Stephen D McCormick
Steve McCormick is a Scientist Emeritus at the Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.
Steve’s work has centered on the environmental and hormonal control of water and salt balance, development, growth and reproduction of anadromous fishes, including salmon, trout, shad, alewife, sturgeon and lamprey. This research has addressed important environmental issues including acidification, impacts of dams, endocrine disruptors and climate change, especially the impacts of temperature and salinity. The results of this work have been published in more than 190 papers and book chapters. Steve has been Chair of the Division of Comparative Endocrinology and member of the Executive Board of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology, and President and Current Member of the Executive Committee of the Physiology Section of the American Fisheries Society (AFS). He has been a visiting scientist at the University of Goteborg (1988) and Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo (1990), James Chair Visiting Professor at St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia, Canada (1999) and Visiting Scholar at Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan (2002). In 2014 he received the Excellence in Fish Physiology Award for lifetime achievement from the Physiology Section of AFS. He has been an adjunct Professor of Biology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst since 1990 and Associate Editor of General and Comparative Endocrinology since 1996.
Professional Experience
1990-present Research Physiologist & Physiology Section Leader, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center, USGS, Turners Falls, MA.
2016-present Senior Scientist, USGS
1998-1999 Acting Director, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center, USGS, Biological Resources Division, Turners Falls, MA.
1989-1990 Research Fellow, Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo (with Professor Tetsuya Hirano, 4 months).
1986-1989 Postdoctoral Fellow (NIH) with Professor Howard A. Bern in the Department of Zoology, Univ. of California, Berkeley.
1983-1986 Postdoctoral Fellow, with Dr. Richard L. Saunders, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. Andrews Biological Station, New Brunswick, Canada.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., 1983, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanography Joint Program in Oceanography, Cambridge and Woods Hole, MA USA
Affiliations and Memberships*
1990-present, Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
1992-present, Adjunct Professor, Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
1993 Member, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Science and Products
Transcriptomic response to elevated water temperatures in adult migrating Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Effects of a temperature rise on melatonin and thyroid hormones during smoltification of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar
Evidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon
Cortisol regulates insulin-like growth-factor binding protein (igfbp) gene expression in Atlantic salmon parr
11‑Deoxycortisol controls hydromineral balance in the most basal osmoregulating vertebrate, sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exposed to different preparatory photoperiods during smoltification show varying responses in gill Na+/K+-ATPase, salinity-specific mRNA transcription and ionocyte differentiation
Food and temperature stressors have opposing effects in determining flexible migration decisions in brown trout (Salmo trutta )
How repeatable is CTmax within individual brook trout over short- and long-time intervals?
Osmoregulatory role of the intestine in the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Divergent genes encoding the putative receptors for growth hormone and prolactin in sea lamprey display distinct patterns of expression
Functional characterization and osmoregulatory role of the Na+/K+/2Cl--cotransporter (NKCC1) in the gill of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a basal vertebrate
Upper thermal tolerance and heat shock protein response of juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima)
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.
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Filter Total Items: 207
Transcriptomic response to elevated water temperatures in adult migrating Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) declines are widespread and may be attributed, at least in part, to warming river temperatures. Water temperatures in the Yukon River and tributaries often exceed 18°C, a threshold commonly associated with heat stress and elevated mortality in Pacific salmon. Untangling the complex web of direct and indirect physiological effects of heat stress on salmon iAuthorsLizabeth Bowen, Vanessa R. von Biela, Stephen D. McCormick, Amy M. Regish, Shannon C. Waters, Blythe Durbin-Johnson, Monica Britton, Matt Settles, Daniel S. Donnelly, Sarah M. Laske, Michael P. Carey, Randy J Brown, Christian E. ZimmermanEffects of a temperature rise on melatonin and thyroid hormones during smoltification of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar
Smoltification prepares juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) for downstream migration. Dramatic changes characterize this crucial event in the salmon’s life cycle, including increased gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity (NKA) and plasma hormone levels. The triggering of smoltification relies on photoperiod and is modulated by temperature. Both provide reliable information, to which fish have adapted forAuthorsLaura G Nisembaum, Patrick Martin, Michael Fuentes, Laurence Besseau, Eloise Magnanou, Stephen D. McCormick, Jack FalconEvidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon
Migrating adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are sensitive to warm water (>18 °C), with a range of consequences from decreased spawning success to early mortality. We examined the proportion of Yukon River Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) exhibiting evidence of heat stress to assess the potential that high temperatures contribute to freshwater adult mortality in a northern Pacific salmon popuAuthorsVanessa R. von Biela, Lizabeth Bowen, Stephen D. McCormick, Michael P. Carey, Daniel S. Donnelly, Shannon C. Waters, Amy M. Regish, Sarah M. Laske, Randy J Brown, Sean Larson, Stan Zuray, Christian E. ZimmermanCortisol regulates insulin-like growth-factor binding protein (igfbp) gene expression in Atlantic salmon parr
