title: Integrating omic technologies into aquatic ecological risk assessment and environmental monitoring: hurdles, achievements, and future outlook.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this commentary we present the findings from an international consortium on fish toxicogenomics sponsored by the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (Fish Toxicogenomics-Moving into Regulation and Monitoring, held 21-23 April 2008 at the Pacific Environmental Science Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The consortium from government agencies, academia, and industry addressed three topics: progress in ecotoxicogenomics, regulatory perspectives on roadblocks for practical implementation of toxicogenomics into risk assessment, and dealing with variability in data sets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants noted that examples of successful application of omic technologies have been identified, but critical studies are needed to relate molecular changes to ecological adverse outcome. Participants made recommendations for the management of technical and biological variation. They also stressed the need for enhanced interdisciplinary training and communication as well as considerable investment into the generation and curation of appropriate reference omic data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The participants concluded that, although there are hurdles to pass on the road to regulatory acceptance, omics technologies are already useful for elucidating modes of action of toxicants and can contribute to the risk assessment process as part of a weight-of-evidence approach.
authors.affiliation: Environment Canada, Pacific Environmental Science Centre, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Graham
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authors.lastname: Van Aggelen
authors.forename: Gerald T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Ankley
authors.forename: William S
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authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Bearden
authors.forename: William H
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authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: J Kevin
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chipman
authors.forename: Tim W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Collette
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: Nancy D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Denslow
authors.forename: Michael R
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authors.lastname: Embry
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Falciani
authors.forename: Stephen G
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authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Caren C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Helbing
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.forename: Taisen
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authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.forename: Yoshi
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authors.lastname: Kagami
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Katsiadaki
authors.forename: Peter
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authors.lastname: Kille
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authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: Terry
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authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Anne
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authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Osachoff
authors.forename: Ed J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Eduarda M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Skirrow
authors.forename: Jason R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Snape
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Versteeg
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Viant
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Volz
authors.forename: Tim D
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authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Lorraine
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authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054750:Ecotoxicology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics; D007390:International Agencies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D043922:Toxicogenetics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence