procedures in locations such as hatcheries, fish bypass...
Histopathology of Selected Parasitic Salmonid Diseases: A Color Atlas
A collection of 77 photomicrographs compiled by the late William T. Yasutake, USGS Western Fisheries Research Center, Scientist Emeritus. Individual plates may be downloaded below.
Taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon
Connie McKibben and Carla Conway (USGS) taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon for detection and quantification of Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) in the fish, while Joy Evered observes. Dr. Evered is a USFWS Veterinary Medical Officer and the USFWS Project Officer for this research project.
Recording data for female spring Chinook salmon
Dr. Wendy Olson, USFWS biologist (orange rain pants) records data for female spring Chinook salmon being spawned at the hatchery. Among the data recorded are fin clips designating treatment groups for the research project (erythromycin treatment, tulathromycin treatment, or no treatment).
Dr. Wendy Olson, USFWS biologist (orange rain pants) records data for female spring Chinook salmon being spawned at the hatchery. Among the data recorded are fin clips designating treatment groups for the research project (erythromycin treatment, tulathromycin treatment, or no treatment).
Figure 1. Appearance of Descaling Site Exposed to Fast Green FCF Dye
Figure 1. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye six hours after intentional descaling injury, showing loss of scales and presence of fast green staining. Areas of unintentional integumental injury are also stained (arrows).
Related image Figure 2.
Figure 1. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye six hours after intentional descaling injury, showing loss of scales and presence of fast green staining. Areas of unintentional integumental injury are also stained (arrows).
Related image Figure 2.
Figure 2. Scanning Electron Micrograph of Descaling Area
Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 1 showing epidermal disruption, empty scale pockets and an exposed scale with visible concentric ridges (upper right). Scale bar = 500 µm.
Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 1 showing epidermal disruption, empty scale pockets and an exposed scale with visible concentric ridges (upper right). Scale bar = 500 µm.
Figure 3. Appearance of Descaling Site Exposed to Fast Green FCF Dye
Figure 3. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye 96 hours after intentional descaling injury, showing lack of scales, presence of fast green staining in areas of epidermal disruption and absence of staining in areas where migrating epidermal cells have closed the wound.
Figure 3. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye 96 hours after intentional descaling injury, showing lack of scales, presence of fast green staining in areas of epidermal disruption and absence of staining in areas where migrating epidermal cells have closed the wound.
Figure 4. Scanning Electron Micrograph of Descaling Area
Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 3 showing epidermal disruption (arrows), empty scale pockets and restoration of epidermal integrity (asterisk). An exposed scale with visible concentric ridges is visible at the lower center. Scale bar = 500 µm.
Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 3 showing epidermal disruption (arrows), empty scale pockets and restoration of epidermal integrity (asterisk). An exposed scale with visible concentric ridges is visible at the lower center. Scale bar = 500 µm.
Science and Products
Detection Protocols - Renibacterium salmoninarum
Protocols for the Detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum in salmon
Non-lethal Detection of Skin Injuries in Juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha by Fast Green FCF Dye
In fish, as in humans, an intact epidermis is critical to defense against entry of pathogens into the skin. Macroscopic examination of scale loss is the principal method of evaluating physical damage to juvenile salmonids out-migrating through hydroelectric dams in the Snake and Columbia Rivers, and in fish subjected to capture and handling procedures in locations such as hatcheries, fish bypass...
Histopathology of Selected Parasitic Salmonid Diseases: A Color Atlas
A collection of 77 photomicrographs compiled by the late William T. Yasutake, USGS Western Fisheries Research Center, Scientist Emeritus. Individual plates may be downloaded below.
Taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon
Connie McKibben and Carla Conway (USGS) taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon for detection and quantification of Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) in the fish, while Joy Evered observes. Dr. Evered is a USFWS Veterinary Medical Officer and the USFWS Project Officer for this research project.
Connie McKibben and Carla Conway (USGS) taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon for detection and quantification of Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) in the fish, while Joy Evered observes. Dr. Evered is a USFWS Veterinary Medical Officer and the USFWS Project Officer for this research project.
Recording data for female spring Chinook salmon
Dr. Wendy Olson, USFWS biologist (orange rain pants) records data for female spring Chinook salmon being spawned at the hatchery. Among the data recorded are fin clips designating treatment groups for the research project (erythromycin treatment, tulathromycin treatment, or no treatment).
Dr. Wendy Olson, USFWS biologist (orange rain pants) records data for female spring Chinook salmon being spawned at the hatchery. Among the data recorded are fin clips designating treatment groups for the research project (erythromycin treatment, tulathromycin treatment, or no treatment).
Figure 1. Appearance of Descaling Site Exposed to Fast Green FCF Dye
Figure 1. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye six hours after intentional descaling injury, showing loss of scales and presence of fast green staining. Areas of unintentional integumental injury are also stained (arrows).
Related image Figure 2.
Figure 1. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye six hours after intentional descaling injury, showing loss of scales and presence of fast green staining. Areas of unintentional integumental injury are also stained (arrows).
Related image Figure 2.
Figure 2. Scanning Electron Micrograph of Descaling Area
Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 1 showing epidermal disruption, empty scale pockets and an exposed scale with visible concentric ridges (upper right). Scale bar = 500 µm.
Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 1 showing epidermal disruption, empty scale pockets and an exposed scale with visible concentric ridges (upper right). Scale bar = 500 µm.
Figure 3. Appearance of Descaling Site Exposed to Fast Green FCF Dye
Figure 3. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye 96 hours after intentional descaling injury, showing lack of scales, presence of fast green staining in areas of epidermal disruption and absence of staining in areas where migrating epidermal cells have closed the wound.
Figure 3. Appearance of descaling site exposed to fast green FCF dye 96 hours after intentional descaling injury, showing lack of scales, presence of fast green staining in areas of epidermal disruption and absence of staining in areas where migrating epidermal cells have closed the wound.
Figure 4. Scanning Electron Micrograph of Descaling Area
Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 3 showing epidermal disruption (arrows), empty scale pockets and restoration of epidermal integrity (asterisk). An exposed scale with visible concentric ridges is visible at the lower center. Scale bar = 500 µm.
Figure 4. Scanning electron micrograph of descaling area delimited by box in Figure 3 showing epidermal disruption (arrows), empty scale pockets and restoration of epidermal integrity (asterisk). An exposed scale with visible concentric ridges is visible at the lower center. Scale bar = 500 µm.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government