Peter van den Hurk

Associate Professor


Contact Information

Phone: 864 656-3594
FAX: 864 656-0435
Email: pvdhurk@clemson.edu

Education

  • Ph.D. Marine Science, College of William & Mary
  • M.S. Aquatic Ecology, University of Amsterdam, NL
  • B.S Biology and Geology, State University of Groningen, NL

Research Interests

  • My research interest can be summarized as a basic curiosity to find out how animals, and specifically fish, deal with environmental contaminants. Animals have developed ways to deal with unwanted compounds in their internal environment. Even before the human population explosion and the industrial revolution caused significant environmental pollution, animals were exposed to harmful "natural" compounds in their environment and diet, and detoxification pathways have evolved to neutralize and excrete these compounds. I am very interested in how these detoxification pathways work, and how they have evolved. Measurements of detoxification pathways can be used as biomarkers for exposure to and effects of toxicants. My concern about the current state of our natural environment is the driving force behind my desire to further the use of biomarkers as tools in environmental assessments through my research. Therefore, my research program has developed into a two pronged approach: investigating the basic science of detoxification enzymes and using these enzymes as biomarkers in environmental applications. Specific projects we are working on in my lab:

    • Evolutionary history of sulfotransferases and glucuronosyltransferases
    • Biomarker responses in fish as predictors for population effects
    • Influence of chemical stress on protein excretion into bile
    • Toxicity of sulfonamides to estuarine fish species.
    • Heme metabolism in fish species


Selected Publications

  • Schlenk D, Celander M, Gallagher E, George S, James M, Kullman S, Van den Hurk P, Willett K. (2008). Biotransformation in Fishes. In: Toxicology of fishes. D. Hinton, R. DiGiulio (eds). CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl. pp 153-234
  • Truman, P.A., Van den Hurk, P. (2008). A biomarker approach examining xenoestrogen exposure in bluegill in the Reedy River watershed, SC, USA. Environ. Monitor. Assessm. (submit.)
  • Van den Hurk, P., Wiley, F.E., Lavoie, E.T., Grasman, K.A., Bowerman, W.W. (2007) Activity patterns of biotransformation enzymes in juvenile chickens after in ovo dosage of PCB126. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part C 146:301-307.
  • Schreiber, E.S., Otter, R.R., Van den Hurk, P. (2006) A biomarker approach to measure biological effects of contaminant exposure in largemouth bass from Lake Conestee, SC, USA. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 25: 1829-1835.
  • Van den Hurk, P. (2006) Bile fluorescence, heme oxygenase induction, and increased biliverdin excretion by mixtures of environmental toxicants. Aquat. Toxicol. 77: 202-209
  • Corena, M, P. Van den Hurk, H. Zhong, C. Brock, R. Mowery, C. Garner, J.V. Johnson, P.J. Linser. (2006). Natural degradation and toxic effects of methazolamide and acetazolamide in sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegates). Ecotox. Environ. Safety. 64: 369-376.
  • Gaworecki KM, Rice CD, Van den Hurk P. (2004) Induction of phenol-type sulfotransferase and glucuronosyltransferase in channel catfish and mummichog. Mar. Environ. Res. 58: 525-528
  • Van den Hurk P, Kubiczak GA, Lehmler HJ, James MO (2002). Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls as inhibitors of the sulfation and glucuronidation 3-hydroxy-benzo[a]pyrene. Environ. Health Perspect. 110: 343-348

Recent Courses

  • ENTOX 430/630 - Principles of Toxicology
  • ENTOX 831 - Biomarkers in Environmental Toxicology
  • BIOSC 210 - Introduction to Toxicology
  • BIOSC 493 - Senior Seminar
  • ENTOX 861 - ENTOX seminar series
  • BIOSC 491 - Undergraduate Research Experience

Graduate Students

  • Andrew Sayer, Ph.D. candidate, Biomarkers in sunfish (Lepomis) species in wadeable streams of SC.
  • Diana Delach, Ph.D. candidate. Biomarkers for xenoestrogen exposure as predictors of population effects in bluegill.

Professional Affiliations

  • Society of Toxicology
  • Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
  • Sigma Xi
  • International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics