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Satomi Kohno, PhD

Satomi Kohno is a biologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center

Dr. Satomi Kohno is an environmental toxicologist and comparative reproductive endocrinologist with years of experience working with alligators and fishes. His work has markedly advanced molecular biological approaches to studying endocrine disruption in wildlife. Endocrine disruption is a global environmental and human health problem. Satomi uses two particular principles that drive his work: "what is bad for wildlife is not good for humans" and the Barker hypothesis of "fetal origins of adult disease." The Barker hypothesis tests the idea that biological development in a stressful or contaminated environment can lead to disease in adulthood. This phenomenon is seen in wildlife and humans. Satomi aims to understand the molecular mechanisms in these processes, using diverse molecular biological approaches.

Professional Experience

  • 2024-present, Biologist, USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center

  • 2022-2024, Contract Scientist VI in support of U.S. Geological Survey at Columbia Environmental Research Center, Cherokee Nation System Solutions

  • 2021-2022, Assistant Professor, Loyola University 

  • 2016-present, Fix-term Assistant Professor (non-tenue track) in Biology, St Cloud State University

  • 2015-2016, Adjunct Graduate Faculty in Environmental Studies, College of Charleston

  • 2013-2015, Visiting Scientist in Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan

  • 2010-2016, Adjunct Graduate Faculty in Marine Biology, College of Charleston

  • 2010-2016, Associate Graduate Faculty in Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina

  • 2010-2016, Research Assistant Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina

  • 2006-2010, Assistant Scientist in Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville

  • 2003-2006, Postdoctoral Associate in Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

  • 2002-2003, Visiting Scientist in Comparative Endocrinology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan

Education and Certifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate School of Integrated Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan , 2003

  • Master of Science, Graduate School of Integrated Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan, 1999

  • Bachelor of Science, Department of Biology, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan, 1992

Science and Products

Multiple lines of evidence for identifying potential hazards to fish from contaminants of emerging concern in Great Lakes tributaries

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs; e.g., pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, pesticides, and industrial chemicals) are omnipresent throughout tributaries to the Great Lakes. Furthermore, CECs are often present at concentrations that are potentially hazardous to aquatic species. Since 2010, we characterized the presence of CECs at 309 sites within 47 Great Lakes tributaries and characterized re
Authors
Sarah M. Elliott, Daniel J. Gefell, Richard L. Kiesling, Stephanie L. Hummel, Chryssa K. King, Charles H. Christen, Satomi Kohno, Heiko L. Schoenfuss
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Nakajima, T., Imai, A., Ishii, C., Tsuruyama, K., Yamanaka, R., Tomooka, Y., Saito, S., Adachi, N., Kohno, S., and Sato, T., 2024, SMAD2/3 signaling regulates initiation of mouse Wolffian ducts and proximal differentiation in Müllerian ducts: FEBS Open Bio, v. 14, no. 1, p. 37-50.
Wenzel, A.G., Reiner, J.L., Kohno, S., Wolf, B.J., Brock, J.W., Cruze, L., Newman, R.B., and Kucklick, J.R., 2021, Biomonitoring of emerging DINCH metabolites in pregnant women in charleston, SC: 2011–2014: Chemosphere, v. 262, p. 128369.
Kohno, S., 2021, Can Xenobiotics Alter the Sex Ratio of Crocodilians in the Wild?: Sexual Development, v. 15, no. 1-3, p. 179-186.
Katsu, Y., Shariful, I.M.D., Lin, X., Takagi, W., Urushitani, H., Kohno, S., Hyodo, S., and Baker, M.E., 2021, N-terminal domain regulates steroid activation of elephant shark glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, v. 210, p. 105845.
Rainwater, T.R., Griess, J., Murphy, T.M., Boylan, S.M., Parrott, B.B., Kohno, S., Rainwater, K.A.E., Richards, S.M., Guillette, M., Mills, T., Platt, S.G., Wilkinson, P.M., and Guillette, L.J., 2020, Leucistic American Alligator Hatchlings in Coastal South Carolina: Southeastern Naturalist, v. 19, no. 4.
Kohno, S., Zhu, J., and Guillette Jr., L.J., 2020, Stress responses in the chemistry and mRNA abundance of the peripheral blood in the American alligator: Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology, v. 333, no. 3, p. 151-163.
Kohno, S., Vang, D., Ang, E., Brunell, A.M., Lowers, R.H., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2020, Estrogen-induced ovarian development is time-limited during the temperature-dependent sex determination of the American alligator: General and Comparative Endocrinology, v. 291, p. 113397.
Cipoletti, N., Jorgenson, Z.G., Banda, J.A., Kohno, S., Hummel, S.L., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2020, Biological consequences of agricultural and urban land-use along the Maumee River, a major tributary to the Laurentian Great Lakes watershed: Journal of Great Lakes Research, v. 46, no. 4, p. 1001-1014.
Wineland, R.J., Bloom, M.S., Cruze, L., Butts, C.D., Wenzel, A.G., Unal, E.R., Kohno, S., Willan, K.B., Brock, J.W., and Newman, R.B., 2019, In utero effects of maternal phthalate exposure on male genital development: Prenatal Diagnosis, v. 39, no. 3, p. 209-218.
McNabb, N.A., Bernhard, M.C., Brunell, A., Lowers, R.H., Katsu, Y., Spyropoulos, D.D., and Kohno, S., 2020, Oil dispersant Corexit 9500 is weakly estrogenic, but does not skew the sex ratio in: Journal of Applied Toxicology, v. 40, no. 2, p. 245-256.
Katsu, Y., Kohno, S., Oka, K., Lin, X., Otake, S., Pillai, N.E., Takagi, W., Hyodo, S., Venkatesh, B., and Baker, M.E., 2019, Transcriptional activation of elephant shark mineralocorticoid receptor by corticosteroids, progesterone, and spironolactone: Science Signaling, v. 12, no. 584, p. eaar2668.
Cox, M.K., Ward, J.L., Matsuura, M., Aing, R., Schoenfuss, H.L., and Kohno, S., 2019, Estrone exposure interacts with temperature to alter predator evasion performance and systemic mRNA abundances: Science of The Total Environment, v. 692, p. 519-528.
Cipoletti, N., Jorgenson, Z.G., Banda, J.A., Hummel, S.L., Kohno, S., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2019, Land Use Contributions to Adverse Biological Effects in a Complex Agricultural and Urban Watershed: A Case Study of the Maumee River: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 38, no. 5, p. 1035-1051.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Science and Products

