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Headshot of Gwangseok 'Rex' Yoon

Gwangseok Rex Yoon, Ph.D.

he/him

Assistant Professor

Location

Girard Marine Science Center 214
Biddeford Campus

Dr. Yoon received a BSc in marine biology and aquaculture from Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea in which he studied about how a recirculating aquaculture system could influence metabolism and growth of fish. 

Then, he went to University of Manitoba in which he received MSc and PhD in biological sciences. During the graduate studies, he was involved in conservation aquaculture research of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), a federally endangered species in Canada. He investigated how temperature, dissolved oxygen and diet could influence energy and fatty acid metabolism of lake sturgeon. Dr. Yoon was closely working with the First nation peoples, Manitoba Hydro and the Government of Manitoba to develop rearing protocols that could effectively improve post-release survival rate and thus contribute to the sustainable repopulation of lake sturgeon in Manitoba.

Following the PhD program, he was working as a postdoctoral fellow at Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough investigating the effects of heat stress and ocean acidification on metabolism and locomotion of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).

Dr. Yoon joined UNE in August 2024 as an assistant professor and is now the leader of Conservation Physiology and Aquaculture Lab.

Credentials

Education

PhD
University of Manitoba
2022
MSc
University of Manitoba
2017
BSc
Pukyong National University
2012

Expertise

  • Aquaculture
  • Aquaculture technology
  • Biology
  • Conservation biology
  • Ecological aquaculture
  • Fisheries biology
  • Global change biology
  • Marine biology

Post-Doctoral Training

Centre for Environmental Research in the Anthropocene (CERA) Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough (2022-2024)

Research

Selected publications

Soor, D., Tigert, L.R., Khodikian, E., Bozai, A., Yoon, G.R., Porteus, C.S. (2024) Changes in gill neuroepithelial cells and morphology of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to hypoxia and simulated ocean acidification. J Comp Physiol B. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-024-01575-z
 
Belding, L.D., Thorstensen, M.J., Quijada‐Rodriguez, A.R., Bugg, W.S., Yoon, G.R., Loeppky, A.R., Allen, G.J.P., Schoen, A.N., Earhart, M.L., Brandt, C., Ali, J.L., Weihrauch, D., Jeffries, K.M., Anderson, W.G. (2024) Integrated organismal responses induced by projected levels of CO2 and temperature exposures in the early life stages of lake sturgeon. Molecular Ecology 33, e17432. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17432

 

Fehsenfeld, S., Yoon, G.R., Quijada-Rodriguez, A.R., Kandachi-Toujas, H., Calosi, P., Breton, S., Weihrauch, D. (2024) Metabolic and endocrine responses to short-term high pCO2 acclimation in the European green crab, Carcinus maenas. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. - A Mol. Integr. Physiol.

Yoon, G.R., Thorstensen, M., Bugg, W.S., Bouyoucos, I.A., Deslauriers, D., and Anderson, W.G. (2023) Comparison of metabolic rate between two genetically distinct populations of lake sturgeon. Ecology and Evolution 13(9) e10470. doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10470

Deslauriers, D., Yoon, G.R., McCllelan, K.J, Klassen, C.N and Anderson, W.G. (2023) Assessment of family-derived metabolic traits for the conservation of an ancient fish. Canadian Journal of Zoology doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0040

Bugg, W.S., Yoon, G.R., Shoen, A.N., Weinrauch, A.M., Jeffries, K.M., and Anderson, W.G. (2023) Elevatedtemperatures dampen the innate immune capacity of developing lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Journal of Experimental Biology jeb.245335. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.245335

Nash, N., Klymasz-swartz, A.K., Nash, M.T., Sachs, M., Yoon, G.R., and Weihrauch, D. (2022) Impact of heatwavesand environmental ammonia on energy metabolism, nitrogen excretion, and mRNA expression of related genes in the indicator model system Daphnia magna. Aquatic Toxicology 249: 106225. doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106225.

