Christian Tudorache
Assistant professor
- Name
- Dr. C. Tudorache
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 4759
- c.tudorache@biology.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-6208-9608
I am interested in coping with stress, on both the behavioral and the physiological level of biological function. I am predominantly working with zebrafish, but also other species in the field. My approach is multi-disciplinary and integrative, including molecular biology, morphology, biomechanics and toxicology.
More information about Christian Tudorache
PhD Candidates
News
Research
My research focuses on physiological mechanisms and interactions underlying stress and behavioural responses to stressors. Since the study of stress is multi-disciplinary and integrative, my research combines physiology, behaviour, and molecular biology, but also includes morphology, biomechanics and toxicology.
Stress (eco)physiology and toxicology
During long-term swimming, fish are exposed to a variety of environmental stressors. In order to study the energetics of active swimming, I develop new, environmentally relevant approaches, combining classical and novel research methodologies such as respirometry, fitness tests, volitional swimming behaviour and kinematics. In this light, I use (neuro)behavioural and biomechanical methods to split aerobically and anaerobically powered swimming modes as affected by ammonia toxicity, and define chemical and biological, not only physical, obstructions for free migration in the filed.
Stress coping styles
Recently, variations in stress coping styles became a widespread research topic, relevant for a variety of fields. Although not always examined together, molecular biology, physiology and behaviour are almost always interwoven and interact with each other. The application of personalities in medical issues, including personalised medicine, susceptibility to and heritability of various diseases, is a promising new field of research. Zebrafish are an upcoming model in this new field of stress research.
I use swimming kinematics to detect and characterize the behavioural stress response during volitional activity in zebrafish larvae and a combination of molecular and behavioural techniques to elicit the temporal aspects of the physiological stress response in adult zebrafish. Classic and newly developed methods for my research on swimming physiology cover: respirometry, locomotion kinematics and behavioural methods. Answering questions related to epigenetic and adaptation mechanisms, this research branch finds applications in medical biology, animal welfare and environmental health issues, including personality disorders, toxicology and global change.
Key publications
Brun, N.R., van Hage, P., Hunting, E.R. ... Tudorache, C. Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt glucose metabolism and cortisol levels with a possible link to behavioural changes in larval zebrafish. Commun Biol 2, 382 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0629-6
Tudorache, C., Slabbekoorn, H., Robbers, Y. et al. Biological clock function is linked to proactive and reactive personality types. BMC Biol 16, 148 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-018-0618-0
Tudorache, C., Schaaf M., Slabbekoorn H. Covariation between behaviour and physiology indicators of coping style in zebrafish (Danio rerio). 2013 Oct 28;219(3):251–8.
Education
My teaching is mainly focused on innovative methods such as adaptive learning, flipping the class room and problem-based learning. See the overview page for courses I am involved in.
Brief Biography
- 2017 – present: Assistant professor
- 2014- 2017: Postdoctoral fellow (IBL), Leiden University, The Netherlands. Collaborators: Dr. Marcel Schaaf, Dr. Hans Slabbekoorn
- 2010-2014: Postdoctoral fellow (VENI), Leiden University, The Netherlands. Supervisors: Dr. Guido van den Thillart, Prof. Dr. Herman Spaink
- 2009-2010: Consultant, Ecological Engineering Antea Group, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- 2008-2009: Postdoctoral fellow (Hydro Manitoba), University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Tillmann Benfey
- 2004-2008: PhD student, Antwerp University, Belgium. Promotor: Prof. Dr. Ronny Blust, Co-promotor: Prof. Dr. Gudrun de Boeck
Assistant professor
- Science
- Instituut Biologie Leiden
- IBL Animal Sciences
- Velde K. te, Mairo A., Peeters E.T.H.M., Winter H.V., Tudorache C. & Slabbekoorn H. (2024), Natural soundscapes of lowland river habitats and the potential threat of urban noise pollution to migratory fish, Environmental Pollution 359: 124517.
- Lelieveld L.T., Gerhardt S., Maas S., Zwiers K.C., Wit C. de, Beijk E.H., Guimaraes Da Lomba Ferraz M.J., Artola Perez de Azanza M.E., Meijer A.H., Tudorache C., Salvatori D., Boot R.G. & Aerts J.M.F.G. (2022), Consequences of excessive glucosylsphingosine in glucocerebrosidase-deficient zebrafish, Journal of Lipid Research 63(5): 100199.
- Rock S., Rodenburg F.J., Schaaf M.J.M. & Tudorache C. (2022), Detailed analysis of zebrafish larval behaviour in the light dark challenge assay shows that diel hatching time determines individual variation, Frontiers in Physiology 13: 827282.