Multiple lines of evidence for identifying potential hazards to fish from contaminants of emerging concern in Great Lakes tributaries

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs; e.g., pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, pesticides, and industrial chemicals) are omnipresent throughout tributaries to the Great Lakes. Furthermore, CECs are often present at concentrations that are potentially hazardous to aquatic species. Since 2010, we characterized the presence of CECs at 309 sites within 47 Great Lakes tributaries and characterized re
Authors
Sarah M. Elliott, Daniel J. Gefell, Richard L. Kiesling, Stephanie L. Hummel, Chryssa K. King, Charles H. Christen, Satomi Kohno, Heiko L. Schoenfuss
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Nakajima, T., Imai, A., Ishii, C., Tsuruyama, K., Yamanaka, R., Tomooka, Y., Saito, S., Adachi, N., Kohno, S., and Sato, T., 2024, SMAD2/3 signaling regulates initiation of mouse Wolffian ducts and proximal differentiation in Müllerian ducts: FEBS Open Bio, v. 14, no. 1, p. 37-50.
Wenzel, A.G., Reiner, J.L., Kohno, S., Wolf, B.J., Brock, J.W., Cruze, L., Newman, R.B., and Kucklick, J.R., 2021, Biomonitoring of emerging DINCH metabolites in pregnant women in charleston, SC: 2011–2014: Chemosphere, v. 262, p. 128369.
Kohno, S., 2021, Can Xenobiotics Alter the Sex Ratio of Crocodilians in the Wild?: Sexual Development, v. 15, no. 1-3, p. 179-186.
Katsu, Y., Shariful, I.M.D., Lin, X., Takagi, W., Urushitani, H., Kohno, S., Hyodo, S., and Baker, M.E., 2021, N-terminal domain regulates steroid activation of elephant shark glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, v. 210, p. 105845.
Rainwater, T.R., Griess, J., Murphy, T.M., Boylan, S.M., Parrott, B.B., Kohno, S., Rainwater, K.A.E., Richards, S.M., Guillette, M., Mills, T., Platt, S.G., Wilkinson, P.M., and Guillette, L.J., 2020, Leucistic American Alligator Hatchlings in Coastal South Carolina: Southeastern Naturalist, v. 19, no. 4.
Kohno, S., Zhu, J., and Guillette Jr., L.J., 2020, Stress responses in the chemistry and mRNA abundance of the peripheral blood in the American alligator: Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology, v. 333, no. 3, p. 151-163.
Kohno, S., Vang, D., Ang, E., Brunell, A.M., Lowers, R.H., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2020, Estrogen-induced ovarian development is time-limited during the temperature-dependent sex determination of the American alligator: General and Comparative Endocrinology, v. 291, p. 113397.
Cipoletti, N., Jorgenson, Z.G., Banda, J.A., Kohno, S., Hummel, S.L., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2020, Biological consequences of agricultural and urban land-use along the Maumee River, a major tributary to the Laurentian Great Lakes watershed: Journal of Great Lakes Research, v. 46, no. 4, p. 1001-1014.
Wineland, R.J., Bloom, M.S., Cruze, L., Butts, C.D., Wenzel, A.G., Unal, E.R., Kohno, S., Willan, K.B., Brock, J.W., and Newman, R.B., 2019, In utero effects of maternal phthalate exposure on male genital development: Prenatal Diagnosis, v. 39, no. 3, p. 209-218.
McNabb, N.A., Bernhard, M.C., Brunell, A., Lowers, R.H., Katsu, Y., Spyropoulos, D.D., and Kohno, S., 2020, Oil dispersant Corexit 9500 is weakly estrogenic, but does not skew the sex ratio in: Journal of Applied Toxicology, v. 40, no. 2, p. 245-256.
Katsu, Y., Kohno, S., Oka, K., Lin, X., Otake, S., Pillai, N.E., Takagi, W., Hyodo, S., Venkatesh, B., and Baker, M.E., 2019, Transcriptional activation of elephant shark mineralocorticoid receptor by corticosteroids, progesterone, and spironolactone: Science Signaling, v. 12, no. 584, p. eaar2668.
Cox, M.K., Ward, J.L., Matsuura, M., Aing, R., Schoenfuss, H.L., and Kohno, S., 2019, Estrone exposure interacts with temperature to alter predator evasion performance and systemic mRNA abundances: Science of The Total Environment, v. 692, p. 519-528.
Cipoletti, N., Jorgenson, Z.G., Banda, J.A., Hummel, S.L., Kohno, S., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2019, Land Use Contributions to Adverse Biological Effects in a Complex Agricultural and Urban Watershed: A Case Study of the Maumee River: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 38, no. 5, p. 1035-1051.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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