The Fokidis lab studies how animals perceive and adapt to changes in their environment by studying their hormones and metabolic processes.
Our current research is focused on 3 main areas.
Our current research is focused on 3 main areas.
Novel endocrine methods for animal conservation
When conservation meets physiology the focus is often on understanding how stress impacts animal health and welfare. These studies are useful, but tend to involve the most common species, with findings extrapolated to rare species. This is often a practical issue of what researchers can do on rare animals or the unique circumstances of the study. To overcome this, our lab develops and validates novel approaches to endocrine questions that can circumvent such issues. We developed a method for measuring nail steroid concentrations in domestic dogs, which is now being applied to wild carnivores, where trapping is necessary, such as European badgers in the UK, alpine marmots in France, and the endangered Ethiopian Wolf. In our local turtle research, we also use this method and have more recently developed the use of ectoparasites, such as leeches and ticks as blood sources for measuring steroid hormones. We also research local predators by coupling baited infrared camera traps with hair collection set-ups where hair samples can be used to measure steroids within the mammal diversity of Central Florida. We are also in the Beta stage of testing a method to obtain hair samples from ungulates using specialized blowgun darts. You can see some videos from our trail cameras here. |
Conservation and Health of freshwater turtles
Turtles play important roles in freshwater ecosystems, yet globally are one of the most imperiled groups of animals. Threats to turtles are familiar such as the degradation and destruction of wetlands, overexploitation for food, and the introduction of exotic predators and competitors. In particular, the highly invasive red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a serious threat to native pond turtles globally through the potential for genetic pollution.
Our lab conducts health assessments on turtle populations in Central Florida and more recently has become interested in the conservation of freshwater turtles in the Caribbean. Working alongside the conservation organization Grupo Jaragua, we conduct research and monitoring of two slider turtles species in the Dominican Republic, with plans to expand to other regions of the Caribbean and Latin America. Much of this research is accomplished through our Expedition Biology field course.
Turtles play important roles in freshwater ecosystems, yet globally are one of the most imperiled groups of animals. Threats to turtles are familiar such as the degradation and destruction of wetlands, overexploitation for food, and the introduction of exotic predators and competitors. In particular, the highly invasive red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a serious threat to native pond turtles globally through the potential for genetic pollution.
Our lab conducts health assessments on turtle populations in Central Florida and more recently has become interested in the conservation of freshwater turtles in the Caribbean. Working alongside the conservation organization Grupo Jaragua, we conduct research and monitoring of two slider turtles species in the Dominican Republic, with plans to expand to other regions of the Caribbean and Latin America. Much of this research is accomplished through our Expedition Biology field course.
Regulation of local steroid synthesis
Many physiological challenges like stress, alter steroid levels in the blood, but some of our research has shown that other organs may also become steroid producers. These locally-synthesized steroid hormones have been described in many species and even in cancer cells, and yet they have unclear roles in the body and even the "trigger" that stimulates their production and secretion is unknown.
Our lab has explored the relationship between local steroid synthesis and a regulator of appetite (neuropeptide Y or NPY). More recently, we have been investigating whether extracellular vesicles, known as exosomes, may be involved in regulating or initiating local steroid production using our colony of the invasive brown anoles.
Many physiological challenges like stress, alter steroid levels in the blood, but some of our research has shown that other organs may also become steroid producers. These locally-synthesized steroid hormones have been described in many species and even in cancer cells, and yet they have unclear roles in the body and even the "trigger" that stimulates their production and secretion is unknown.
Our lab has explored the relationship between local steroid synthesis and a regulator of appetite (neuropeptide Y or NPY). More recently, we have been investigating whether extracellular vesicles, known as exosomes, may be involved in regulating or initiating local steroid production using our colony of the invasive brown anoles.