Saydur Rahman, M.D, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Campus: Brownsville
Office: LHSB 2.812
Lab: LHSB 2.924
Email: md.rahman@utrgv.edu
Education
2001 Ph.D. Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Japan 1998 M.Sc. Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Japan
1992 M.Sc. Fisheries Biology and Limnology, Bangladesh Agricultural University
1989 B.Sc. Fisheries (Honors), Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University
Courses
BIOL‐1406 General Biology‐I BIOL‐4316 Environmental Toxicology BIOL‐4404 Ichthyology
BIOL‐5404 Advanced Ichthyology
BIOL‐5316 Advanced Environmental Toxicology MARS‐3430 Marine Field Methods
MARS‐4301 Marine Science Communication EEMS‐6340 Adaptations to Aquatic Environments
Areas of Interest
Environmental toxicology, molecular endocrinology, stress physiology, epigenetics, environmental DNA
Research Interests
One of the most significant impacts of global climate changes due to human activities over the past decades has been increased worldwide in the incidence of coastal hypoxia (dissolved oxygen <2.0 mg/L) and environmental contaminants. The coastal region of the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM) is one of
the largest petroleum‐producing regions in the United States and the second‐largest hypoxic ‘dead’ zone in the world, affecting an average area of 16,700 km2 during the summer months. However, the long‐ term impacts of the extensive hypoxia on nGOM ecosystems and fisheries cannot be accurately predicted at present due to an incomplete understanding of the effects of hypoxia on individual‐level processes that can affect population abundances such as reproduction, growth, and development.
Moreover, the interactive effects of hypoxia/temperature (due to climate change), hypoxia/salinity (due to large freshwater diversions), temperature/pesticides, and hypoxia/ocean acidification, and migration on these critical functions are unknown. The exposure of motile animals such as fish and shellfish to these hypoxic waters and the long‐term effects of multiple environmental stressors on molecular, physiological, and epigenomic responses are largely unknown. An understanding of the interactive effects of these environmental stressors on coastal fish and shellfish will be required in order to make accurate predictions of the ecosystem impacts.
Research Topics (last 10 years):
Effects of environmental pollutants (pesticides, PCB, TBT) on endocrine functions in fish and shellfish Effects of environmental hypoxia on growth, reproduction, and neuroendocrine functions in fish Molecular and physiological responses of brown shrimp exposed to environmental hypoxia Hypoxia‐induced global DNA methylation in marine fish and shellfish species
Environmental DNA (eDNA) in terrestrial and aquatic animals
Recent Publications:
- Rishan, S.T., R.J. Kline, and S. Rahman, 2023. Applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect subterranean and aquatic invasive species: A critical review on the challenges and limitations of eDNA metabarcoding. Environmental Advances, 100370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envadv.2023.100370
- Lacy, B., M. Rivera, L. Flores, and S. Rahman. 2023. Combined effects of high temperature and pesticide mixture exposure on free‐swimming behaviors and hepatic cytochrome P450 1A expression in goldfish, Carassius auratus. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A. 86 (5), 144‐
- https://doi.org/10.1080/15287394.2023.2174463.
- Morales‐Zamudio, L., A. Fierro‐Cabo, S. Rahman, and M.A. Dominguez‐Crespo. 2023. Metal contents in house geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from industrial and urban areas of southern Tamaulipas, Mexico and western Andalucía, Spain, may reflect airborne metal pollution. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A. 86 (4), 103‐118. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287394.2023.2170941
- Dash, M, and S. Rahman. 2023. Molecular and biochemical responses to tributyltin (TBT) exposure in the American oyster: Triggers of stress‐induced oxidative DNA damage and prooxidant‐antioxidant imbalance in tissues by TBT. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology, 264, 109523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2022.109523
- Lacy, , and M.S. Rahman. 2022. Interactive effects of high temperature and pesticide exposure on oxidative status, apoptosis, and renin expression in kidney of goldfish: Molecular and cellular mechanisms of widespread kidney damage and renin attenuation. Journal of Applied
Toxicology, 42(11), 1787‐1806. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4357
- Lacy, , M.S. Rahman, and Rahman, M.S. 2022. Potential mechanisms of Na+/K+‐ATPase attenuation by heat and pesticides co‐exposure in goldfish: role of cellular apoptosis, oxidative/nitrative stress, and antioxidants in gills. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1‐19. 9:57376‐57394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356‐022‐19779‐7
- Wang, D.H., Z. Wang, X. Li, S. Martinez, G. James, S. Rahman, and J.T. Brenna. 2022. Unusual polymethylene‐interrupted, Δ5 monounsaturated and omega‐3 fatty acids in sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) from the Gulf of Mexico identified by solvent mediated covalent adduct chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Food Chemistry 371, 131131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131131
