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Nielsen, Kristin
Yes

Kristin Nielsen

Assistant Professor
Department of Marine Science



kristin.nielsen@austin.utexas.edu

Phone: 907-538-1720

Office Location
S06

Postal Address
750 CHANNEL VIEW DR
PORT ARANSAS, TX 78373

Dr. Nielsen is an aquatic toxicologist with a research focus on the developmental toxicity of ubiquitous environmental contaminants to aquatic biota. She is particularly interested in heavy metal-induced developmental neurotoxicity in fish, the photo-enhanced toxicity of oil to a range of early life stage marine biota, and the effects of chronic exposure to globally prevalent pharmaceuticals on non-target aquatic organisms. Prior to accepting an Assistant Professorship with the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI), Dr. Nielsen worked as a human health and ecological risk assessor for Geosyntec Consultants in Anchorage, Alaska. During her time with Geosyntec, Dr. Nielsen evaluated risk at sites impacted by a wide range of environmental contaminants, both domestically and overseas. She also previously served as the State Toxicologist and Environmental Public Health Program Manager for the State of Alaska Division of Public Health, where she dealt extensively with contamination related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in rural Alaska. Consequently, Dr. Nielsen also has considerable experience in risk communication and public outreach in environmental justice communities. 

Full CV

1) Nielsen K; Furin C; Gerlach B. (2020). Subsistence fish consumption in rural Alaska: Using regional monitoring data to evaluate risk and bioavailability of dietary methylmercury. Science of the Total Environment. 139676.

2) Nielsen K; Alloy MM; Damaré LM; Palmer I; Forth HP; Morris JM; Stoeckel J; Roberts, AP (2020). Planktonic fiddler crab (Uca longisignalis) are susceptible to photo-induced toxicity following developmental exposure to oiled terrestrial habitat. Environmental Science & Technology: 54 (10), 6254-6261.

3) Nielsen K; Curran TE; Magnuson JT; Barker A; Baxter D; Venables BJ (2019). Alterations to the vision-associated transcriptome of zebrafish (Danio rerio) following developmental norethindrone exposure. Environmental Toxicology & Pharmacology: 69, 137-142.

4) Ussery EJ; Nielsen K; Pandelides Z; Kirkwood AE; Bonetta D; Guchardi J; Holdway D (2019). Developmental and full life-cycle exposures to guanylurea, and guanylurea-metformin mixtures causes adverse effects in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry: 38(5), 1023-1028.

5) Ussery EJ; Nielsen K; Pandelides Z; Kirkwood AE; Bonetta D; Guchardi J; Holdway D (2018). Developmental effects of metformin on early life stages of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Aquatic Toxicology: 205: 58-65.

6) Nielsen K; Zhang Y; Curran TE; Magnuson JT; Venables BJ; Durrer, KE, Allen M; Roberts AP. (2018). Alterations to the intestinal microbiome and metabolome of Pimephales promelas and Mus musculus following exposure to dietary methylmercury. Environmental Science & Technology: 52(15), 8774-8784.

7) Nielsen K; Krasnec M; Magnuson JT; Morris JM; Gielazyn ML; Chavez R; Roberts AP. (2018) Influence of UV and PAH exposure duration on survival of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) larvae. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry: 37(9), 2372-2379.

8) Nielsen K; Lay CR; Alloy MM; Gielazyn ML; Morris JM; Forth HP; Takeshita R; Travers C; Oris JT; Roberts AP (2018). Estimating incident ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure in the Northern Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry: 37(6), 1679-1687.

9) Damaré LM; Nielsen K; Forth HP; Lay CR; Morris JM; Stoeckel J; Curran TE; Soulen BK; Alloy MM; Roberts AP (2018). Photo-induced toxicity in early lifestage fiddler crab (Uca longisignalis) following exposure to Deepwater Horizon spill oil. Ecotoxicology: 27(4), 440-447.

10) Nielsen K; Venables, BJ; Roberts AP (2017). Effects of mercury on the dopaminergic system of adult fathead minnows and their offspring. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry: 36(4), 1077-1084.

11) Alloy MM; Garner TG; Nielsen K; Mansfield CM; Carney M; Forth HP; Krasnec M; Lay CR; Takeshita R; Morris JM; Oris JT; Roberts AP (2017). Co-exposure to sunlight enhances the toxicity of naturally weathered Deepwater Horizon oil to early lifestage red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and speckled seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus). Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry: 36(3), 780-785.

12) Nielsen K; Soulen BK; Overturf CL; Drevnick PE; Roberts AP (2016). Embryotoxicity of maternally-transferred methylmercury to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry: 35(6), 1436-41.

13) Barst BD; Nielsen K; Korbas M; Roberts AP; Van Kirk K; McNeel K; Drevnick PE (2015). The role of melano‐macrophage aggregates in the storage of mercury and other metals: An example from yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: 34(8), 1918-1925.

14) Lay CR; Morris JM; Takeshita R; Forth HP; Travers CL; Roberts AP; Alloy MM; Garner TR; Nielsen K (2015) Incident Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Extinction Coefficients in the Northern Gulf of Mexico During the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. (TOX_TR.06). Boulder, CO. DWH Toxicity NRDA Technical Working Group Report.

ADDITIONAL MANUSCRIPTS IN REVIEW OR PREPARATION

1) Ussery EJ; Nielsen K; Mansfield CM; Simmons DBD; Venables BJ; Holdway D (In Review). Elucidating developmental effects of guanylurea on Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) using a multi-omics approach.

2) Damaré CL; Garner TR; Alloy MM; Nielsen K; Soulen BK; Gnau J; Wormington AM; Sweet LE; Morris JM; Roberts AP (In Review). Factors Affecting Photo-induced Toxicity Outcomes in Mysid Shrimp (Americamysis Bahia) with Oil Collected from the Deepwater Horizon Spill. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry.

