“My laboratory is interested in the study of the structural and functional evolution of the vertebrate stress system. Currently the lab is focusing on the characterization of the physiology of the stress response in the freshwater turtle Trachemys scripta. The techniques involved in these studies include molecular cloning, the biochemical and molecular analyses of these molecules, and others.

Other research interests include the nesting ecology of olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtles, particularly as it relates to the mass nesting behavior unique to these reptiles. Currently, we are working to generate reliable and directly comparable olive ridley arribada estimates on the major rookeries around the world. To do this we are working together with collaborators in Costa Rica, Mexico, and India. In support of this important project we have developed an Arribada Estimation Portal that can be used freely to conduct computations based on empirical sampling of arribadas.

Finally, fostering international collaborative programs, especially but not exclusively with Latin American institutions, is an important component of the research efforts led by my lab.”