- Ruppert, K.M., D.R. Davis, S. Rahman, R.J. Kline. 2022. Development and assessment of an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay for a cryptic Siren (Amphibia: Sirenidae). Environmental Advances, 7, 100163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envadv.2021.100163
- Hernandez, E, O.A. Vázquez, A. Torruco, and S. Rahman. 2022. Histological evidence of lunar reproductive rhythm of Atlantic sea urchin Arbacia punctulata (Echinodermata: Arbaciidae) in the Gulf of Mexico. Biological Rhythm Research, 53 (3): 455‐467. https://doi.org/10.1080/09291016.2020.1758418
- Billah, M.M., and S. Rahman. 2022. Impacts of anthropogenic contaminants and elevated temperature on prevalence and proliferation of Escherichia coli in the wild‐caught American oyster, Crassostrea virginica in the southern Gulf of Mexico coast. Marine Biology Research 17, (9‐10): 775‐ 793. (corresponding author). https://doi.org/10.1080/17451000.2022.2053161
- Rahman, M.S., and S. Rahman. 2021. Elevated seasonal temperature disrupts prooxidant‐ antioxidant homeostasis and promotes cellular apoptosis in the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the Gulf of Mexico: A field study. Cell Stress and Chaperones 26, 917‐936. (corresponding author). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12192‐021‐01232‐2
- Rahman, M.S., and Thomas. 2021. Molecular Characterization and Expression of Cytochrome P450 Aromatase in Atlantic Croaker Brain: Regulation by Antioxidant Status and Nitric Oxide Synthase During Hypoxia Stress. Frontiers of Physiology 12:720200. http://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.720200
- DuBois, , B. Lacy, A.F. Rahman, and M.S. Rahman. 2021. Elevated CYP1A expression detected in pinfish collected from coastal lagoon in the southern Texas Gulf coast: Indicative of exposure to microplastics or pollutants? Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 28, 32066‐32073. (corresponding author). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356‐021‐14351‐1
- Vázquez, O.A., and S. Rahman. 2021. An ecological approach to microplastics on terrestrial and aquatic organisms: A systematic review in assessment, monitoring and biological impact.
Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. 84, 103615. (corresponding author). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2021.103615
- Rahman, M.S., and S. Rahman. 2021. Effects of elevated temperature on prooxidant‐antioxidant homeostasis and redox status in the American oyster: Signaling pathways of cellular apoptosis during heat stress. Environmental Research, 196, 110428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110428
- Hernandez, E, A. Vázquez, A. Torruco, and M.S. Rahman. 2019. Reproductive cycle and gonadal development of Atlantic sea urchin Arbacia punctulata in the Gulf of Mexico: changes in nutritive‐ phagocytes in relation to gamatogenesis. Marine Biology Research, 16, 177‐194. https://doi.org/10.1080/17451000.2020.1731758
- Rahman, M.S., J. Kline, O.A. Vázquez, I.A. Khan, P. Thomas. 2020. Molecular characterization and expression of arginine vasotocin V1a2 receptor in Atlantic croaker brain: potential mechanisms of its downregulation by PCB77. Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology, e22500, 1‐
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jbt.22500
- Nash, S., and S. Rahman. 2019. Short‐term heat stress impairs testicular functions in the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica: molecular mechanisms and induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis in spermatogenic cells. Molecular Reproduction & Development 86:1444‐1458. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.23268
- Ruppert, , R. Kline, and M.S. Rahman. 2019. Past, present, and future perspective of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding: A systematic review in methods, monitoring, and applications of global eDNA. Global Ecology and Conservation. 17: e00547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00547
- Faulkner, C., D. Hala, M.S. Rahman, and L.H. Petersen. 2019. Short‐term exposure to 12‰ brackish water has significant effects on the endocrine physiology of juvenile American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A 236:110531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.110531
- Rahman, M.S., and P. Thomas. 2019. Molecular cloning and characterization of two ARNT (ARNT‐1 and ARNT‐2) genes in Atlantic croaker and their expression during coexposure to hypoxia and Environmental Toxicology 34(2): 160‐171.https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.22670
- Johnstone, J., Nash, S., Hernandez, E., and S. Rahman. 2019. Effects of elevated temperature on gonadal functions, cellular apoptosis, and oxidative stress in Atlantic sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata. Marine Environmental Research 149: 40‐49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.05.017
- Nash, , J. Johnstone, and M.S. Rahman. 2019. Elevated temperature attenuates ovarian functions and induces apoptosis and oxidative stress in the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica: potential mechanisms and signaling pathways. Cell Stress and Chaperones 24: 957‐967. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12192‐019‐01023‐w