The work in Dr. McDonald’s Rosenstiel School Toadfish Lab is a mixture of whole animal physiology, molecular biology, endocrinology pharmacology, behavior, and toxicology. We use the Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta), a marine teleost, as a model organism to study a variety of topics because they are locally abundant and are hardy species that can tolerate various environmental stressors. Using a variety of experimental approaches and some of the unique qualities of toadfish, we study serotonin dynamics, stress physiology, chemical communication, and ammonia tolerance.
