Dr Alice Baynes

I have always had a strong interest in aquatic biology and ecology. Whilst studying for my first degree, in marine biology, my interest began to focus on anthropogenic stressors to animals living within the aquatic environment. These interests lead me to my undergraduate research projects, which involved measuring toxicity and stress responses in two marine invertebrates. It was during these research projects I became aware of the more subtle effects, on an animal’s physiology and behaviour, which pollutants (and man-made perturbations of the environment) can have. It was whilst I was an undergraduate and during my time working for the Environment Agency that I became especially interested in ecotoxicology and endocrine disruption in wildlife. My initial interest in endocrine disruption has mainly related to aquatic wildlife. However, in recent years I have also become interested in the similarities found between wildlife and human health issues.

Qualifications

• 2004-2009: PhD, Brunel University, Thesis title: 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.
• 1998-2002: BSc Hons. (2:1) Marine Biology, University of Hull. Final year dissertation title: 96hr toxicity test of BP saltend total effluent on the estuarine ragworm Neris diversicolor. Final year field project title: Measuring ammonia excretion of the green shore crab Carcinus maenas at various salinities, as an indicator of stress.

Career

• Nov 2009 - Present: Post-doc Research Assistant, IFE, Brunel University.
• Nov 2008 - Nov 2009: Research Assistant, IFE, Brunel University.
• Aug 2004 - Oct 2009: PhD student, IFE, Brunel University.
• Apr 2002 - Jul 2004: Fisheries Scientist, NFL, Environment Agency.

Research Interests

Research Activity

I have been working in the field of endocrine disruption under the supervision of Dr Susan Jobling and Dr Edwin Routledge at Brunel University since 2004.

Research funded by DEFRA

My PhD research was into the possible effects of steroid and non-steroid estrogens on the sexual development and reproductive output in two UK native freshwater gastropods. My work focused on exposing aquatic snails to environmentally relevant mixtures of estrogenic chemicals, known to be in UK treated sewage effluents (TSE) and rivers, in a series of outdoor mesocosms during periods of reproductive activity and development

Research funded by Severn Trent water plc

Recent evidence suggests there is widespread anti-androgenic activity in UK treated sewage effluents. This project involves the use of the recombinant yeast screen to determine anti-androgenic activity of TSE and Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) to determine possible candidate chemicals which cause this observed anti-androgenic activity. The TIE is being conducted in collaboration with Severn Trent Laboratories. Finally, impacts on wildlife are being assessed by investigating the possibility that these environmental anti-androgens could also be drivers of intersex induction in fish.

Research funded by NC3R’s

I am currently working on a project funded by the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3R’s). This project is in collaboration with Dr Catherine Jones and Dr Leslie Noble, at the University of Aberdeen. The aim of this project is to develop a reproductive toxicity test based on the snail response to androgens and anti-androgens, which could be used as a replacement for the Hershberger assay in rats. The Hershberger assay is the current gold standard pre-clinical test used in the development of drugs to treat hormone-dependent male cancers.

Publications

Journal Papers

(2012) Baynes, A., Green, C., Nicol, E., Beresford, N., Kanda, R., Henshaw, A., Churchley, J. and Jobling, S., Additional treatment of wastewater reduces endocrine disruption in wild fish--a comparative study of tertiary and advanced treatments., Environ Sci Technol 46 (10) : 5565- 5573 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

Publications

Benstead, R.S., Baynes, A., Casey, D., Routledge, E.J., Jobling, S. 2011. ’17-beta-Oestradiol may prolong reproduction in seasonally breeding freshwater gastropod mollusc’, Aquatic Toxicology, vol. 101, no. 2, pp. 326-334.

Conference abstracts

Kaur, S., Baynes, A., Lockyer, A.E., Jones, C.S., Noble, L.N., Routledge, E.J., Jobling, S. 2011. ‘Of molluscs, mice and men: could snails be surrogates for mammals in the rodent Hershberger assay?’ Poster presentation. NC3Rs London, UK.

Baynes, A., Green, C., Nicol, E., Beresford, N., Kanda, R., Henshaw, A.J., Churchley, J.H., Jobling, S. 2011. ‘Do we need expensive tertiary treatment of waste waters to prevent feminization of wild fish?’. Poster presentation. SETAC London, UK.

Baynes, A., Kanda, R., Churchley, J.H., Franklin, O., Jobling, S. 2010. ‘Wastewater analysis may provide chemical causes of endocrine disruption’. Poster presentation. Gordon Conference; Environmental Endocrine Disruptors. Les Diablerets, Switzerland.

Baynes, A., Routledge, E.J., Oehlmann, J., Watermann, B., Jobling, S. 2009. ‘Testicular and Ovarian Dysgenesis in freshwater Molluscs exposed to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals’. Poster presentation. 5th Copenhagen Workshop on Endocrine Disruption. Copenhagen, Denmark.

Baynes, A., Benstead, R.S., Routledge, E.J., Jobling, S. 2008. Exposure of freshwater gastropod molluscs to environmentally relevant mixtures of oestrogenic chemicals: A life-cycle study.’ Platform presentation. 5th SETAC World Congress. Sydney, Australia.