Vicki S. Blazer
Vicki started 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, teac
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
Description of two new gill myxozoans from smallmouth (Micropterus dolomieu) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Reproductive endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Potomac River basin: spatial and temporal comparisons of biological effects
Histologic, immunologic and endocrine biomarkers indicate contaminant effects in fishes of the Ashtabula River
On the need for a national (US) research program to elucidate the potential risks to human health and the environment posed by contaminants of emerging concern
An overview of estrogen-associated endocrine disruption in fishes: Evidence of effects on reproductive and immune physiology
Endocrine active chemicals and endocrine disruption in Minnesota streams and lakes: Implications for aquatic resources, 1994-2008
Mortality of centrarchid fishes in the Potomac drainage: Survey results and overview of potential contributing factors
Steroid determination in fish plasma using capillary electrophoresis
Antidepressant pharmaceuticals in two U.S. effluent-impacted streams: Occurrence and fate in water and sediment and selective uptake in fish neural tissue
Author's response to "If poultry's to blame, Where's the proof?"
Aroclor 1248 exposure leads to immunomodulation, decreased disease resistance and endocrine disruption in the brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus
Assessment of the "fish tumors or other deformities" beneficial use impairment in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus): II. Liver neoplasia
Science and Products
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Description of two new gill myxozoans from smallmouth (Micropterus dolomieu) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Two previously undescribed species of myxozoan parasites were observed in the gills of bass inhabiting the Potomac and James River basins. They are described using morphological characteristics and small-subunit (SSU) rDNA gene sequences. Both were taxonomically identified as new species of Myxobolus; Myxobolus branchiarum n. sp. was found exclusively in smallmouth bass, and Myxobolus micropteriiAuthorsHeather L. Walsh, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Gavin W. Glenney, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Vicki BlazerReproductive endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Potomac River basin: spatial and temporal comparisons of biological effects
A high prevalence of intersex or testicular oocytes (TO) in male smallmouth bass within the Potomac River drainage has raised concerns as to the health of the river. Studies were conducted to document biomarker responses both temporally and spatially to better understand the influence of normal physiological cycles, as well as water quality and land-use influences. Smallmouth bass were collected oAuthorsVicki Blazer, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Holly Henderson, Patricia M. Mazik, Jill A. Jenkins, David A. Alvarez, John A. YoungHistologic, immunologic and endocrine biomarkers indicate contaminant effects in fishes of the Ashtabula River
The use of fish as sentinels of aquatic ecosystem health is a biologically relevant approach to environmental monitoring and assessment. We examined the health of the Ashtabula River using histologic, immunologic, and endocrine biomarkers in brown bullhead (BB; Ameiurus nebulosus) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and compared fish collected from a reference site (Conneaut Creek). SeasonAuthorsL. R. Iwanowicz, V. S. Blazer, N.P. Hitt, S. D. McCormick, D.S. Devault, C. A. OttingerOn the need for a national (US) research program to elucidate the potential risks to human health and the environment posed by contaminants of emerging concern
No abstract available.AuthorsP.J. Novak, William A. Arnold, V. S. Blazer, R.U. Halden, R.D. Klaper, D.W. Kolpin, D. Kriebel, N.G. Love, D. Martinovic-Weigelt, H.B. Patisaul, S.A. Snyder, F. S. vom Saal, A.V. WeisbrodAn overview of estrogen-associated endocrine disruption in fishes: Evidence of effects on reproductive and immune physiology
Simply and perhaps intuitively defined, endocrine disruption is the abnormal modulation of normal hormonal physiology by exogenous chemicals. In fish, endocrine disruption of the reproductive system has been observed worldwide in numerous species and is known to affect both males and females. Observations of biologically relevant endocrine disruption most commonly occurs near waste water treatmentAuthorsLuke R. Iwanowicz, Vicki S. BlazerEndocrine active chemicals and endocrine disruption in Minnesota streams and lakes: Implications for aquatic resources, 1994-2008
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with St. Cloud State University, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, and the University of Minnesota, has conducted field monitoring studies and laboratory research to determine the presence of endocrine active chemicals and the incidencAuthorsKathy Lee, Heiko L. Schoenfuss, Larry B. Barber, Jeff H. Writer, Vicki Blazer, Richard L. Keisling, Mark L. FerreyMortality of centrarchid fishes in the Potomac drainage: Survey results and overview of potential contributing factors
Skin lesions and spring mortality events of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu and selected other species were first noted in the South Branch of the Potomac River in 2002. Since that year morbidity and mortality have also been observed in the Shenandoah and Monocacy rivers. Despite much research, no single pathogen, parasite, or chemical cause for the lesions and mortality has been identified.AuthorsVicki Blazer, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Clifford E. Starliper, Steven D. Zaugg, Mark R. Burkhardt, P. Barbash, J.D. Hedrick, S.J. Reeser, J.E. Mullican, J. KelbleSteroid determination in fish plasma using capillary electrophoresis
A capillary separation method that incorporates pH-mediated stacking is employed for the simultaneous determination of circulating steroid hormones in plasma from Perca flavescens (yellow perch) collected from natural aquatic environments. The method can be applied to separate eight steroid standards: progesterone, 17α,20β-dihydroxypregn-4-en-3-one, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, estrone,AuthorsL. Bykova, S. A. Archer-Hartmann, L.A. Holland, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Vicki S. BlazerAntidepressant pharmaceuticals in two U.S. effluent-impacted streams: Occurrence and fate in water and sediment and selective uptake in fish neural tissue
Antidepressant pharmaceuticals are widely prescribed in the United States; release of municipal wastewater effluent is a primary route introducing them to aquatic environments, where little is known about their distribution and fate. Water, bed sediment, and brain tissue from native white suckers (Catostomus commersoni)were collected upstream and atpoints progressively downstream from outfalls disAuthorsM.M. Schultz, Edward T. Furlong, Dana W. Kolpin, Stephen L. Werner, H.L. Schoenfuss, Larry B. Barber, Vicki S. Blazer, D.O. Norris, A.M. VajdaAuthor's response to "If poultry's to blame, Where's the proof?"
No abstract available.AuthorsJ.L. Ripley, C. Foran, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Vicki S. BlazerAroclor 1248 exposure leads to immunomodulation, decreased disease resistance and endocrine disruption in the brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus
The brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus is a species of the family Ictaluridae commonly used as a sentinel of environmental contamination. While these fish have been utilized for this purpose in areas contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), few controlled, laboratory-based studies have been designed to document the effects of PCB mixtures in this species. Here, brown bullhead were exposeAuthorsL. R. Iwanowicz, V. S. Blazer, S. D. McCormick, P.A. Van Veld, C. A. OttingerAssessment of the "fish tumors or other deformities" beneficial use impairment in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus): II. Liver neoplasia
Liver pathology of fishes, including neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions, is widely used as an indicator of exposure to anthropogenic contaminants. By definition, the "fish tumor or other deformities" beneficial use impairment (BUI) at Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC) includes neoplastic and preneoplastic liver lesions in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) or suckers. Unfortunately, adequate gAuthorsV. S. Blazer, S.D. Rafferty, P.C. Baumman, S.B. Smith, E.C. Obert - News
*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