The growth hormone (Gh)/insulin-like growth-factor (Igf)/Igf binding protein (Igfbp) system regulates growth and osmoregulation in salmonid fishes, but how this system interacts with other endocrine systems is largely unknown. Given the well-documented consequences of mounting a glucocorticoid stress response on growth, we hypothesized that cortisol inhibits anabolic processes by modulating the exAuthorsJason P. Breves, R.H. Springer-Miller, D A Chenoweth, A L Paskavitz, A Y H Chang, Amy M. Regish, I E Einarsdottir, Bjorn Bjornsson, Stephen D. McCormick11‑Deoxycortisol controls hydromineral balance in the most basal osmoregulating vertebrate, sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
It is unknown whether and how osmoregulation is controlled by corticosteroid signaling in the phylogenetically basal vertebrate group Agnatha, including lampreys and hagfishes. It is known that a truncated steroid biosynthetic pathway in lampreys produces two predominant circulating corticosteroids, 11-deoxycortisol (S) and 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC). Furthermore, lampreys express only a single,AuthorsCiaran A. Shaughnessy, Andre Barany-Ruiz, Stephen D. McCormickAtlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exposed to different preparatory photoperiods during smoltification show varying responses in gill Na+/K+-ATPase, salinity-specific mRNA transcription and ionocyte differentiation
Control of the parr-smolt transformation (or smoltification) is crucial for the husbandry and successful seawater (SW) transfer of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) reared in freshwater (FW) hatcheries. Photoperiod is an important environmental signal that initiates the complex physiological, morphological and behavioural changes that coincide with marine migration. While the use of long-day photoperiAuthorsChristian A. van Rijn, Paul L. Jones, Aaron G. Schultz, Brad S. Evans, Stephen D. McCormick, Luis O.B. AfonsoFood and temperature stressors have opposing effects in determining flexible migration decisions in brown trout (Salmo trutta )
With rapid global change, organisms in natural systems are exposed to a multitude of stressors that likely co‐occur, with uncertain impacts. We explored individual and cumulative effects of co‐occurring environmental stressors on the striking, yet poorly understood, phenomenon of facultative migration. We reared offspring of a brown trout population that naturally demonstrates facultative anadromyAuthorsLouise C Archer, Stephen A. Hutton, Luke Harman, Stephen D. McCormick, Michael N O'Grady, Joseph P. Kerry, W Russel Poole, Patrick Gargan, Philip McGinnity, Thomas E ReedHow repeatable is CTmax within individual brook trout over short- and long-time intervals?
As stream temperatures increase due to factors such as heated runoff from impervious surfaces, deforestation, and climate change, fish species adapted to cold water streams are forced to move to more suitable habitat, acclimate or adapt to increased thermal regimes, or die. To estimate the potential for adaptation, a (within individual) repeatable metric of thermal tolerance is imperative. CriticaAuthorsMatthew J. O'Donnell, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormick, Benjamin H. LetcherOsmoregulatory role of the intestine in the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Lampreys are the most basal vertebrates with an osmoregulatory strategy. Previous research has established that salinity tolerance of sea lamprey increases dramatically during metamorphosis, but underlying changes in the gut have not been examined. In the present work, we examined changes in intestinal function during metamorphosis and seawater exposure of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). FulAuthorsAndre Barany, Ciaran A Shaughnessy, Juan Fuentes, Juan M Mancera, Stephen D. McCormickDivergent genes encoding the putative receptors for growth hormone and prolactin in sea lamprey display distinct patterns of expression
Growth hormone receptor (GHR) and prolactin receptor (PRLR) in jawed vertebrates were thought to arise after the divergence of gnathostomes from a basal vertebrate. In this study we have identified two genes encoding putative GHR and PRLR in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) and Arctic lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum), extant members of one of the oldest vertebrate groups, agnathans. PhylogenetiAuthorsNingping Gong, Diogo Ferreira-Martins, Stephen D. McCormick, Mark SheridanFunctional characterization and osmoregulatory role of the Na+/K+/2Cl--cotransporter (NKCC1) in the gill of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a basal vertebrate
The present study provides molecular and functional characterization of Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter (nkcc1/NKCC1) in the gills of sea lamprey, the most basal extant vertebrate with an osmoregulatory strategy. We report the full-length peptide sequence for the lamprey NKCC1, which we show to group strongly with and occupy a basal position among other vertebrate NKCC1 sequences. Lamprey nkcc1 mRNA werAuthorsCiaran Alvar Seeland Shaughnessy, Stephen D. McCormickUpper thermal tolerance and heat shock protein response of juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima)
Juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima) experience a wide range of temperatures in rivers before migrating to the ocean. Temperatures in these freshwater environments can vary greatly spatially, seasonally, year-to-year, and can be impacted by anthropogenic factors such as power plant discharge or climate change. Currently, there is uncertainty concerning juvenile American shad thermal tolerancAuthorsShannon Michael Bayse, Ciaran A Shaughnessy, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormickNon-USGS Publications**
Yoshikawa, J.S.M., McCormick, S.D., Young, G. and Bern, H.A. 1993. Effects of salinity on chloride cell morphology and density, and Na+,K+-ATPase activity in the teleost Gillichthys mirabilis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 105: 311-317.McCormick, S.D., S. Hasegawa and T. Hirano. 1992. Calcium uptake in the skin of a fresh water teleost. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 89: 3635-3638.
