Publication Date
2026
Presentation Length
Poster/Gallery presentation
College
College of Sciences & Mathematics
Department
Biology, Department of
Student Level
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Andrea Florian
Presentation Type
Poster
Summary
Chemotherapy agents such as 5-Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin are commonly employed in the management of various types of cancer. However, they have been implicated as causative factors of various side effects related to the heart. Drug-induced cardiotoxicity in rapid preclinical models could be employed as an effective tool for the identification of adverse effects. Daphnia magna is a small aquatic organism that is frequently employed in toxicological tests due to its transparent body that allows direct observation of physiological activities such as heart rates.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of 5-Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin on the heart rates of Daphnia after 24 hours of exposure. To evaluate the effect of these chemotherapies on heart rates, D. magna neonates were exposed to various concentrations of each drug. The heart rates of the D. magna were examined using a microscope and the rates recorded per minute. The results indicated that the heart rates were influenced by the exposure of the D. magna to the drug.
Recommended Citation
Wythoff, Leland B. and Florian, Andrea, "Chemotherapy Exposure Alters Heart Rate in Daphnia magna: A Rapid Model for Evaluating Cardiotoxicity" (2026). SPARK Symposium Presentations. 1140.
https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/1140
