Dr Edwin Routledge
Senior Lecturer in Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Brunel University
Uxbridge
UB8 3PH
United Kingdom
About Edwin
I am a molecular endocrinologist and aquatic ecotoxicologist with an interest in the reproductive effects of endocrine active chemicals on aquatic wildlife, principally freshwater fish and gastropod molluscs. My research crosses many levels of organisation, from the expression of individual genes to morphological and physiological effects on the whole animal. Recently I have an interest in the development and application of molluscs as replacement models for vertebrates in clinical tests and chemical testing strategies. I am involved in teaching on a range of modules, including module leader for Ecosystem Function (IE5502; module leader) and Dissertations (IE5500; module leader), ‘Environmental Monitoring’ (IE5507) and Research and Critical Skills (IE5511; module leader). I will be part of the teaching team for the new MSc. in Toxicology and Risk Assessment (due to start in September 2012) where I will lead the module entitled ‘Reproductive Toxicology and Endocrine Disruption’.
Qualifications
- 2001-2003 Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
- 1998 Doctorate of Philosophy Title: Identification, Quantification and Assessment of Oestrogenic Chemicals in Sewage-Treatment Work Effluents. Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex
- 1993 Bachelor of Science Degree II (i) BSc – Honours in Applied Biology Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex
Career
- 07/11 – Present: IfE Deputy Head of Research
- 10/07 – Present: Senior Lecturer in Aquatic Ecotoxicology
- 08/04 – 10/07: Lecturer in Aquatic Ecotoxicology
- 08/04 – Present: Institute for the Environment (Brunel University)
- 11/00 – 08/04: Lecturer in Molecular Animal Physiology.
- 04/99 – 11/00: Post Doctoral Research Fellow
- 04/97 – 03/99: Post Doctoral Research Fellow
- 10/93 – 03/97: Research Assistant
- 10/93 – 08/04: Department of Biological Sciences (Brunel University)
Research
Research Interests
Research Activity
Research Projects
I have a broad background in ecotoxicology research through the use of in vitro and in vivo (mammalian and aquatic) test systems for environmental estrogens, studies into quantitative structure activity relationships of alkylphenolic chemicals, the application of solid-phase extraction techniques for analysing complex environmental samples, and studies into the molecular mechanisms of estrogen receptor action, to name a few. My present research interests include the application of freshwater mollusc species in environmental monitoring and regulatory testing of chemicals, fundamental research on the molecular endocrinology of freshwater molluscs and the effect of pollution on parasite-host interactions. Recent awards involving SMEs and from industry have a strong focus around water quality issues, from the health effects of consuming direct potable reuse water, validation of the efficacy of a novel device to kill pathogenic bacteria in hot water systems, and the development of ballast water treatment systems to prevent the spread of invasive species in aquatic ecosystems.
Grants Awarded
BBSRC (PI) in collaboration with Dr. Jobling and Dr. Rand-Weaver The Characterisation and Functional Role of Novel Estrogen Receptors in the Prosobranch Mollusc Marisa cornuarietis. £181,011 over 3 years
March 2004-March 2007 EU-funded project QLKA-CT2002-00603 (EDEN): Endocrine disrupters: exploring novel endpoints, exposure, low-dose and mixture effects in humans, aquatic wildlife and laboratory animals. 2002-2006. Contributed to the development of estrogen-responsive transgenic zebrafish.
NERC (grant reference NER/A/S/2001/01154): Does Pollution cause Reproductive Disruption in British Freshwater Molluscs. Award £142,232 over 3 years (May 2002 – May 2005); In collaboration with Susan Jobling (PI).
DEFRA (grant reference CTG0301). Investigations of Endocrine Disruption in UK Freshwater Molluscs. Award £138, 841 plus additional £11600 awarded to compensate for additional costs of analytical chemistry in revised experiment. Additional funds from the Environment Agency (£30,000). In collaboration with Susan Jobling (PI). An additional £50,000 to extend project to include 6 month adult exposure with two mollusc species to the chemical Bisphenol A.
The Leverhulme Trust. Modelling and Mimicking the Effects of pollution frfom Molluscs to Men. In collaboration with Susan Jobling (PI; Brunel), Joanna Bridger (Brunel) and Geoff Rodgers (Brunel). Award £190,430 over 3 years (May 2009 – May 2012).
