Western College of Veterinary Medicine

Research Area(s)

  • Interactions between physiological control and environmental alteration of developmental and reproductive processes in vertebrates

Academic Credentials

  • BSc, Simon Fraser University
  • MSc, Trent University
  • PhD, University of British Columbia
  • Post-Doctoral training, University of Guelph

Research Interests

Dr. Janz investigates interactions between physiological control and environmental alteration of developmental and reproductive processes in vertebrates.

The goal is to investigate relationships between biological responses at the molecular and cellular levels with those occurring at the organ, organism and population levels in animals exposed to environmental stressors. This is achieved by combining physiological, cell biological, pharmacological and molecular biological approaches in the laboratory with ecological approaches in the field.

Dr. Janz's recent work has focused on developing non-invasive techniques to measure long-term stress in fish and wildlife species.

Publications

Recent Publications (for full list see https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1866-9787)

2025

Kayondo F, Al-Shanoon H, Seddon YM, Carette D, Cole C, Janz DM, Fortin F, Harding JCS, Dyck MK, Plastow GS, Dekkers JCM, (2025). Genetic analysis of stress hormone levels in hair of healthy nursery pigs and their relationships with backtest responses. Genetics 230: iyaf092. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/iyaf092

Franchini M, Mikkelsen AJ, Sergiel A, Selva N, Janz DM, Kindberg J, Zedrosser A, (2025). Maternal and social status affect hair cortisol concentrations in brown bears. Zoology 169: 126257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2025.126257

Selinger SJ, Hunnie B, Roberts C, Amekor M, Hogan N, Wiseman S, Hecker M, Weber L, Janz DM, Brinkmann M, (2025). Sublethal 6PPD-quinone exposure impairs swimming performance and aerobic metabolism in juvenile lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology and Pharmacology 294: 110166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2025.110166

Selinger SJ, Montgomery D, Wiseman S, Hecker M, Weber L, Brinkmann M, Janz DM, (2025). Acute cardiorespiratory effects of 6PPD-quinone on juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Aquatic Toxicology 280: 107288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107288

Lacroix-Durand C, Janz DM, Liber K, (2025). Chronic Radium-226 bioaccumulation and toxicity in the aquatic invertebrate Daphnia magna. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 88: 123-133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-024-01109-2

Lacroix-Durand C, Janz DM, Liber K, (2025). Chronic Radium-226 toxicity to and oxidative stress in the aquatic invertebrate Chironomus dilutus. Toxicological Research 14(1); tfaf001. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxres/tfaf001

 2024

Hertel AG, Albrecht J, Selva N, Sergiel A, Hobson KA, Janz DM, Mulch A, Kindberg J, Hansen JE, Frank SC, Zedrosser, A, Mueller T, (2024). Ontogeny shapes individual dietary specialization in female European brown bears (Ursus arctos). Nature Communications 15: 10406. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54722-z

Lazarus M, Sergiel A, Ferenčaković M, Sekovanić A, Reljić S, Pađen L, Janz DM, Oster E, Zwijacz-Kozica T, Zięba T, Selva N, Huber D (2024). Trace element contaminants and endocrine status of European brown bears assessed using blood as a matrix. Science of The Total Environment 957: 177486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177486

 2023

Anderson-Bain K, Roberts C, Kohlman E, Ji X, Alcaraz AJ, Miller J, Gangur-Powell T, Weber L, Janz DM, Hecker M, Montina T, Brinkmann M, Wiseman S, (2023). Apical and mechanistic effects of 6PPD-quinone on different life-stages of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology and Pharmacology 271: 109697. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109697

Green D, Bluhm K, Brinkmann M, Raes K, Lane T, Liber K, Janz DM, Hecker M, (2023). Cross-species apical microinjected selenomethionine toxicity in embryo-larval fishes. Science of the Total Environment 912: 169338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169338

Graves S, Molbert N, Janz DM, Hayhurst LD, Brandt JE, Timlick L, Palace VP, (2023). Relationships among tissues, biofluids, and otolith selenium concentrations in wild female burbot (Lota lota). Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 4874: https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4874

Lazarus M, Sergiel A, Ferenčaković M, Orct T, Kapronczai L, Pađen L, Janz DM, Reljić S, Zwijacz-Kozica T, Zięba F, Selva N, Huber D, (2023). Stress and reproductive hormones in hair associated with contaminant metal(loid)s of European brown bear (Ursus arctos). Chemosphere 325: 138354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138354

Medill SA, Janz DM, McLoughlin PD, (2023). Hair cortisol and testosterone concentrations in relation to maturity and breeding status of male feral horses. Animals 13: 2129. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132129

Medill SA, Janz DM, McLoughlin PD, (2023). Hair cortisol concentrations in feral horses and the influence of physiological and social factors. Animals 13: 2133. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132133

Kennedy EKC, Janz DM, (2023). Can scale cortisol concentration be quantified non-lethally in wild fish species? Conservation Physiology 11: coac081. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coac081

 2022

Kennedy EKC, Janz DM, (2022). The use of fish scale hormone concentrations in the assessment of long-term stress and associated adverse effects on reproductive endocrinology. Fishes 7: 393. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes7060393

Kennedy EKC, Janz DM, (2022). Chronic stress causes cortisol, cortisone and DHEA elevations in scales but not serum in rainbow trout. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 276: 111352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111352

Mahoney M, da Silva Junior FC, Roberts C, Schultz M, Ji X, Alcaraz AJ, Montgomery D, Selinger S, Challis JK, Giesy JP, Weber L, Janz DM, Wiseman S, Hecker M, Brinkmann M, (2022). Exposure to the tire rubber-derived contaminant 6PPD-quinone causes mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro. Environmental Science and Technology Letters 9: 765-771. https://doi-org/10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00431

Tokareva M, Brown JA, MacPhee DJ, Janz DM, Seddon YM, (2022). The effect of providing a greater freedom of movement through periodic exercise on the welfare and stress physiology of stall-housed gestating sows and on piglet behaviour. Animal Welfare 31: 293-308. https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.31.3.002

Kennedy EKC, Janz DM, (2022). First look into the use of fish scales as a medium for multi-hormone stress analyses. Fishes 7: 145. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes7040145

Crill Matzke C, Kusch JM, Janz DM, Lane JE, (2022). Perceived predation risk predicts glucocorticoid hormones, but not reproductive success in a colonial rodent. Hormones and Behavior 143: 105200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105200

Oldach MD, Graves SD, Janz DM, (2022). Differential selenium uptake by periphyton in boreal lake ecosystems. Environmental Pollution 305: 119304.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119304

Brinkmann M, Montgomery D, Selinger S, Miller JGP, Stock E, Alcaraz AJ, Challis JK, Weber LP, Janz DM, Hecker M, Wiseman S, (2022). Acute toxicity of the tire rubber-derived chemical 6PPD-quinone to four fishes of commercial, cultural, and ecological importance. Environmental Science and Technology Letters 9: 333-338. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00050

Ankley PJ, Graves SD, Xie Y, DeBofsky A, Weber A, Brinkmann M, Palace VP, Liber K, Hecker M, Janz DM, Giesy JP, (2022). Effects of in situ experimental selenium exposure on finescale dace (Phoxinus neogaeus) gut microbiome. Environmental Research 212: 113151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113151

Graves SD, Liber K, Palace V, Hecker M, Janz DM, (2022). Response of crustacean zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrate communities to selenium additions in a boreal lake. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 41: 95-107. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5239