This award supports a one-year Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Short-Term Postdoctoral Fellowship for Dr. Jason Sandahl. He will be collaborating with Professor Hiroshi Ueda at Hokkaido University in Japan. They will undertake a study on the functional labeling of olfactory receptor neurons. There are two main objectives of this research. The first is to further develop techniques that will visually label (and identify) stimulated olfactory neurons in salmon, including neurons of the olfactory epithelium (the nose), and the olfactory bulb and telencephalon (the forebrain). The second objective is to use these methods to identify the targets of three pesticides that are neurotoxic to the salmon olfactory system and are believed to affect specific regions of the olfactory pathway. The researchers will develop two labeling techniques. The first utilizes a compound called agmatine, which is a relatively small molecule that is able to permeate certain ion channels once they have been activated. This involves presenting the fish with an odorant (which activates the neurons) while simultaneously presenting the nose with agmatine. The second labeling technique was developed recently which utilizes a compound called FM1-43 in which the labeling is very rapid, and can be performed repeatedly in intact animals. They have chosen three model toxins to investigate, with each toxin believed to target a different region of the olfactory pathway. The toxins are Copper, Esfenvalerate and Chlorpyrifos.
The project brings together the efforts of two laboratories that have complementary expertise and research capabilities. The research is expected to further knowledge in both fish biology and environmental toxicology. The anticipated outcomes of this collaborative research include the development of functional labeling techniques in the salmon olfactory system and identification of targets within the olfactory system of three common toxins. This project will offer a good opportunity to join efforts between the two countries. Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of basic knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation. Results of the research will be disseminated at scientific meetings and in scientific journals.