NC3Rs. Of Molluscs and Men. The Snail Assay as an Alternative to the Hersherger Male Rodent Assay for the Detection of Androgens and Anti-androgens. In collaboration with Susan Jobling (Brunel), Les Noble (Aberdeen), Cath Jones (Aberdeen). Total award £657,671 FEC over 3 years (December 2009 – December 2012).
NERC Doctoral Training Grant – Does Pollution affect parasite-host interactions? Award £78,145 over 3 years. 01/11 – 07/14. First Supervisor in collaboration with Dr. Les Noble (Aberdeen University; external supervisor).
Thames Water – Investigation of Health Effects Associated with Exposure to Direct Potable Reuse Drinking Water. Award £181,970 over 3 years in collaboration with Susan Jobling (Co-I). 05/11 – 05/14
Waterwise Technology Limited funded studentship - A novel device to eliminate Legionella and other pathogenic bacteria. Award £78,000 over 3 years. In collaboration with Tassos Karayiannis and Martin Ratcliffe (School of Engineering and Design). 09/11- 09/14
EC (Research for the Benefit of SMEs) – An Integrated and Modular Bio-Monitoring System Based on Advanced Plasma Technology Delivering Maximum Performance and Lowest System Lifetime Cost (UV-Mon). RTD project leader in collaboration with Mark Scrimshaw (Co-I) at Brunel. Award £139,890 over 13.5 months. Partners include Martek Marine Ltd (SME-UK), CytoBouy (SME -The Netherlands), Purion GmBH (SME-Germany), PERA (RTD-UK) and Aquateam (RTD-Norway). 09/11 – 10/12
Awards
- 6/02 SRIF award £40,000 To purchase needle puller and beveller, micromanipulator, pressure injector and a fluorescence stereomicroscope for transgenic fish production.
- 10/01 BRIEF award £14,500 To build the zebrafish facility in the Animal Unit and to establish zebrafish transgenesis at Brunel University.
Research Supervision
Postdoctotal Researchers
05/00 - 05/12 Dr. Margaret-Mary Town (The Leverhulme Trust) 03/04 – 03/07 Dr. Richard Bannister (BBSRC)
Postgraduate Researchers
Frances Orton – Thesis entitled “Investigation into the effects of pesticides on amphibians”. Awarded PhD in 2008
Neil Clarke – Thesis entitled “Seasonal effects of treated sewage effluents upon the reproduction and development of European freshwater molluscs”. Awarded PhD in 2009.
Alice Baynes – Thesis entitled “Reproductive effects in two species of native freshwater gastropod mollusc exposed to 17β-oestradiol or an environmentally relevant mixture of oestrogenic chemicals in outdoor mesocosms”. Awarded PhD in 2010.
Rachel Benstead – Thesis entitled “The effects of the natural vertebrate steroid 17β-oestradiol and the xeno-biotic vertebrate oestrogen receptor agonist bisphenol-A on reproduction in selected temperate freshwater gastropods: the potential for (neuro-)endocrine disruption”. Awarded PhD in 2010
Satwant Kaur – The snail assay as an alternative to the rat Hershberger male rodent assay for the detection of androgens and anti-androgens (2009-2012).
Adam Lynch – Does Pollution Affect Parasite Host Interactions? (2011-2014)
Elizabeth Lawton – Investigation of Health Effects Associated with Exposure to Direct Potable Reuse Drinking Water. (2011-2014)
Teaching
I am module leader for Ecosystem Function (IE5502; CCIS and ESPM MSc programmes) which broadly aims to provide students with an understanding of the way ecosystems function, the role of biodiversity in providing ecosystem services and threats to biodiversity. I also contribute to other modules, including ‘Environmental Monitoring’ (IE5507; ESPM MSc programme) in which I describe how wildlife can be used to monitor pollution. I am leader for the ‘Research and Critical Skills (IE5511) module (CCIS, ESPM and ESLM MSc programmes) which is used to provide students with a range of essential research and employability skills to help students prepare for their Dissertations. I am module leader for IE5526 – Reproductive Toxicology and Endocrine Disruption which is part of the new MSc in Toxicology and Risk Assessment due to start in September 2012. I am also module leader for the Dissertations (IE5500; all IfE MSc programmes).
