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Vicki S. Blazer, PhD

Vicki startted with the National Fish Health Research Laboratory, Leetown Science Center (now the Eastern Ecological Science Center - Leetown Research Laboratory), Kearneysville, WV in1992. She was previously employed as the Assistant Leader of the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. She was also on the graduate faculty in the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia. 


She is active in numerous research projects within the Northeast as well as nationally and internationally. She is active in the American Fisheries Society Fish Health Section and a member of other scientific societies. She is an adjunct faculty member at West Virginia University and Penn State and serves on graduate student committees. Research areas include development of microscopic and molecular markers for understanding changes in the health and populations of wild fishes. Areas of focus include endocrine disruption, emerging diseases, fish tumor pathology and assessment at Great Lakes Areas of Concern, land use influences on fish health, reproduction and immunomodulation. 

Professional Experience

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia

  • Assistant Leader, Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia

  • Research Fishery Biologist, Leetown Science Center

Education and Certifications

  • B.S. in Marine Science and Biology Southampton College, Long Island University.

  • PhD in Fisheries, Aquaculture and Pathology, Rhode Island University

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Adjunct Professor, West Virginia University

  • Adjunct Professor, Penn State University

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 22
A technician deploying a passive sampler in a tributary of the Shenandoah River, Virginia

Biological Activity of Steroid Hormones in U.S. Streams

Testing of U.S. streams has detected glucocorticoid and androgen biological activity. In a collaborative study between the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and others, scientists studied the potential for the biological activity in streams of glucocorticoids and androgens hormones—both potential endocrine...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
Biological Activity of Steroid Hormones in U.S. Streams

Biological Activity of Steroid Hormones in U.S. Streams

Testing of U.S. streams has detected glucocorticoid and androgen biological activity. In a collaborative study between the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and others, scientists studied the potential for the biological activity in streams of glucocorticoids and androgens hormones—both potential endocrine...
Learn More
Image thumbnail of FS2013-3055

USGS Works with Partners to Study and Summarize Health of Yellow Perch

The USGS works with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to summarize the effects of suburban lands and contaminants on the health of yellow perch in the Chesapeake Bay.
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
USGS Works with Partners to Study and Summarize Health of Yellow Perch

USGS Works with Partners to Study and Summarize Health of Yellow Perch

The USGS works with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to summarize the effects of suburban lands and contaminants on the health of yellow perch in the Chesapeake Bay.
Learn More
Figure 3. Microscopic observations in tissues of fishes collected from the Chesapeake Bay

Skin Lesions and Mortality of Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its watershed have been degraded, however, by poor water quality, loss of habitat, and overharvesting. The Chesapeake Bay Program, a cooperative program among several Federal and State agencies, is working to restore fish and wildlife in the bay watershed and the...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Chesapeake Bay Activities
Skin Lesions and Mortality of Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Skin Lesions and Mortality of Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its watershed have been degraded, however, by poor water quality, loss of habitat, and overharvesting. The Chesapeake Bay Program, a cooperative program among several Federal and State agencies, is working to restore fish and wildlife in the bay watershed and the...
Learn More
SS1-Figure 1 Microscopic Appearance

Science Summary—Indicators of Reproductive Endocrine Disruption in Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its tributaries have been degraded in recent decades, however, as a result of excessive inputs of nutrients and sediment and by the impacts of toxic contaminants on the health of fish and wildlife. Although a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) has been established to...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Chesapeake Bay Activities
Science Summary—Indicators of Reproductive Endocrine Disruption in Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Science Summary—Indicators of Reproductive Endocrine Disruption in Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its tributaries have been degraded in recent decades, however, as a result of excessive inputs of nutrients and sediment and by the impacts of toxic contaminants on the health of fish and wildlife. Although a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) has been established to...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 19

Estrogen Equivalents of Surface Water in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2008 - 2011) Estrogen Equivalents of Surface Water in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2008 - 2011)

Intersex in small- and largemouth bass has been observed in the upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed since 2003. This observation is indicative of exposure to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals. In order to complement biological data sets and better identify the spatial and temporal nature of this end-point, discrete grab water samples were collected throughout the upper Chesapeake Bay...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Land Management Research Program, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 197

A case study: Temporal trends of environmental stressors and reproductive health of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from a site in the Potomac River Watershed, Maryland, USA A case study: Temporal trends of environmental stressors and reproductive health of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from a site in the Potomac River Watershed, Maryland, USA

Decades of poor reproductive success and young-of-the-year survival, combined with adult mortality events, have led to a decline in the smallmouth bass (SMB; Micropterus dolomieu) population in sections of the Potomac River. Previous studies have identified numerous biologic and environmental stressors associated with negative effects on SMB health. To better understand the impact of...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Stephanie E. Gordon, Adam J. Sperry, Michael Kashiwagi, John E. Mullican, Vicki S. Blazer
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Potential health effects of contaminant mixtures from point and nonpoint sources on fish and frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands Potential health effects of contaminant mixtures from point and nonpoint sources on fish and frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands

Aquatic ecosystems convey complex contaminant mixtures from anthropogenic pollution on a global scale. Point (e.g., municipal wastewater) and nonpoint sources (e.g., stormwater runoff) are both drivers of contaminant mixtures in aquatic habitats. The objectives of this study were to identify the contaminant mixtures present in surface waters impacted by both point and nonpoint sources...
Authors
Sara E. Breitmeyer, Heather L. Walsh, Vicki S. Blazer, John F. Bunnell, Patrick M. Burritt, Jeff Dragon, Michelle L. Hladik, Paul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center, California Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

Draft genome sequence of a novel calicivirus from a brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec Draft genome sequence of a novel calicivirus from a brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec

We report a draft genome sequence of a previously undescribed calicivirus from a single brown bullhead inhabiting Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec. The genome is 7,413 nucleotides long and is most similar to the Atlantic salmon calicivirus (nucleotide identity; 64.7%).
Authors
Luke R. Iwanowicz, Vicki S. Blazer, Tom Jones, Matthew Bodnar, Korin Ekholm, Julie Dragon, Peter Emmerson
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Temporal trends in macroscopic indicators of fish health in the South Branch of the Potomac River Temporal trends in macroscopic indicators of fish health in the South Branch of the Potomac River

Over recent decades, the South Branch of the Potomac River, WV, has experienced fish kills and episodes of suppressed health in adult fishes that have spanned small stretches to nearly 120 km of contiguous habitat. Although factors such as endocrine disruption, chemical contaminants, and infectious agents have been detected, no single causal mechanism has been identified. To gain...
Authors
Brandon J. Keplinger, James Hedrick, Vicki S. Blazer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Reproductive health and endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Lake Erie drainage, Pennsylvania, USA Reproductive health and endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Lake Erie drainage, Pennsylvania, USA

Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu were sampled from three sites within the Lake Erie drainage (Elk Creek, Twentymile Creek, and Misery Bay, an embayment in Presque Isle Bay). Plasma, tissues for histopathological analyses, and liver and testes preserved in RNALater® were sampled from 30 smallmouth bass (of both sexes) at each site. Liver and testes samples were analyzed for transcript...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Sean D. Rafferty, Stephanie E. Gordon, Vicki S. Blazer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Development of a multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization assay to identify coinfections in young-of-the-year smallmouth bass Development of a multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization assay to identify coinfections in young-of-the-year smallmouth bass

Histopathological assessments of young-of-the-year (age-0) Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu in the Susquehanna River drainage identified a high prevalence of the myxozoan Myxobolus inornatus. This myxozoan infects the connective tissue of the muscle below the skin but is sometimes observed in the esophagus and buccal cavity. In some instances, shallow infections cause breaks in the...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Vicki S. Blazer, Patricia M. Mazik
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Filter Total Items: 13

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 22
A technician deploying a passive sampler in a tributary of the Shenandoah River, Virginia

Biological Activity of Steroid Hormones in U.S. Streams

Testing of U.S. streams has detected glucocorticoid and androgen biological activity. In a collaborative study between the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and others, scientists studied the potential for the biological activity in streams of glucocorticoids and androgens hormones—both potential endocrine...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
Biological Activity of Steroid Hormones in U.S. Streams

Biological Activity of Steroid Hormones in U.S. Streams

Testing of U.S. streams has detected glucocorticoid and androgen biological activity. In a collaborative study between the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and others, scientists studied the potential for the biological activity in streams of glucocorticoids and androgens hormones—both potential endocrine...
Learn More
Image thumbnail of FS2013-3055

USGS Works with Partners to Study and Summarize Health of Yellow Perch

The USGS works with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to summarize the effects of suburban lands and contaminants on the health of yellow perch in the Chesapeake Bay.
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
USGS Works with Partners to Study and Summarize Health of Yellow Perch

USGS Works with Partners to Study and Summarize Health of Yellow Perch

The USGS works with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to summarize the effects of suburban lands and contaminants on the health of yellow perch in the Chesapeake Bay.
Learn More
Figure 3. Microscopic observations in tissues of fishes collected from the Chesapeake Bay

Skin Lesions and Mortality of Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its watershed have been degraded, however, by poor water quality, loss of habitat, and overharvesting. The Chesapeake Bay Program, a cooperative program among several Federal and State agencies, is working to restore fish and wildlife in the bay watershed and the...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Chesapeake Bay Activities
Skin Lesions and Mortality of Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Skin Lesions and Mortality of Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its watershed have been degraded, however, by poor water quality, loss of habitat, and overharvesting. The Chesapeake Bay Program, a cooperative program among several Federal and State agencies, is working to restore fish and wildlife in the bay watershed and the...
Learn More
SS1-Figure 1 Microscopic Appearance

