Programme
Woodstock 2012 will take place from the 23rd - 27th of June 2012.
Overview Programme
Arrival on 23rd with Plenary speaker
24th June – Full day science followed by evening plenary
25th June – Half day science followed by excursion
26th June – Full day science followed by conference dinner
27th June – departure in the morning to SEB Salzburg
Session 1: Ionic and acid-base regulation: Fundamental to applied aspects
In recent years, molecular biological techniques have greatly advanced our knowledge of the genes encoding the ion transporting proteins that are involved in osmoregulation in both freshwater and marine organisms. This knowledge coupled with modern microscopy techniques has enabled us to localize many of these genes and proteins to specific cells within the ion transporting epithelia. But, relating expression levels of these transporters to physiological responses and osmoregulatory strategies has proven to be a challenge. A comparative approach that aims to identify the mechanisms that enable organisms to live in very diverse ionic environments (e.g. the ion deficient water of the Amazon, the alkaline lakes of China and Malawi, the hypersaline environments in California, and the pressures generated in the deep sea) can shed light on the myriad of osmoregulatory strategies employed by fish. This theme will demonstrate the physiological significance of diversity in ion regulation. Thus, the selected speakers represent researchers working in diverse areas ranging from ionic transport in insect larvae to ionic and acid-base regulation by the intestinal epithelium of marine fish.
Invited speakers include: Scott Kelly (York University, Canada), Mike O’Donnell (McMaster University, Canada), Bill Marshall (St. Francis Xavier University, Canada), Martin Grosell (University of Miami, USA), Rod Wilson (Exeter University, UK), Steve Perry (University of Ottawa, Canada)
Session 2: Metals and toxicology
In 1993, Chris Wood and Gordon McDonald published a review article entitled “Branchial mechanisms of acclimation to metals in freshwater fish” (D.G. McDonald and C.M. Wood In: J.C. Rankin and F.B. Jensen, Editors, Fish Ecophysiology, Chapman and Hall, London (1993), pp. 297–321.). The mechanisms highlighted in this review demonstrate how organisms have evolved strategies to deal with waterborne toxicants. At the time the policy implications of this work were not highlighted, and this gap arises because the majority of regulations were, and still are, based on easily understood classical toxicity tests performed in the 70’s and 80’s. Recent studies by Chris Wood and others have clearly demonstrated that acclimation and adaptation processes are significant to understanding the ecological risk associated with pollutants. With a greater understanding and awareness of the mechanisms of low-dose toxicity, acclimation, and adaptation to toxicants comes an opportunity to re-evaluate the science behind setting some of these regulatory policies. The proposed program for Woodstock 2012 will feature the world’s leaders in fish physiological toxicology with the talks emphasizing the interaction between low levels of water-borne toxicants and fundamental physiological processes.
Invited speakers include: Nic Bury (King’s College London, United Kingdom), Christer Hogstrand (King’s College London, United Kingdom), Adalto Bianchini (University Rio Grande de Sol, Brazil), Greg Goss (University of Alberta, Canada), Deb MacLatchy (Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada), Gudrun DeBoeck (Antwerp University, Belgium), Céline Audet (Université du Québec à Rimouski, Canada)
Session 3: Feeding and nitrogen excretion
Chris Wood and his league of trainees and associates have led the field of piscine nitrogen excretion for several decades. Wood’s research has been pivotal in at least three areas; establishing urea excretion as a potential mechanisms for nitrogen elimination in highly alkaline waters, defining the relationships between Na+ uptake and ammonia excretion at the fish gill, and demonstrating a key role for rhesus glycoproteins in transbranchial ammonia excretion. Over the past few years, Wood and his students/collaborators have opened up yet another new field in fish physiology which is addressing the consequences of feeding and digestion on a battery of physiological functions including ionic and acid-base regulation. Thus, Theme 3 will be devoted to a series of talks that will review new developments in i) the regulation and consequences of feeding on fish physiology and ii) the endocrine and molecular control of ammonia and urea excretion at the fish gill.
Invited speakers include: Pat Wright (University of Guelph, Canada), Pat Walsh (University of Ottawa, Canada), Nick Bernier (University of Guelph, Canada), Danielle McDonald (University of Miami, USA), Craig Smith (University of Manchester, United Kingdom), Mike Wilkie (Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada)
Session 4: Gas transfer, metabolism and exercise
Chris Wood’s research on this theme typifies his approach to research in general. After establishing a framework of the multiple factors that might theoretically limit the capacity of a fish to exercise, he set out to tease away the various components including energy mobilization and fuel usage, blood oxygen transport, control of breathing and acid-base balance. This broad theme, which will have a full day a dedicated to it, will cover topics ranging from metabolic biochemistry to cardiovascular function and control of breathing in a variety of vertebrates including fish reptiles and birds.
Invited speakers include: Colin Brauner (UBC, Canada), Bill Milsom (UBC, Canada), Jeff Richards (UBC, Canada), Trish Schulte (UBC, Canada), Pat Butler (University of Birmingham, United Kingdom), Suzie Currie (Mount Allison University, Canada), Tobias Wang (Aarhus University, Denmark), Ted Taylor (University of Birmingham, United Kingdom), Holly Shiels (University of Manchester, United Kingdom), Tony Farrell (UBC, Canada), Frank Jensen (University of Southern Denmark, Denmark), Colin Nurse (McMaster University, Canada), Bernd Pelster (University of Innsbruck, Austria)