External Duties
I regularly peer review articles for high quality environmental journals including Environmental Science and Technology, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, FEBS Letters, Critical Reviews in Toxicology, Toxicology in Vitro and Planta Medica.
I have also reviewed a number of research proposals from various funding bodies, including the Royal Society, EPSRC, BBSRC, and as an academic member of staff I regularly serve as external examiner for MPhil and PhD awards.
I have been successful in bidding for, and delivering, a number of consultancy projects funded by Government Agencies (Environment Agency) and Industry.
I have been appointed to serve on the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Peer Review College from July 2010.
Publications
Publications
Journal Papers
(2011) Orton, F. and Routledge, E., Agricultural intensity in ovo affects growth, metamorphic development and sexual differentiation in the common toad (Bufo bufo)., Ecotoxicology 20 (4) : 901- 911 Download publication
(2011) Benstead, RS., Baynes, A., Casey, D., Routledge, EJ. and Jobling, S., 17β-Oestradiol may prolong reproduction in seasonally breeding freshwater gastropod molluscs, Aquatic Toxicology 101 (2) : 326- 334
(2009) Orton, F., Lutz, I., Kloas, W. and Routledge, EJ., Endocrine disrupting effects of herbicides and pentachlorophenol: in vitro and in vivo evidence, Environmental Science and Technology 43 (6) : 2144- 2150
(2009) Clarke, N., Routledge, EJ., Garner, A., Casey, D., Benstead, R., Walker, D., Watermann, B., Gnass, K., Thomsen, A. and Jobling, S., Exposure to treated sewage effluent disrupts reproduction and development in the seasonally breeding ramshorn snail (subclass: Pulmonata, Planorbarius corneus), Environmental Science and Technology 43 (6) : 2092- 2098 Download publication
(2008) Gabriel, FLP., Routledge, EJ., Heidlberger, A., Rentsch, D., Guenther, K., Giger, W., Sumpter, JP. and Kohler, HPE., Isomer-specific degradation and endocrine disrupting activity of nonylphenols, Environmental Science and Technology 42 (17) : 6399- 6408
(2008) Tempest, HG., Homa, ST., Routledge, EJ., Garner, A., Zhai, XP. and Griffin, DK., Plants used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of male infertility possess antioxidant and anti-oestrogenic activity, Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine 54 (4-5) : 185- 195
(2007) Harris, CA., Routledge, EJ., Schaffner, C., Brian, JV., Giger, W. and Sumpter, JP., Benzotriazole is antiestrogenic in vitro but not in vivo, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 26 (11) : 2367- 2372
(2007) Rand-Weaver, M., Bannister, R., Beresford, N., May, D. and Routledge, EJ., Novel estrogen receptor-related transcripts in Marisa cornuarietis: A freshwater snail with reported sensitivity to estrogenic chemicals, Environmental Science and Technology 41 (7) : 2643- 2650
(2004) Routledge, EJ., Coleman, HM., Sumpter, JP. and Eggins, BR., Rapid loss of estrogenicity of steroid estrogens by UVA photolysis and photocatalysis over an immobilised titanium dioxide catalyst, Water Research 38 (14-15) : 3233- 3240
(2002) Sheahan, DA., Brighty, GC., Daniel, M., Kirby, SJ., Hurst, MR., Kennedy, J., Morris, S., Routledge, EJ., Sumpter, JP. and Waldock, MJ., Estrogenic activity measured in a sewage treatment works treating industrial inputs containing high concentrations of alkylphenolic compounds - a case study, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 21 (3) : 507- 514
(2002) Sheahan, DA., Brighty, GC., Daniel, M., Jobling, S., Harries, JE., Hurst, MR., Kennedy, J., Kirby, SJ., Morris, S., Routledge, EJ., Sumpter, JP. and Waldock, MJ., Reduction in the estrogenic activity of a treated sewage effluent discharge to an English river as a result of a decrease in the concentration of industrially derived surfactants, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 21 (3) : 515- 519
(2000) Routledge, EJ., White, R., Parker, MG. and Sumpter, JP., Differential effects of xenoestrogens on coactivator recruitment by estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ, Journal of Biological Chemistry 275 (46) : 35986- 35993
