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Smits, Judit E.G.
Associate Professor On Leave
Office Location: 1644 WCVM
Phone: 966-7445
Fax: 966-7439
Email: judit.smits@usask.ca
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DVM, MVetSc, PhD
Teaching
I teach a senior, undergraduate course to toxicology majors, Systemic Toxicology TOX 402.3. On a biannual schedule, I offer a graduate course to veterinary and toxicology grad students in Toxicologic Pathology VT PA 841.3 in which we study the pathology associated with pharmacological and environmental contaminant-related toxicities. I co-instruct the Ecosystem Health Elective VT PA 580 which rotates among the Canadian veterinary colleges as home base. I lead the 2006 rotation for WCVM, which took place in the Northwest Territories after beginning up stream at the massive Oil Sands operations in northern Alberta. We investigated impacts of that industry and other environmental disturbances on the health of downstream communities and ecosystems into the NWT. The course enhances the students' understanding of environmental issues related to industrial activity, modern farming practices, exploitation of natural resources, and the effects of these activities on domestic animal and wildlife health. The role of the veterinarian in assessment, management, and initiating solutions of ecosystem health problems is discussed using primarily field-based, problem solving exercises.
Research Activities
My research interests range from environmental contamination and other anthropogenic disturbances, to factors affecting the conservation of wildlife and ecosystems. The majority of my research has involved birds including passerines, waterfowl and gulls, storks, vultures and raptors. Other classes of vertebrates with which I work are amphibians and carnivores.
Much of my research occurs through graduate students. It spans wide geographic areas, including numerous sites across Canada, Spain, Argentina and South Africa. On the Oil Sands of northern Alberta, I am investigating the toxicity of petrochemical contaminants on the health of falcons, tree swallows, and amphibians. We are investigating inhalation exposure to air borne toxicants such as benzene and toluene, on the immune and endocrine systems of American kestrels, and together with colleagues from McGill and the Canadian Wildlife Services we are studying health impacts of dietary exposure to brominated flame-retardants in kestrels.
On Canada's west coast, we are studying the disease ecology of wolves and sympatric dogs in remote areas of coastal B.C.
In southwestern Spain, I study deformities in White storks associated with a large mine tailings spill. On the Canary Islands, we are working with a pox virus epidemic in desert birds which we believe is associated with environmental degradation. Studies in Argentina and South Africa are dealing with Olrug’s gulls and African White backed vultures, respectively.
Selected Recent Publications
Bolded names (apart from mine) are graduate students and postdoctoral fellows
Z. Papp, J.E. Smits. 2007. Validation and Novel Applications of the Whole Blood Chemiluminescence Assay of Innate Immune Function in Wild Vertebrates and Domestic Chickens. Journal of Wildlife Diseases (in press June 2007)
Judit E. Smits, Gary R. Bortolotti, Raquel Baos, Roger Jovani, Jose L. Tella, and Walter E. Hoffmann, 2006. Disrupted Bone Metabolism in Contaminant-exposed White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) in Southwestern Spain.. Environmental Pollution 145: 538-544.
J.E. Smits, 2007. Are We Enlightened About the Immunocompetence of a Severely Inbred Population of New Zealand Robins? Challenges Inherent in Studies Using Immunological Endpoints. Animal Conservation, 10: 14-16.
M-L Gentes, C. Waldner, Z. Papp, and J. Smits, 2006. Effects of Oil Sands Tailing Compounds and Harsh Weather on Mortality Rates, Growth and Detoxification Effort in Nestling Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Environmental Pollution, 142: 24-33
S.A. Fisher, G.R. Bortolotti, K.J. Fernie, D.M. Bird, and J.E. Smits, 2006. Behavioral Variation and Its Consequences During Incubation for American Kestrels Exposed to PCBs. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 63: 226-235.
J.E.G. Smits, G.R. Bortolotti, M. Sebastian, and J.J.H. Ciborowski, 2005. Spatial, Temporal, and Dietary Determinants of Organic Contaminants in Nestling Tree Swallows in Point Pelee National Park, Ontario, Canada. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24: 3159-3165.
Z. Papp, G.R. Bortolotti, and J.E.G. Smits, 2005. Organochlorine Contamination and Physiological Responses in Nestling Tree Swallows in Point Pelee National Park, Canada. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 49: 563-568.
J.E. Smits, G.R. Bortolotti, R. Baos, J. Blas, F. Hiraldo, and Q. Xie, 2005. Skeletal Pathology in White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) Associated with Heavy Metal Contamination in Spain. Toxicologic Pathology, 33: 441-448.
J.E. Smits, J. L. Tella, M. Carrete, D. Serrano, and G. López, 2005. An Epizootic of Avian Pox in Endemic Short-toed Larks (Calandrella rufescens) and Berthelot’s Pipits (Anthus berthelotti) in the Canary Islands, Spain. Veterinary Pathology, 42(1): 59-65.
Judit E.G. Smits and Raquel Baos, 2005. Evaluation of the Antibody Mediated Immune Response in Nestling American Kestrels (Falco sparverius). Developmental and Comparative Immunology, 29: 161-170.
Anne Fairbrother, Judit Smits, and Keith A. Grasman, 2004. Avian Immunotoxicology. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 7: 105-137.
David Waltner-Toews, John A. Van Leeuwen, Bruce Hunter, Norman Larivičre, Denise Bélangėr, and Judit Smits, August 2004. Four Veterinary Colleges and a Common Vision: Ecosystem Health in Canadian Veterinary Colleges. EcoHealth, 1(1): 56-62.
Kirsty E. Gurney, Tony D. Williams, Judit E. Smits, Mark Wayland, Suzanne Trudeau, and Leah I. Bendell-Young, 2005. Impact of Oil-Sands Based Wetlands on the Growth of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Ducklings. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24(2): 457-463.
Jennifer M.W. Froese, Judit E.G. Smits, and Mark L. Wickstrom, 2005. Evaluation of Two Methods for Measuring Nonspecific Immunity in Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 41(1): 209-217.
Judit E.G. Smits, Gary R. Bortolotti, Raquel Baos, Julio Blas, Fernando Hiraldo, and Qianle Xie, June 2005. Skeletal Pathology in White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) Associated with Heavy Metal Contamination in Southwestern Spain. Toxicologic Pathology, 33: 441-448.
Helen Tryphonas, Michel Fournier, Barry R. Blakley, Judit E. Smits, and P. Brousseau (editors), 2005. Investigative Immunotoxicology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, pp450 (Book).
Louise A. Rollins-Smith and Judit E. Smits, 2005. Amphibians Models and Approaches to Immunotoxicology. In: H. Tryphonas, M. Fournier, B. Blakley, J. Smits and P. Brousseau (editors), Investigative Immunotoxicology, Chapter 6: 77-90.
Judit Smits and David Janz, 2005. Immunotoxicology in Terrestrial Wildlife. In: H. Tryphonas, M. Fournier, B. Blakley, J. Smits, and P. Brousseau (editors), 2005. Investigative Immunotoxicology, Chapter 9: 129-146.
Harri Salo, Claire Dautremepuits, Judit Smits, Pauline Brousseau, and Michel Fournier, 2005. Immune Markers in Ecotoxicology: A Comparison Across Species. In: H. Tryphonas, M. Fournier, B. Blakley, J. Smits and P. Brousseau (editors), 2005. Investigative Immunotoxicology, Chapter 10: 147-162.
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