3) Lay, CR; Nielsen K; Alloy, MM; Forth, HP; Gielazyn, ML; Roberts, AP; Morris, JM. Predicting photo-induced toxicity of complex polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) mixtures: a comparison of two established models.

4) Garner TR; Damaré CL; Alloy MM; O’Shaughnessy KA; Nielsen K; Van Aken M; Chesney EJ; Roberts AP. Photo-enhanced toxicity of Deepwater Horizon spill oil to two fishes of the Louisiana gulf coast.

5) Barst BD; Nielsen K; Soulen BK; Drevnick PE; Roberts AP. Differential mercury accumulation and speciation in marine versus freshwater teleosts.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

1) Assessing the Ecological Risks of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at Aqueous Film Forming Foam Sites. Emerging Contaminants Summit. Westminster, Colorado, 2020.

2) PFAS Toxicology and Risk Assessment: State of the Science. Geosyntec PFAS Technical Webinar Series. Global Webinar, 2020.

3) Ecotoxicological Effects of Developmental Exposure to Ubiquitous Aquatic Contaminants Across Levels of Biological Organization. University of Georgia- College of Forestry Seminar. Athens, Georgia, 2020.

4) Ecotoxicological Effects of Developmental Exposure to Ubiquitous Aquatic Contaminants Across Levels of Biological Organization. University of North Carolina - Department of Biology and Marine Biology Seminar. Wilmington, North Carolina, 2020.

5) An Overview of PFAS Concerns for Alaska Communities. Alaska Tribal Consortium on Environmental Management. Anchorage, Alaska, 2019.

6) Alaska Public Media: Talk of Alaska (Radio Interview). PFAS contamination in Alaska. Anchorage, Alaska, 2019.

7) Alaska Public Media: Alaska Insight (TV Interview). How Dangerous are PFAS Chemicals and What’s Being Done to Clean Them Up? Anchorage, Alaska, 2019.

8) Toxicology and Risk Assessment: Alaska Edition. Alaska Pacific University. Anchorage, Alaska, 2019.

9) PFAS and Public Health for Public Health Nurses. Division of Public Health Continuing Education Seminar, Anchorage, Alaska, 2019.

10) Developmental Toxicity of Ubiquitous Environmental Contaminants in Aquatic Ecosystems. University of Alaska Southeast. Juneau, Alaska, 2019.

11) Subsistence Fish Consumption in Alaska: Using Regional Monitoring Data to Evaluate Risk and Bioavailability of Dietary Methylmercury. SETAC North America, 40th Annual Meeting, 2019.

12) Risk Assessment and Communication in Environmental Justice Communities in Rural Alaska. Alaska Pacific University, Environmental Health Program Seminar. October, 2019.

13) Zhang Y; Curran TE; Magnuson JT; Venables BJ; Durrer, KE, Allen M; Roberts AP. Alterations to the intestinal microbiome and metabolome of Pimephales promelas and Mus musculus following exposure to dietary methylmercury. SETAC North America, 39th Annual Meeting, 2018.

14) Zhang Y; Curran TE; Magnuson JT; Venables BJ; Durrer, KE, Allen M; Roberts AP. Alterations to the intestinal microbiome and metabolome of Pimephales promelas and Mus musculus following exposure to dietary methylmercury. SETAC Europe, 28th Annual Meeting, 2018.

15) Photoperiod, exposure duration, and latent mortality: Photo-induced toxicity effects in aquatic organisms. SETAC Europe, 28th Annual Meeting, 2018.

16) Photoperiod, exposure duration, and latent mortality: Photo-induced toxicity effects in aquatic organisms. Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference, 2018.

17) Photoperiod, exposure duration, and latent mortality: Photo-induced toxicity effects in aquatic organisms. SETAC North America 38th Annual Meeting, 2017.

18) Effects of maternally transferred methylmercury on development of early life stage fish. Marshall University, Biological Sciences Departmental Seminar, 2017.

19) The photo-induced toxicity of Australian northwest shelf crude oil to yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) and black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri). International Conference on Environmental Pollution, Restoration, and Management, 2017.

20) Effects of dietary methylmercury on the dopaminergic system in adult fathead minnows and their offspring. International Conference on Environ. Pollution, Restoration, and Management, 2017

21) Effects of dietary methylmercury on the dopaminergic system in adult fathead minnows and their offspring. SETAC North America 37th Annual Meeting, 2016.

22) Embryo-toxicity of maternally transferred methylmercury to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). SETAC North America 36th Annual Meeting, 2015.

23) Evaluation of maternal transfer of dietary methylmercury and implications for embryotoxicity in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). SETAC North America 35th Annual Meeting, 2014

24) Effects of maternally derived methylmercury on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproductive metrics and embryonic development. SETAC-SC Regional Meeting, 2014

25) Effects of maternally derived methylmercury on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproductive metrics and embryonic development. SETAC North America 34th Annual Meeting, 2013.

2019 - Affiliate Faculty- Alaska Pacific University
2019 - Geosyntec Risk Assessment and Toxicology Action Group
2018 - SETAC Presidential Citation Award Recipient
2013, 2016, 2018 - SETAC North America Travel Award Recipient
2018- Present - SETAC Early Career Committee member & subcommittee Chair, Development Committee Liaison
2015- Present - Reviewer for Environmental Science & Technology, Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, ACS Omega, Ecotoxicology, Aquatic Toxicology, Environmental Pollution, and others
2012- Present - Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Member
2015, 2018 - Session Chair, SETAC North America
2016 - Outstanding T.A., Biological Sciences
2014-2016 - Beth Baird Scholarship Recipient