Todd Gillis

My interest in biology derives from having spent most of my summers growing up in, or on, the waters surrounding Tobermory, Ontario. These interests led me to study marine biology at the University of Guelph where I became fascinated by the biochemical and physiological adaptations that allow animals to live under extreme environments. I completed an MSc with Dr. Jim Ballantyne at Guelph looking at temperature adaptation in gill mitochondrial membranes from Arctic and temperate marine bivalves. My PhD, with Dr. Glen Tibbits at Simon Fraser University, focused upon the mechanisms that enable cardiac function in vertebrates at low physiological temperatures. This work specifically focused on the structure-function relationships of a protein called troponin C. As a NSERC Post-Doctoral Fellow in the lab of Dr. Mike Regnier in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, I worked on a variety of projects looking at the thin filament regulatory proteins and their role in controlling cardiac contractility. Here at Guelph my research program is focused upon the vertebrate heart and the mechanisms that regulate its function.

• B.Sc. - Guelph 1994
• M.Sc. - Guelph 1996
• Ph.D. - Simon Fraser University 2002
• Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington 2002-2005

My research program utilizes a comparative approach to examine the cellular mechanisms underpinning cardiac function in vertebrates and how these can be modified to manipulate physiological capability. Specific questions being addressed include:

1. How has the regulation of muscle contraction evolved?
2. What are the molecular mechanisms underlying the remodeling capacity of the fish heart?
3. How does the hagfish heart keep working during prolonged periods of anoxia?
4. What are the consequences of bitumen exposure on the health and survival of Pacific salmon?