Yoon, G.R., Bugg, W.S., Fehrmann, F., Yushishen, M.E., Suh, M., Anderson, W.G. (2022) Long-term effects of temperature during early life on growth and fatty acid metabolism in age-0 Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Journal of Thermal Biology 105, 103210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103210

Yoon, G.R., Amjad, H., Weinrauch, A.M., Laluk, A., Suh, M., Anderson, W.G. (2022) Long-term effects of EPA andDHA enriched diets on digestive enzyme activity, aerobic scope, growth and survival in age-0 Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Aquaculture 552, 737972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2022.737972

Tripp, A., Allen, G.J.P., Quijada-Rodriguez, A.R., Yoon, G.R., Weihrauch, D. (2022) Effects of single and dual-stressor elevation of environmental temperature and PCO2 on metabolism and acid-base regulation in the Louisiana red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part A Mol. Integr. Physiol. 266, 111151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111151

Yoon, G.R., Laluk, A., Bouyoucos, I.A., Anderson, W.G. (2022) Effects of Dietary Shifts on Ontogenetic Development of Metabolic Rates in Age 0 Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Physiological Biochemical Zoology 95, 135–151. https://doi.org/10.1086/718211

Yoon, G.R., Groening, L., Klassen, C.N., Brandt, C., & Anderson, W.G. (2022) Long-term effects of temperature ongrowth, energy density, whole-body composition and aerobic scope of age-0 Lake sturgeon (A. fulvescens). Aquaculture, 737505. doi: 10.1016/ j.aquaculture.2021.737505

Yoon, G.R., Earhart, M., Wang, Y., Suh, M., & Anderson, W.G. (2021). Effects of temperature and food availabilityon liver fatty acid composition and plasma cortisol concentration in age-0 lake sturgeon: Support for homeoviscous adaptation. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. - A Mol. Integr. Physiol. 261, 111056. doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.111056

Yoon, G. R., Bjornson, F., Deslauriers, D., & Anderson, W. G. (2021). Comparison of Methods to Quantify Metabolic Rate and Its Relationship with Activity in Larval Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens. Journal of Fish Biology 99, 73-86. doi: 10.1111/jfb.14700

Bugg W.S., G.R. Yoon, C. Brandt, M.L. Earhart, W.G. Anderson, & K.M. Jeffries. (2021). The effects of populationand thermal acclimation on the growth, condition, and cold responsive mRNA expression of age‐0 lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Journal of Fish Biology doi:10.1111/jfb.14897

Yoon, G. R., Deslariers, D., & Anderson, W. G. (2020). Influence of Prey Condition and Incubation Method on Mortality, Growth and Metabolic Rate during Early Life History in Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens. J. App. Ichthy., 36, 759-767.

Bugg, W. S., Yoon, G. R., Schoen, A. N., Laluk, A., Brandt, C., Anderson, W. G., & Jeffries, K. M. (2020). Effects ofAcclimation Temperature on the Thermal Physiology in Two Geographically Distinct Populations of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Cons. Phys. 08, 1–19.

Yusishen, M. E., Yoon, G. R., Bugg, W., Jeffries, K. M., Currie, S., & Anderson, W. G. (2020). Love Thy Neighbor:Social Buffering Following Exposure to an Acute Thermal Stressor in a Gregarious Fish, the Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. - A Mol. Integr. Physiol. 243, 110686.

Klymasz-Swartz, A.K., Allen, G.J.P., Treberg, J.R., Yoon, G.R., Tripp, A., Quijada-Rodriguez, A.R., & Weihrauch, D. (2019). Impact of climate change on the American lobster (Homarus americanus): Physiological responses tocombined exposure of elevated temperature and pCO2. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part A Mol. Integr. Physiol. 235, 202–210. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.06.005.

Yoon, G. R., Deslauriers, D., & Anderson, W. G. (2019). Influence of a Dynamic Rearing Environment on Development of Metabolic Phenotypes in Age-0 Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens. Cons. Phys. 7, 1–14.

Yoon, G.R., Deslauriers D., Enders E.C., Treberg J.R., & Anderson W.G. (2019). Effects of Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen and Substrate on the Development of Metabolic Phenotypes in age-0 Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens:Implications for Overwintering Survival. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. doi:doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2018-0399.

Deslauriers D., Yoon G.R., Earhart M.L., Long C., Klassen C.N., & Anderson W.G. (2018) Over-wintering physiology of age-0 lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) and its implications for conservation stocking programs. Environ. Biol. Fishes. doi:10.1007/s10641-018-0724-4

Research topics

Aquaculture and Aquarium Sciences
Biogeochemistry
Climate Change
Developmental Biology
Fisheries Ecosystems