(2000) Schmieder, PK., Aptula, AO., Routledge, EJ., Sumpter, JP. and Mekenyan, OG., Estrogenicity of alkylphenolic compounds: a 3-D structure-activity evaluation of gene activation, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 19 (7) : 1727- 1740
(2000) Beresford, N., Routledge, EJ., Harris, CA. and Sumpter, JP., Issues arising when interpreting results from an in vitro assay for estrogenic activity, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 162 (1) : 22- 33 Download publication
(1999) Johnson, AC., L Williams, R., Ulahannan, T., Routledge, EJ., Waldock, M. and Sumpter, JP., Comment on 'identification of estrogenic chemicals in STW effluent. 1. Chemical fractionation and in vitro biological screening' [2] (multiple letters), Environmental Science and Technology 33 (2) : 369- 370
(1999) Routledge, EJ., Waldock, M. and Sumpter, JP., Response to comment on "Identification of estrogenic chemicals in STW effluent. 1. Chemical fractionation and in vitro biological screening", Environmental Science and Technology 33 (2) : 371-
(1998) Desbrow, C., Routledge, EJ., Brighty, GC., Sumpter, JP. and Waldock, M., Identification of estrogenic chemicals in STW effluent. 1. Chemical fractionation and in vitro biological screening, Environmental Science and Technology 32 (11) : 1549- 1558
(1998) Routledge, EJ., Sheahan, D., Desbrow, C., Brighty, GC., Waldock, M. and Sumpter, JP., Identification of estrogenic chemicals in STW effluent. 2. In vivo responses in trout and roach, Environmental Science and Technology 32 (11) : 1559- 1565
(1998) Tyler, CR. and Routledge, EJ., Oestrogenic effects in fish in English rivers with evidence of their causation, PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY 70 (9) : 1795- 1804
(1998) Ramamoorthy, K., Wang, F., Chen, I-C., Safe, S., Norris, JD., McDonnell, DP., Gaido, KW., Bocchinfuso, WP., Korach, KS., Ashby, J., Lefevre, PA., Odum, J., Harris, CA., Routledge, EJ. and Sumpter, JP., Potency of combined estrogenic pesticides: Synergy between synthetic oestrogens?, Chemtracts 11 (4) : 306- 308
(1998) Routledge, EJ., Parker, J., Odum, J., Ashby, J. and Sumpter, JP., Some alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (parabens) are estrogenic, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 153 (1) : 12- 19
(1997) Odum, J., Lefevre, PA., Tittensor, S., Paton, D., Routledge, EJ., Beresford, NA., Sumpter, JP. and Ashby, J., The rodent uterotrophic assay: Critical protocol features, studies with nonyl phenols, and comparison with a yeast estrogenicity assay, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 25 (2) : 176- 188 Download publication
(1997) Routledge, EJ. and Sumpter, JP., Structural features of alkylphenolic chemicals associated with estrogenic activity, Journal of Biological Chemistry 272 (6) : 3280- 3288 Download publication
(1997) Ashby, J., Lefevre, PA., Odum, J., Harris, CA., Routledge, EJ. and Sumpter, JP., Synergy between synthetic oestrogens?, Nature 385 (6616) : 494- 494
(1996) Harries, JE., Sheahan, DA., Jobling, S., Matthiessen, P., Neall, P., Routledge, EJ., Rycroft, R., Sumpter, JP. and Tylor, T., A survey of estrogenic activity in United Kingdom inland waters, Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 15 (11) : 1993- 2002
(1996) Routledge, EJ. and Sumpter, JP., Estrogenic activity of surfactants and some of their degradation products assessed using a recombinant yeast screen, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15 (3) : 241- 248
(1995) Shore, RF., Myhill, DG., Routledge, EJ. and Wilby, A., Impact of an environmentally-realistic intake of cadmium on calcium, magnesium, and phosphate metabolism in bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 29 (2) : 180- 186
Conference Papers
(2003) Routledge, EJ., Identifying the causative agents: The use of combined chemical and biological strategies in monitoring programs, Symposium on Implications of Endocrine Active Substances for Humans and Wildlife, PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY (75) : 2461- 2466
