Fish Reproductive Physiology/

Marine Environmental Toxicology/Stressors

Peter Thomas, Ph.D.

University of Texas at Austin

Marine Science Institute

Port Aransas, TX  78373 

USA

peter.thomas@mail.utexas.edu

Brand new: 

Thomas, P., and M.S. Rahman. 2011. Extensive reproductive disruption, ovarian masculinization, and aromatase suppression in Atlantic croaker in the northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. Proceedings Royal Society B

Peyton, C., P. Thomas. 2011. Involvement of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in estrogen inhibition of oocyte maturation mediated through the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (Gper) in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Biology of Reproduction

Tubbs, C., W.Tan, B. Shi, P. Thomas. 2011. 17,20β,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20β-S) stimulation of sperm hypermotility and identification of 20β-S binding and membrane progestin receptor alpha on southern flounder sperm (Paralichthys lethostigma). General and Comparative Endocrinology

Rahman, M.S., Khan, I..A., Thomas P. 2011. Tryptophan hydroxylase: a target of neuroendocrine disruption. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B

Press Release:  Female Fish Develop "Testes" in Gulf Dead Zone  A low-oxygen "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico is causing sexual deformities in fish, a new study says.

Research Interests

My broad research interest is the endocrine control of reproduction in vertebrates with an emphasis on teleost fishes and how adverse environmental conditions such as hypoxia and toxic chemicals affect their endocrine and reproductive cycles. Research is conducted primarily on zebrafish and marine fishes such as Atlantic croaker and southern flounder at the Marine Science Institute at Port Aransas, Texas, and also in the northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. Current research includes the endocrine control of gamete maturation and the mechanisms of hypoxia disruption of reproduction, with an emphasis on the neuroendocrine system. A primary research focus is on rapid, nongenomic steroid actions mediated by novel membrane receptors which were first discovered by our research group in fish. Subsequently we identified these receptors in mammals and currently several projects are being conducted in human, rodent and cancer cell models on their characteristics and roles in human diseases such as infertility, cancer development, preterm birth and hypertension. such as infertility, cancer development, preterm birth and hypertension.