Elena Wernicke von Siebenthal

• Doctor of Philosophy
• PostDoc Position at Bern University of Applied Sciences

The changing expressions of certain genes as a consequence of exposure to stressors has not been studied in detail in the fish brain. Therefore, a stress trial with zebrafish was conducted, aiming at identifying relevant gene regulation pathways in different regions of the brain. As acute stressors within this trial, feed rewarding, feed restrictio...

The study investigated various metrics involved in the substitution of fishmeal with a novel protein source derived from lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) larva meal (LMW) in the diets of aquaculture-emerging fish - European perch (Perca fluviatilis). Four isoprotein (50%), isolipid (14%), and isoenergy (21 MJ/kg) diets were formulated, in w...

Defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) (DHI) and poultry by-product meal (PBM) were used in tandem to substitute fishmeal in diets for European perch (Perca fluviatilis) in the current study. Four isoproteic (52%), isolipidic (14%), and isoenergetic (22 Mj/kg) diets (abbreviated diets: COM0, COM50, COM75, and COM100) were formulated, in whi...

Estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds (EEDCs), such as ethinylestradiol (EE2), are well studied for their impact on the reproductive system of fish. EEDCs may also impact the immune system and, as a consequence, the disease susceptibility of fish. It is currently not yet known whether the low concentrations of EEDCs that are able to disrupt the...

Freshwater fish are threatened by the cumulative impact of multiple stressors. The purpose of this study was to unravel the molecular and organism level reactions of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, to the combined impact of two such stressors that occur in the natural habitat of salmonids. Fish were infected with either the myxozoan parasite, T...

Organisms have evolved mechanisms to partition the available resources between fitness-relevant physiological functions. Organisms possess phenotypic plasticity to acclimate to changing environmental conditions. However, this comes at a cost that can cause negative correlations or “trade-offs”, whereby increasing investments in one function lead to...

Organisms have evolved mechanisms to partition the available resources between fitness-relevant physiological functions. Organisms possess phenotypic plasticity to acclimate to changing environmental conditions. However, this comes at a cost that can cause negative correlations or “trade-offs”, whereby increasing investments in one function lead to...

In nature, organisms are exposed to multiple stressors including biological, chemical and physical entities. Anthropogenic activities have far-reaching effects and have undoubtedly compounded the multiplicity of stressors affecting the planets ecosystems. The cumulative impact of such multiple stressors may result in nonlinear effects and ecologica...

Genomic actions of estrogens in vertebrates are exerted via two intracellular estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERα and ERβ, which show cell- and tissue-specific expression profiles. Mammalian immune cells express ERs and are responsive to estrogens. More recently, evidence became available that ERs are also present in the immune organs and cells of...