- Midttun H.L.E., Øverli Ø., Tudorache C. & Mayer I. Johansen I.B. (2022), Non-invasive sampling of water-borne hormones demonstrates individual consistency of the cortisol response to stress in laboratory zebrafish (Danio rerio), Scientific Reports 12: 6278.
- Serra I., Stravs A., Osório C., Oyaga M.R., Schonewille M., Tudorache C. & Badura A. (2022), Tsc1 haploinsufficiency leads to Pax2 dysregulation in the developing murine cerebellum, Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 15: 831687.
- Davis R., Luchtenburg F., Richardson M.K., Schaaf M.J.M., Tudorache C. & Slabbekoorn H.W. (2021), The importance of individual variation for the interpretation of behavioural studies: ethanol effects vary with basal activity level in zebrafish larvae, Psychopharmacology 238: 3155-3166.
- Jaikumar G., Slabbekoorn H.W., Sireeni J., Schaaf M.J.M. & Tudorache C. (2020), The role of the glucocorticoid receptor in the regulation of diel rhythmicity, Physiology and Behavior 223: 112991.
- Sireeni J., Bakker N., Jaikumar G., Obdam D., Slabbekoorn H.W., Tudorache C. & Schaaf M.J.M. (2020), Profound effects of glucocorticoid resistance on anxiety-related behavior in zebrafish adults but not in larvae, General and Comparative Endocrinology 292: 113461.
- Brun N.R., Hage P. van, Hunting E.R., Haramis A.-P.G., Vink S.C., Vijver M.G., Schaaf M.J.M. & Tudorache C. (2019), Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt glucose metabolism and cortisol levels with a possible link to behavioural changes in larval zebrafish, Communications Biology 2: 382.
- Tudorache C., Slabbekoorn H.W., Robbers Y., Hin E., Meijer A.H., Spaink H.P. & Schaaf M.J.M. (2018), Biological clock function is linked to proactive and reactive personality types, BMC Biology 16: 148.
- Amin B., Slabbekoorn H., Schaaf M.J.M. & Tudorache C. (2016), "Early birds" take it easy: diurnal timing is correlated with overall level in activity of zebrafish larvae, Behaviour 153(13-14): 1745-1762.
- Metcalfe J.D., Wrigh S., Tudorache C. & Wilson R.P. (2016), Recent advances in telemetry for estimating the energy metabolism of wild fishes, Journal of Fish Biology 88(1): 284–297.
- Lennox R.J., Chapman J.M., Souliere C.M., Tudorache C., Wikelski M., Metcalfe J.D. & Cooke S.J. (2016), Conservation physiology of animal migration, Conservation Physiology 4(1): cov072.
- Tudorache C., Braake A. ter, Tromp M., Slabbekoorn H.W. & Schaaf M.J.M. (2015), Behavioral and physiological indicators of stress coping styles in larval zebrafish, Stress 18(1): 121-128.
- Tudorache C., Burgerhout E., Brittijn S. & Thillart G. van den (2015), Comparison of swimming capacity and energetics of migratory European eel (Anguilla anguilla) and New Zealand short-finned eel (A-australis), Frontiers in Physiology 6: 256.
- Trancart T., Tudorache C., Thillart G.E.E.J.M. van den, Acou A., Carpentier A., Boinet C., Gouchet G. & Feunteun E. (2015), The effect of thermal shock during diel vertical migration on the energy required for oceanic migration of the European silver eel, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 463: 168-172.
- Neo Y.Y., Parie L., Bakker F., Snelderwaard P.C., Tudorache C., Schaaf M.J.M. & Slabbekoorn H.W. (2015), Behavioral changes in response to sound exposure and no spatial avoidance of noisy conditions in captive zebrafish, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 9: 28.
- Tudorache C., Burgerhout E., Brittijn S.A. & Thillart G.E.E.J.M. van den (2015), The Effect of Drag and Attachment Site of External Tags on Swimming Eels: Experimental Quantification and Evaluation Tool, PLoS ONE 9(11): e112280.
- Tudorache C, Ter Braake A, Tromp M, Slabbekoorn H & Schaaf MJ. (2014), Behavioural and physiological indicators of stress coping styles in larval zebrafish, Stress 19(Nov): 1-23.
- Tudorache C., Schaaf M.J.M. & Slabbekoorn H.W. (2013), Covariation between behaviour and physiology indicators of coping style in zebrafish (Danio rerio), Journal of Endocrinology 219(3): 251-258.
