Donald Tillitt, PhD
Dr. Don Tillitt is a Research Toxicologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
Don has been at the Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) since 1989, then part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He leads research on the effects of chemicals on fish and wildlife, with an emphasis on reproduction and development in fish. His research interests focus on developmental effects of persistent chemicals in fish. Multiple levels of biological organization are generally evaluated in his research efforts, with endpoints consisting of molecular, biochemical, histology, and behavioral-level effects. Recent research projects in his laboratory include: 1) effects of PCBs and dioxins on development in sturgeon species; 2) causes and effects of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiencies on Great Lakes salmonines; 3) effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on sexual differentiation and gonad development in fish; and 4) transgenerational epigenetic effects on endocrine disrupting chemicals across vertebrate taxa. Don has served in a variety of capacities for the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, currently serves as an Editor for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Don has adjunct professor appointments in the Biological Sciences and the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. He serves on graduate student advisory committees, offers guest lectures, and has taught Environmental Toxicology since 1992.
Professional Experience
2013-present Senior Scientist, USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO
1989-2012 Research Chemist, USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO
1983-1989 Graduate Assistant, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Environmental Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1989
M.S. Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 1986
B.S. Ag. Biochemistry, Michigan State University, 1981
B.S. Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 1981
Affiliations and Memberships*
2010-present Adjunct Professor, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
1991-present Adjunct Professor, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
1991-2010 Adjunct Professor, Biochemistry Department, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
1983-present Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
American Fisheries Society (lifetime member)
International Association of Great Lakes Research (lifetime member)
Science and Products
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Deficiency in Fish and Wildlife
Effects of estrogens and atrazine on functional immune responses of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Alternative complement pathway assay data for adult largemouth bass exposed in outdoor ponds to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol or an estrone-atrazine mixture
Egg thiamine content, length, weight and survival of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to three methods of experimental thiamine supplementation in 2022 and egg thiamine content from three Oregon hatcheries in 2019
Quantitation of estrogens in water, alone and in combination with atrazine, using two chemically-activated luciferase expression, CALUX, bioassays and quadrupole-time of flight ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, UPLC-MS
Water chemistry and fish metrics data for adult largemouth bass exposed in outdoor ponds to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol or an estrone-atrazine mixture
Dissolved organic carbon, total petroleum hydrocarbons and and toxicity assay results for Bemidji, MN (2018)
Baseline fish health metrics in at-risk habitats critical for pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Upper Missouri River Basin and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Flathead River, Montana, 2017-18
Thiamine concentrations in lake trout eggs collected from the Great Lakes in 2019-20
Effects of early life stage exposure of largemouth bass to atrazine or a model estrogen (17a-ethinylestradiol)
USGS Great Lakes lake trout egg thiamine monitoring data release
Acute toxicity and clotting times of anticoagulant rodenticides to red-toothed (Odonus niger) and black (Melichthys niger) triggerfish, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Development of a dual luciferase-fluorescamine assay adapted to a 384 micro-well plate format-Data
Immunomodulation in adult largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) exposed to a model estrogen or mixture of endocrine disrupting contaminants during early gonadal recrudescence
Reevaluation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalency factors for dioxin-like polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls for fishes
Factors influencing egg thiamine concentrations of Lake Ontario lake trout: 2019–2020
Understanding and mitigating thiaminase activity in silver carp
Thiamine supplementation improves survival and body condition of hatchery-reared steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon
Genetic basis of thiaminase I activity in a vertebrate, zebrafish Danio rerio
Comparison of two estrogen chemically activated luciferase expression cell bioassays to liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry for quantifying estrone in water samples
Declines in reproductive condition of male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) following seasonal exposure to estrogenic endocrine-disrupting compounds
Exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol results in differential susceptibility of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to bacterial infection
Response to Gard et al.'s (2021) Comments on the Critical Review “Polychlorinated Biphenyl Tissue-Concentration Thresholds for Survival, Growth, and Reproduction in Fish”
Reproduction
Ecological risk assessment of environmental stress and bioactive chemicals to riverine fish populations: An individual-based model of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu
Science and Products
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Deficiency in Fish and Wildlife
Effects of estrogens and atrazine on functional immune responses of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Alternative complement pathway assay data for adult largemouth bass exposed in outdoor ponds to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol or an estrone-atrazine mixture
Egg thiamine content, length, weight and survival of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to three methods of experimental thiamine supplementation in 2022 and egg thiamine content from three Oregon hatcheries in 2019
Quantitation of estrogens in water, alone and in combination with atrazine, using two chemically-activated luciferase expression, CALUX, bioassays and quadrupole-time of flight ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, UPLC-MS
Water chemistry and fish metrics data for adult largemouth bass exposed in outdoor ponds to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol or an estrone-atrazine mixture
Dissolved organic carbon, total petroleum hydrocarbons and and toxicity assay results for Bemidji, MN (2018)
Baseline fish health metrics in at-risk habitats critical for pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Upper Missouri River Basin and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Flathead River, Montana, 2017-18
Thiamine concentrations in lake trout eggs collected from the Great Lakes in 2019-20
Effects of early life stage exposure of largemouth bass to atrazine or a model estrogen (17a-ethinylestradiol)
USGS Great Lakes lake trout egg thiamine monitoring data release
Acute toxicity and clotting times of anticoagulant rodenticides to red-toothed (Odonus niger) and black (Melichthys niger) triggerfish, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Development of a dual luciferase-fluorescamine assay adapted to a 384 micro-well plate format-Data
Immunomodulation in adult largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) exposed to a model estrogen or mixture of endocrine disrupting contaminants during early gonadal recrudescence
Reevaluation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalency factors for dioxin-like polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls for fishes
Factors influencing egg thiamine concentrations of Lake Ontario lake trout: 2019–2020
Understanding and mitigating thiaminase activity in silver carp
Thiamine supplementation improves survival and body condition of hatchery-reared steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon
Genetic basis of thiaminase I activity in a vertebrate, zebrafish Danio rerio
Comparison of two estrogen chemically activated luciferase expression cell bioassays to liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry for quantifying estrone in water samples
Declines in reproductive condition of male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) following seasonal exposure to estrogenic endocrine-disrupting compounds
Exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol results in differential susceptibility of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to bacterial infection
Response to Gard et al.'s (2021) Comments on the Critical Review “Polychlorinated Biphenyl Tissue-Concentration Thresholds for Survival, Growth, and Reproduction in Fish”
Reproduction
Ecological risk assessment of environmental stress and bioactive chemicals to riverine fish populations: An individual-based model of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu
*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