Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Ellie M. Dalsky

Ellie Dalsky is a Biological Science Technician at the Western Fisheries Research Center in the Fish Health section.

Ellie is a laboratory technician in John Hansen’s lab researching the effects of 6PPD-quinone and other stormwater contaminants on salmonids. Her work involves determining lethal concentrations and sublethal effects of chemicals in vivo, as well as using salmonid cell lines as an in vitro model for chemical toxicity screening.

Professional Experience

  • 2020 to Present - Biological Science Technician, USGS, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA

  • 2018-2020: Fish Hatchery Specialist, University of Washington, Department of Biological Structure, Seattle, WA

  • 2018-2019: Marine Technologist, University of Washington, Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, Seattle, WA

Education and Certifications

  • B.S. 2018. Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Honors and Awards

  • Special Thanks for Achieving Results (STAR) Award, U.S. Geological Survey, April 2024

  • Special Thanks for Achieving Results (STAR) Award, U.S. Geological Survey, January 2024

Science and Products

Tire-derived transformation product 6PPD-quinone induces mortality and transcriptionally disrupts vascular permeability pathways in developing coho salmon Tire-derived transformation product 6PPD-quinone induces mortality and transcriptionally disrupts vascular permeability pathways in developing coho salmon

Urban stormwater runoff frequently contains the car tire transformation product 6PPD-quinone, which is highly toxic to juvenile and adult coho salmon (Onchorychus kisutch). However, it is currently unclear if embryonic stages are impacted. We addressed this by exposing developing coho salmon embryos starting at the eyed stage to three concentrations of 6PPD-quinone twice weekly until...
Authors
Justin Blaine Greer, Ellie Maureen Dalsky, Rachael F. Lane, John Hansen
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Kansas Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Establishing an in vitro model to assess the toxicity of 6PPD-quinone and other tire wear transformation products Establishing an in vitro model to assess the toxicity of 6PPD-quinone and other tire wear transformation products

The tire wear transformation product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ) has been implicated as the causative factor for broad scale mortality events for coho salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Highly variable sensitivity to 6PPDQ in closely related salmonids complicates efforts to evaluate the broader toxicological impacts to aquatic ecosystems. Our goals were to (1) validate the large range of in vivo...
Authors
Justin Blaine Greer, Ellie Maureen Dalsky, Rachael F. Lane, John Hansen
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Kansas Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Disruption of the Francisella noatunensis orientalis pdpA gene results in virulence attenuation and protection in zebrafish Disruption of the Francisella noatunensis orientalis pdpA gene results in virulence attenuation and protection in zebrafish

Several Francisella spp. including F. noatunensis are regarded as important emerging pathogens of wild and farmed fish. However, very few studies have investigated the virulence factors that allow these bacterial species to be pathogenic in fish. The Francisella Pathogenicity Island (FPI) is a well-described, gene-dense region encoding major virulence factors for the genus Francisella...
Authors
John Hansen, Karina Ray, Po-Jui Chen, Susan Yun, Diane G. Elliott, Carla M. Conway, Michael Culcutt, Maureen K. Purcell, Timothy J Welch, John Patrick Bellah, Ellie Maureen Dalsky, Justin Blaine Greer, Esteban Soto
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Non-USGS Publications**

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Evaluation of Lethal and Sublethal Effects of 6PPDQ on Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) (ver. 2.0, March 2025) Evaluation of Lethal and Sublethal Effects of 6PPDQ on Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) (ver. 2.0, March 2025)

6PPD-Quinone (6PPDQ) was recently implicated in mass pre-spawn mortality events in adult coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Pacific Northwest. Since then, studies have reported highly variable toxicity among fish species, including within the salmonids. This dataset explores the sensitivity of coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) at three life stages: alevin, 5...
By
Western Fisheries Research Center

Mortality, morphology, and water chemistry for 6PPD-quinone exposed coho embryos Mortality, morphology, and water chemistry for 6PPD-quinone exposed coho embryos

Understanding evolutionary processes that drive population dynamics is critical in ecology. Measuring the performance-density relationship in long-lived mammalian species demands long-term data, limiting the ability to observe such mechanisms. We tested density-dependent (intrinsic) and density-independent (extrinsic) drivers of body composition of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the...
By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Assessing cell line models for species differences in 6PPD-quinone sensitivity Assessing cell line models for species differences in 6PPD-quinone sensitivity

Coho salmon have been shown to be highly sensitive to the tire transformation chemical 6PPD-quinone, with concentrations contained in stormwater sufficient to induce mortality in up to 90% of the entire fall coho run. Other salmonid species (chinook, sockeye, chum) are much less sensitive to 6PPD-quinone induced mortality. This data examines the varying species sensitivities across...
By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
smiling girl with long hair with background of lake and mountains
Ellie Dalsky
Ellie Dalsky
smiling girl with long hair with background of lake and mountains