- Burgerhout E., Tudorache C., Brittijn S.A., Palstra A.P., Dirks R.P. & Thillart G.E.E.J.M. van den (2013), Schooling reduces energy consumption in swimming male European eels, Anguilla anguilla L, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 448: 66-71.
- Burgerhout E., Brittijn S.A., Tudorache C., Wijze D.L. de, Dirks R.P.H. & Thillart G.E.E.J.M. van den (2013), Male European eels are highly efficient long distance swimmers: Effects of endurance swimming on maturation, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. A. Molecular Integrative Physiology 166(3): 522-527.
- Tudorache C., Gudrun de Boeck G. de & Claireaux G. (2013), Forced and Preferred Swimming Speeds of Fish: A Methodological Approach. In: Palstra A. & Planas J. (Eds.), Swimming Physiology of Fish. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. 81-108.
- Tudorache C., O'Keefe R.A. & Benfey T.J. (2011), Optimal swimming speeds reflect preferred swimming speeds of brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis Mitchill, 1874), Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 37(2): 307-315.
- Methling C., Tudorache C., Skov P.V. & Steffensen J.F. (2011), Pop Up Satellite Tags Impair Swimming Performance and Energetics of the European Eel (Anguilla anguilla), PLoS ONE 6(6): 20797.
- Eyckmans M., Tudorache C., Darras V.M., Blust R. & Boeck G. de (2010), Hormonal and ion regulatory response in three freshwater fish species following waterborne copper exposure, Comparative Biochemistry Physiology C Toxicology Pharmacology 152(3): 270-278.
- Svendsen J.C., Tudorache C., Jordan A.D., Steffensen J.F., Aarestrup K. & Domenici P. (2010), Partition of aerobic and anaerobic swimming costs related to gait transitions in a labriform fish, Integrative & Comparative Biology 50(Supplement 1): E172-E172.
- Svendsen J.C., Tudorache C., Jordan A.D., Steffensen J.F., Aarestrup K. & Domenici P. (2010), Partition of aerobic and anaerobic swimming costs related to gait transitions in a labriform swimmer, The Journal of Experimental Biology 213(13): 2177-2183.
- Palstra A.P., Tudorache C., Rovira M., Brittijn S.A., Burgerhout E., Thillart G.E.E.J.M. van den, Spaink H.P. & Planas J.V. (2010), Establishing Zebrafish as a Novel Exercise Model: Swimming Economy, Swimming-Enhanced Growth and Muscle Growth Marker Gene Expression, PLoS ONE 5(12): e14483.
- Tudorache C., Jordan A.D., Svendsen J.C., Domenici P., DeBoeck G. & Steffensen J.F. (2009), Pectoral fin beat frequency predicts oxygen consumption during spontaneous activity in a labriform swimming fish (Embiotoca lateralis), Environmental Biology of Fishes 84(1): 121-127.
- Kunwar P.S., Tudorache C., Eyckmans M., Blust R. & De Boeck G. (2009), Influence of food ration, copper exposure and exercise on the energy metabolism of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Comparative Biochemistry Physiology C Toxicology Pharmacology 149(1): 113-119.
- Tudorache C., Viaene P., Blust R., Vereecken H. & De Boeck G. (2008), A comparison of swimming capacity and energy use in seven European freshwater fish species, Ecology of Freshwater Fish 17(2): 284-291.
- Tudorache C., Blust R. & De Boeck G. (2008), Social interactions, predation behaviour and fast start performance are affected by ammonia exposure in brown trout (Salmo trutta L.), Aquatic Toxicology 90(2): 145-153.
- Tudorache C., Viaenen P., Blust R. & De Boeck G. (2007), Longer flumes increase critical swimming speeds by increasing burst-glide swimming duration in carp Cyprinus carpio, L, Journal of Fish Biology 71(6): 1630-1638.
- Knaepkens G., Maerten E., Tudorache C., De Boeck G. & Eens M. (2007), Evaluation of passive integrated transponder tags for marking the bullhead (Cottzis gobio), a small benthic freshwater fish: effects on survival, growth and swimming capacity, Ecology of Freshwater Fish 16(3): 404-409.
- Magalhaes S., Tudorache C., Montserrat M., Maanen R. van, Sabelis M.W. & Janssen A. (2005), Diet of intraguild predators affects antipredator behavior in intraguild prey, Behavioral Ecology 16(2): 364-370.
- Tudorache C., Boek G. de, Viaene P. & Blust R. (2005), Size matters - The effect of flume length on critical swimming speeds, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. A. Molecular Integrative Physiology 141(3): S170-S170.