Current Research
Exposure to ecological stressors can alter animal physiology and behavior both intra- and inter-generationally. Despite the conserved nature of the glucocorticoid response to acute stress, the physiological and ecological significance of these alterations remains unclear. This is due to the complexity of the hormonal stress response and the many systems upon which it acts, ranging from immune and endocrine to muscular systems. Similarly, there is limited knowledge of the consequences free ranging animals face in response to chronic stress. Therefore, our lab studies how wild animals respond to acute and chronic stressors with the goal to gain a holistic understanding of organismal responses to stressors by bridging multiple layers of biological organization, from cellular responses to ecological interactions.
The role of maternal stress on offspring redox homeostasis and immune function
We have previously shown that elevated maternal glucocorticoids alters the behavior, morphology, and telomere length of offspring in fence lizards. However, less is known about the physiological impacts of these maternal glucocorticoids. Our goal is to understand the consequences of maternal stress on offspring using cell cultures, immune assays, oxidative stress markers, and other physiological and behavioral measurements
The role of aldosterone in marine mammal's stress response
Our recent work highlights an atypical response to stress in elephant seals. These animals do not alter their redox homeostasis in response to repeated stress. While stress increases glucocorticoids, the impact on the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAS), the key system for salt and water balance, is even more pronounced, suggesting that RAS may play a larger role in marine versus terrestrial mammal stress responses. As marine mammals spend their life in salty sea water, the implications of RAS in modulating the stress response could have profound impacts on these species.