Grant: Canada Research Chairs

The primary goals of Dr. Kwong's research program are to understand i) the molecular and physiological effects of environmental stressors (e.g., anthropogenic contaminants), and ii) the fundamental mechanisms regulating homeostatic processes in aquatic animals. The study will integrate molecular physiological approaches with functional genetics to investigate environment-gene-phenotype relationship and to identify the molecular pathways that underlie the effects and tolerance. This innovative strategy will facilitate the development of next-generation predictive tools that can more reliably evaluate the effects of environmental changes on aquatic animals. Ultimately, findings from the proposed research will contribute to the development of better strategies for water quality regulation and more relevant criteria for the protection of aquatic life and biodiversity.