Justin B. Greer, Ph.D.

Dr. Greer uses various laboratory approaches, including in vivo and in vitro studies, to address the effects of environmental pollutants on fish health. Contaminants contained within stormwater that are derived from car tires, such as 6PPD-quinone, have been shown to be highly toxic to some salmon species. His laboratory is focused on investigating the mechanisms by which these contaminants exert their toxicity to better understand and mitigate their environmental impacts. They leverage biochemical and molecular techniques in their investigations. High-throughput molecular sequencing techniques are frequently used to investigate sublethal effects and generate further testable hypotheses. Dr. Greer’s research also emphasizes the utility of alternatives to animal models, such as in vitro cell culture, to improve our biological understanding while reducing the use of animals in research.

Currently, a primary focus of the lab is identification of suitable alternative chemicals for car tires with reduced impacts on salmon and the environment. The lab is committed to working with State, Federal, and Industry partners on these efforts to improve the health of aquatic environments. Dr. Greer also utilizes informatics and large data analyses to investigate other novel questions related to environmental health, including host-pathogen interactions and impacts of thermal stress.