Science Summary—Indicators of Reproductive Endocrine Disruption in Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its tributaries have been degraded in recent decades, however, as a result of excessive inputs of nutrients and sediment and by the impacts of toxic contaminants on the health of fish and wildlife. Although a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) has been established to...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Chesapeake Bay Activities
Science Summary—Indicators of Reproductive Endocrine Disruption in Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Science Summary—Indicators of Reproductive Endocrine Disruption in Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

As the largest and most productive estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its tributaries have been degraded in recent decades, however, as a result of excessive inputs of nutrients and sediment and by the impacts of toxic contaminants on the health of fish and wildlife. Although a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) has been established to...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 19

Estrogen Equivalents of Surface Water in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2008 - 2011) Estrogen Equivalents of Surface Water in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2008 - 2011)

Intersex in small- and largemouth bass has been observed in the upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed since 2003. This observation is indicative of exposure to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals. In order to complement biological data sets and better identify the spatial and temporal nature of this end-point, discrete grab water samples were collected throughout the upper Chesapeake Bay...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Land Management Research Program, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 197

A case study: Temporal trends of environmental stressors and reproductive health of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from a site in the Potomac River Watershed, Maryland, USA A case study: Temporal trends of environmental stressors and reproductive health of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from a site in the Potomac River Watershed, Maryland, USA

Decades of poor reproductive success and young-of-the-year survival, combined with adult mortality events, have led to a decline in the smallmouth bass (SMB; Micropterus dolomieu) population in sections of the Potomac River. Previous studies have identified numerous biologic and environmental stressors associated with negative effects on SMB health. To better understand the impact of...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Stephanie E. Gordon, Adam J. Sperry, Michael Kashiwagi, John E. Mullican, Vicki S. Blazer
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Potential health effects of contaminant mixtures from point and nonpoint sources on fish and frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands Potential health effects of contaminant mixtures from point and nonpoint sources on fish and frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands

Aquatic ecosystems convey complex contaminant mixtures from anthropogenic pollution on a global scale. Point (e.g., municipal wastewater) and nonpoint sources (e.g., stormwater runoff) are both drivers of contaminant mixtures in aquatic habitats. The objectives of this study were to identify the contaminant mixtures present in surface waters impacted by both point and nonpoint sources...
Authors
Sara E. Breitmeyer, Heather L. Walsh, Vicki S. Blazer, John F. Bunnell, Patrick M. Burritt, Jeff Dragon, Michelle L. Hladik, Paul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center, California Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

Draft genome sequence of a novel calicivirus from a brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec Draft genome sequence of a novel calicivirus from a brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec

We report a draft genome sequence of a previously undescribed calicivirus from a single brown bullhead inhabiting Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec. The genome is 7,413 nucleotides long and is most similar to the Atlantic salmon calicivirus (nucleotide identity; 64.7%).
Authors
Luke R. Iwanowicz, Vicki S. Blazer, Tom Jones, Matthew Bodnar, Korin Ekholm, Julie Dragon, Peter Emmerson
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Temporal trends in macroscopic indicators of fish health in the South Branch of the Potomac River Temporal trends in macroscopic indicators of fish health in the South Branch of the Potomac River

Over recent decades, the South Branch of the Potomac River, WV, has experienced fish kills and episodes of suppressed health in adult fishes that have spanned small stretches to nearly 120 km of contiguous habitat. Although factors such as endocrine disruption, chemical contaminants, and infectious agents have been detected, no single causal mechanism has been identified. To gain...
Authors
Brandon J. Keplinger, James Hedrick, Vicki S. Blazer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Reproductive health and endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Lake Erie drainage, Pennsylvania, USA Reproductive health and endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Lake Erie drainage, Pennsylvania, USA

Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu were sampled from three sites within the Lake Erie drainage (Elk Creek, Twentymile Creek, and Misery Bay, an embayment in Presque Isle Bay). Plasma, tissues for histopathological analyses, and liver and testes preserved in RNALater® were sampled from 30 smallmouth bass (of both sexes) at each site. Liver and testes samples were analyzed for transcript...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Sean D. Rafferty, Stephanie E. Gordon, Vicki S. Blazer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Development of a multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization assay to identify coinfections in young-of-the-year smallmouth bass Development of a multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization assay to identify coinfections in young-of-the-year smallmouth bass

Histopathological assessments of young-of-the-year (age-0) Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu in the Susquehanna River drainage identified a high prevalence of the myxozoan Myxobolus inornatus. This myxozoan infects the connective tissue of the muscle below the skin but is sometimes observed in the esophagus and buccal cavity. In some instances, shallow infections cause breaks in the...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Vicki S. Blazer, Patricia M. Mazik
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Filter Total Items: 13

*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

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