• Yutsyschyna, M. A., Sameer Al-Abdul-Wahid, M., Cox, G. K. & Gillis, T. E. (2026) Tissue specific metabolome responses of the liver, muscle and heart of the Pacific hagfish, (Eptatretus stoutii) to prolonged anoxia exposure. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B
• Long, R.B., Jacyniak, K., Williams, C., Shaftoe, J.B., Geddes-McAlister, J., Vickaryous, M.K., and Gillis,^, T.E. (2026) Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of the Cellular Response During Cardiac Regeneration in the Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius). BMC Genomics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-026-13322-5
• Manchester, E.A., Gillis, T.E. (2025) Integrated response of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) cardiovascular system to hypoxia acclimation Journal of Experimental Biology 228 (22) jeb251606 68)
• Gillis, T.E. (2025) A physiological model of cardiac fibrosis to maintain function in the Cold. Invited commentary Acta Physiologica 241 (6), e70050
• Calik, D.M., Lin, F., Edgar, M., Kennedy, C.J., Johnston^, E.F., Farrell^, A.P., Gillis, T.E., ^#Alderman^, S.L. (2025) Temperature matters: acute and latent toxicity of diluted bitumen to developing salmon is potentiated by a modest increase in water temperature. Aquatic Toxicology ^# co-senior authors
• Long, R.B., Bullingham, O.M.N., Baylis, B., Dutcher, J., Gillis, T.E., (2025) The influence of triiodothyronine on the immune response and extracellular matrix remodeling during zebrafish heart regeneration. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative
• Yutsyschyna, M.A., Shaftoe, J.B., and Gillis, T.E. (2024) Mitochondria from the systemic heart of Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii) are insensitive to one hour of anoxia followed by reoxygenation Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular
• Shaftoe, J.B., and Gillis, T.E. (2024) Effects of hemodynamic load on cardiac remodelling in fish and mammals the value of comparative models Journal of Experimental Biology 227 (20), jeb247836
• Shaftoe, J.S., Geddes-McAlister, J., and Gillis, T.E., (2024) The integrated cellular response of the zebrafish heart to thermal acclimation. Journal of Experimental Biology227 (20), jeb247522
• Shaftoe, J.S., Manchester, E.A., and Gillis, T.E. (2023) Cardiac remodeling caused by cold acclimation is reversible with rewarming in zebrafish (Danio rerio) Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 2023, 283:111466
• Johnston EF, Cadonic IG, Craig PM, Gillis TE. (2019) microRNA-29b knocks down collagen type I production in cultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cardiac fibroblasts. Journal of Experimental Biology, doi: 10.1242/jeb.202788. PMID: 31439649
• Ding Y, Lyons SA, Scott GR, Gillis TE. (2019) Characterizing the influence of chronic hypobaric hypoxia on diaphragmatic myofilament contractile function and phosphorylation in high-altitude deer mice and low-altitude white-footed mice.Journal of Comparative Physiology B. doi: 10.1007/s00360-019-01224-w. PMID: 31278612
• Alderman SL, Crossley DA 2nd, Elsey RM, Gillis TE. (2019) Hypoxia-induced reprogramming of the cardiac phenotype in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) revealed by quantitative proteomics. Scientific Reports. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45023-3. PMID:31197188
• Gatrell, L. A., Farhat, E., Pyle, W. G., & Gillis, T. E. (2019). Contractile function of the excised hagfish heart during anoxia exposure. Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology., doi: 10.1007/s00360-019-01208-w.
• Johnston, E. F., & Gillis, T. (2018). Transforming growth factor-β1 induces differentiation of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Journal of Experimental Biology, 221., doi: 10.1242/jeb.189167.
• Schorno, S., Gillis, T., & Fudge, D. (2018). Cellular mechanisms of slime gland refilling in Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii). Journal of Experimental Biology, 221.
• Alderman, S., Lin, F., Gillis, T., Farrell, A., & Kennedy, C. (2018). Developmental and latent effects of diluted bitumen exposure on early life stages of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Aquatic Toxicology.
• Schorno*, S., Gillis, T. E., & Fudge, D. S. (2018). Emptying and Refilling of Slime Glands in Atlantic (Myxine glutinosa) and Pacific (Eptatretus stoutii) Hagfishes. Journal of Experimental Biology., doi: PMID:29487153.
• Ojehomon*, M., Alderman, S., Sandu*, L., Sutcliffe*, S., Van Ray, T., Gillis, T., Dawson, J.F. (2018). Identification of the actc1c cardiac actin gene in zebrafish. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology.
• Avey*, S. R., Ojehomon*, M., Dawson, J. F., & Gillis, T. E. (2017). How the expression of green fluorescent protein and human cardiac actin in the heart influences cardiac function and aerobic performance in Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Journal of Fish Biology, 92 (1), 177-189, doi: 10.1111/jfb.13507
• Dindia, L., Alderman, S. L., & Gillis, T. E. (2017). Data for iTRAQ-based quantification of the cardiac proteome of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at rest and with exercise training. Data in Brief, 10, 32-36, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2017.05.016.