McCormick, S.D., Tsai, P.I., Kelley, K.M., Nishioka, R.S. and Bern, H.A. 1992. Stimulation of coho salmon growth by insulin-like growth factor I. General and Comparative Endocrinology 86: 398-406.McCormick, S.D., Tsai, P.I., Kelley, K.M., Nishioka, R.S. and Bern, H.A. 1991. Hormonal control of sulfate uptake by branchial cartilage of coho salmon: role of IGF-I. Journal of Experimental Zoology 262: 166-171.Bern, H.A., McCormick, S.D., Kelley, K.M., Gray, E.S., Nishioka, R.S., Madsen, S.S. and Tsai, P.I. 1991. Insulin-like growth factors "under water": role in growth and function of fish and other poikilothermic vertebrates. In: Modern Concepts of Insulin-Like Growth Factors. Ed.: E.M. Spencer. Elsevier Press, New York. Pp. 85-96.McCormick, S.D., Dickhoff, W.W., Duston, J., Nishioka, R.S. and Bern, H.A. 1991. Developmental differences in the responsiveness of gill Na+,K+-ATPase to cortisol in salmonids. General and Comparative Endocrinology 84: 308-317.McCormick, S.D., T. Sakamoto, S. Hasegawa and T. Hirano. 1991. Osmoregulatory actions of insulin-like growth factor I in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Journal of Endocrinology 130: 87-92.Herndon, T., S.D. McCormick and H.A. Bern. 1991. Effects of prolactin on chloride cells in opercular membrane of seawater-adapted tilapia. General and Comparative Endocrinology 83: 283-289.McCormick, S.D. 1990. Cortisol directly stimulates differentiation of chloride cells in tilapia opercular membrane (Oreochromis mossambicus). American Journal Physiology 259: R857-R863.McCormick, S.D. 1990. Fluorescent labelling of Na+,K+-ATPase in intact cells using a fluorescent derivative of ouabain. Cell and Tissue Research 260: 529-533.McCormick, S.D. and R.L. Saunders. 1990. Influence of ration level and salinity on circulating levels of thyroid hormones in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). General and Comparative Endocrinology 78: 224-230.Montgomery, W.L., S.D. McCormick, R.J. Naiman, F.G. Whoriskey and G. Black. 1989. Migration and use of marine resources by brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the Moisie River, Quebec. Polish Archives of Hydrobiology 37: 43-61.McCormick, S.D., R.L. Saunders and A.D. MacIntyre. 1989. The effect of salinity and ration level on growth rate and conversion efficiency in Atlantic salmon smolts. Aquaculture 82: 173-180.McCormick S.D. and H.A. Bern. 1989. In vitro stimulation of Na+,K+-ATPase activity and ouabain binding by cortisol in coho salmon gill. American Journal Physiology 256: R707-R715.McCormick, S.D., C.D. Moyes and J.S. Ballantyne. 1989. Influence of salinity on the energetics of gill and kidney of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 6: 243-254.McCormick, S.D., R.L. Saunders and A.D. MacIntyre. 1989. Mitochondrial enzyme activity, and ion regulation during parr-smolt transformation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 6: 231-241Young, P.S., S.D. McCormick, J.R. Demarest, R.J. Lin, R.S. Nishioka, and H.A. Bern. 1988. Effects of salinity, hypophysectomy and prolactin on whole-animal transepithelial potential in the tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus. General and Comparative Endocrinology 71: 389-397.Wildish, D.J., D.D. Kristmanson, R.L. Hoar, A.M. DeCoste, S.D. McCormick and A.W. White. 1987. Giant scallop feeding and growth response to flow. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 113: 207-220.Naiman, R.J., S.D. McCormick, W.L. Montgomery and R. Morin. 1987. Anadromous brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis: opportunities and constraints for population enhancement. Marine Fisheries Review 49: 1-13.**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.
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*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