Carin Wittnich

Research Synopsis

Current research work is focused in the area of ‘One Health’, specifically the role of climate change (including contaminants) on health and growth of marine animals and, by extension, potential impact on human health. One specific topic is ecotoxicology and physiological impacts of heavy metals in fish, elasmobranchs (sharks) and marine mammals. As well, comparative physiology between marine species that are adaptive can help our understanding of human maladaptive pathologies and is also explored. In the cardiovascular system, research has focused on the developmental and maturation aspects of myocardial metabolism and function of the neonatal and pathological myocardium and the role of gender and sex hormones and responses to stressor such as hypoxia and hyperoxia, where once again, knowledge from marine species adapted to limited oxygen supply during diving has relevance.