Ellie Dalsky

Ellie Dalsky

This is a photo of Ellie Dalsky, a biological technician at the Western Fisheries Research Center.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center
smiling girl with long hair with background of lake and mountains

Ellie Dalsky

Ellie Dalsky

This is a photo of Ellie Dalsky, a biological technician at the Western Fisheries Research Center.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center

Science and Products

Tire-derived transformation product 6PPD-quinone induces mortality and transcriptionally disrupts vascular permeability pathways in developing coho salmon Tire-derived transformation product 6PPD-quinone induces mortality and transcriptionally disrupts vascular permeability pathways in developing coho salmon

Urban stormwater runoff frequently contains the car tire transformation product 6PPD-quinone, which is highly toxic to juvenile and adult coho salmon (Onchorychus kisutch). However, it is currently unclear if embryonic stages are impacted. We addressed this by exposing developing coho salmon embryos starting at the eyed stage to three concentrations of 6PPD-quinone twice weekly until...
Authors
Justin Blaine Greer, Ellie Maureen Dalsky, Rachael F. Lane, John Hansen
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Kansas Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Establishing an in vitro model to assess the toxicity of 6PPD-quinone and other tire wear transformation products Establishing an in vitro model to assess the toxicity of 6PPD-quinone and other tire wear transformation products

The tire wear transformation product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ) has been implicated as the causative factor for broad scale mortality events for coho salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Highly variable sensitivity to 6PPDQ in closely related salmonids complicates efforts to evaluate the broader toxicological impacts to aquatic ecosystems. Our goals were to (1) validate the large range of in vivo...
Authors
Justin Blaine Greer, Ellie Maureen Dalsky, Rachael F. Lane, John Hansen
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Kansas Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Disruption of the Francisella noatunensis orientalis pdpA gene results in virulence attenuation and protection in zebrafish Disruption of the Francisella noatunensis orientalis pdpA gene results in virulence attenuation and protection in zebrafish

Several Francisella spp. including F. noatunensis are regarded as important emerging pathogens of wild and farmed fish. However, very few studies have investigated the virulence factors that allow these bacterial species to be pathogenic in fish. The Francisella Pathogenicity Island (FPI) is a well-described, gene-dense region encoding major virulence factors for the genus Francisella...
Authors
John Hansen, Karina Ray, Po-Jui Chen, Susan Yun, Diane G. Elliott, Carla M. Conway, Michael Culcutt, Maureen K. Purcell, Timothy J Welch, John Patrick Bellah, Ellie Maureen Dalsky, Justin Blaine Greer, Esteban Soto
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Non-USGS Publications**

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Evaluation of Lethal and Sublethal Effects of 6PPDQ on Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) (ver. 2.0, March 2025) Evaluation of Lethal and Sublethal Effects of 6PPDQ on Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) (ver. 2.0, March 2025)

6PPD-Quinone (6PPDQ) was recently implicated in mass pre-spawn mortality events in adult coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Pacific Northwest. Since then, studies have reported highly variable toxicity among fish species, including within the salmonids. This dataset explores the sensitivity of coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) at three life stages: alevin, 5...
By
Western Fisheries Research Center

Mortality, morphology, and water chemistry for 6PPD-quinone exposed coho embryos Mortality, morphology, and water chemistry for 6PPD-quinone exposed coho embryos

Understanding evolutionary processes that drive population dynamics is critical in ecology. Measuring the performance-density relationship in long-lived mammalian species demands long-term data, limiting the ability to observe such mechanisms. We tested density-dependent (intrinsic) and density-independent (extrinsic) drivers of body composition of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the...
By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Assessing cell line models for species differences in 6PPD-quinone sensitivity Assessing cell line models for species differences in 6PPD-quinone sensitivity

Coho salmon have been shown to be highly sensitive to the tire transformation chemical 6PPD-quinone, with concentrations contained in stormwater sufficient to induce mortality in up to 90% of the entire fall coho run. Other salmonid species (chinook, sockeye, chum) are much less sensitive to 6PPD-quinone induced mortality. This data examines the varying species sensitivities across...
By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
smiling girl with long hair with background of lake and mountains
Ellie Dalsky
Ellie Dalsky
smiling girl with long hair with background of lake and mountains

Ellie Dalsky

Ellie Dalsky

This is a photo of Ellie Dalsky, a biological technician at the Western Fisheries Research Center.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center
smiling girl with long hair with background of lake and mountains

Ellie Dalsky

Ellie Dalsky

This is a photo of Ellie Dalsky, a biological technician at the Western Fisheries Research Center.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center
Was this page helpful?