• Foster*, A. J., Arkell*, A. M., Platt*, M. J., Huber, J. S., Romanova, N., Wright, D.C., Gillis, T.E., Murrant, C.L., Brunt, K.R. and Simpson, J.A.C (2017). Central-acting therapeutics alleviate Eif2α-mediated respiratory weakness caused by heart failure-induced ventilatory overdrive. Science Translational Medicine
• Dindia, L., Alderman, S. L., & Gillis, T. (2017). Novel insights into cardiac remodeling revealed by proteomic analysis of the trout heart during exercise training. Journal of Proteomics.,
• Alderman, S. L., Dindia, L. A., Kennedy, C. J., Farrell, A. P., & Gillis, T. E. (2017). Proteomic analysis of sockeye salmon serum reveals biomarkers of diluted bitumen exposure and impaired swimming performance. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part D: Genomics and Proteomics.,
• Johnston*, E. F., & Gillis, T. E. (2017). Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) stimulates collagen deposition into the extracellular matrix of cultured rainbow trout cardiac fibroblasts. Journal of Experimental Biology., doi: 10.1242/jeb.160093.
• Keen, A., Klaiman J.M., Shiels, H.A and Gillis T.E. Temperature induced cardiac remodeling in ectotherms. INVITED REVIEW, Journal of Experimental Biology. (2016) doi: 10.1242/jeb.128496
• Sears, E.J. and Gillis T.E. A functional comparison of cardiac troponin C from representatives of three vertebrate taxa: linking phylogeny and protein function. Journal of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (B), (2016), doi: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2016.07.004.
• Alderman, S.L., Lin, F., Farrell, A.P., Kennedy, C. and Gillis T.E. Effects of diluted bitumen exposure on juvenile sockeye salmon: from cells to performance. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. (2016) doi: 10.1002/etc.3533.
• Gillis, T.E., Klaiman, J.M., Foster A, Platt MJ, *Huber JS, Corso MY, and Simpson J.A.C. Dissecting the role of the myofilament in diaphragm dysfunction during the development of heart failure in mice. American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Respiratory Physiology, 310, H572-H586 (2016)
• Gillis, T.E., Regan, M.D., Cox, G.K., Hartner, T.S., Brauner, C.J., Richards, J.G. Farrell A.P. Characterizing the influence of anoxia exposure on the isolated hagfish heart. Journal of Experimental Biology. 218: 3754-3761 (2015)
• Klaiman, J.M., Pyle, W.G. and Gillis, T.E. Cold acclimation increases cardiac myofilament function and ventricular pressure generation in trout. Journal of Experimental Biology 217, 4132-4140 (2014)
• Johnson, A.C., Turko, A.J., Klaiman, J.M., Johnston, E.F. and Gillis, T.E. Cold acclimation alters the connective tissue content of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) heart. Journal of Experimental Biology (2014).
• Pinto, N., Yang, F.C., Negishi, A., Rheinstadter, M.C., Gillis, T.E. and Fudge, D.S. Self-assembly enhances the strength of fibres made from vimentin intermediate filament proteins. Biomacromolecules 10; 15, 574-581 (2014)
• Johnston, E.F., Alderman, SL. and Gillis, T.E. Chronic hypoxia exposure of trout embryos alters swimming performance and cardiac gene expression in larvae. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 86, 567-575 (2013).
• Smith, G.S.T., Samborska, B., Hawley, S.P., Klaiman, J.M., Gillis, T.E., Jones, N., Boggs, J.M. and Harauz, G. Nuclear-localized 21.5-kDa myelin basic protein promotes oligodendrocyte proliferation and neurite outgrowth in co-culture unlike the plasma membrane-associated 18.5-kDa isoform. Journal of Neural Biology 91, 349-362. (2013)
• Negishi, A., Armstrong, C., Kreplak, L., Rheinstadter, M., Lim, L., Gillis, T.E. and Fudge, D.S. The production of fibers and films from solubilized hagfish slime thread proteins. Biomacromolecules 13, 3475-3482 (2012).
• Alderman, S.L., Klaiman, J.M., Deck, C.A. and Gillis, T.E. Effect of cold acclimation on troponin I isoform expression in striated muscle of rainbow trout. American Journal of Physiology 303, R168-R176. (2012)
• Gillis, T.E. Evolution of the regulatory control of the vertebrate heart; the role of the contractile proteins. Book chapter in Ontogeny and Phylogeny of the vertebrate heart. Springer, Tobias Wang Editor. (2012)
• Klaiman, J.M., Fenna, A.J., Shiels, H.A., Macri, J. and Gillis, T.E. Cardiac remodeling in fish: Strategies to maintain heart function during temperature change. Plos One 6(9): e24464. Epub (2011).
• Miller, S.C., Gillis, T.E. and Wright, P.A. The ontogeny of regulatory control of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) heart and how this is influenced by chronic hypoxia exposure Journal of Experimental Biology 214, 1989-1996 (2011).

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• BIOL*4010 - Adaptational Physiology
• ZOO*4910

• Derin Calik (co-supervised with Dr. S.A. Alderman)
• Jenna Drummond
• Rose Jones
• Nathan Monteiro (co-supervised with Dr. S.A. Alderman)
• Jared Shaftoe
• Sarah Shikaze
• Maria Yutsyschyna

• Pipelines Affect Health, Fitness of Salmon, Study Finds
• Hagfish Heart Offers Cardiovascular Health Insight: Study
• "Research to Warm Your Heart" article in At Guelph
• Biophysics Interdepartmental Group

• Jacquie Matsumoto

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Canada)
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans
• Great Lakes Fisheries Commission