I'm a fish guy-I study how fish do what they do. I'm also a fat guy-I'm interested in what cells and organisms do with fat. Finally, I'm a temperature guy-I spend time thinking about how temperature affects cell function. Together, these things mean that I study the cell physiology of fish with different body temperatures, and different fat metabolisms. In the past I've worked on very cold fish (Antarctic fish) and fish that are cold seasonally (like striped bass). I've also worked on some fish that keep parts of their bodies warm (blue marlin). Where does fat come into the picture? Cold fish tend to accumulate fat. Why? How? That is some of the focus of our current research. We study proteins that may help the cell to burn fat, move it around, get rid of it or deposit it. Specifically, we are working on leptin, and enzymes that burn fat.

I have worked on some pretty cool animals.  In 1998 I worked on great white sharks. Working with the South African White Shark Research Institute I was able to collect some blood from free-ranging, healthy white sharks. 

In our effort to find leptin in fish, we have been using  proteomics.  If the entire genetic makeup of an organism is its genome, its proteome is all the proteins expressed by any cell-type at any one time.  Below is an example of a two-dimensional gel, where every spot is (at least) one protein. In the lingo it is called a map.  By comparing maps between tissues that represent animals under 2 conditions, you can see which proteins are up-regulated (spot gets bigger), and which are down-regulated (spot gets smaller).  Once you identify a spot of interest, you can (potentially) identify it using mass spectrometry.  We are working with Dr. Michael Kinter of the Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic for the mass-spec work.  Right now we are working on several projects that use proteomics.  We have prepared maps of several tissues from fence lizard Sceloporus undulatus to compare how protein expression changes with season (in collaboration with Dr. Peter Niewiarowski).  We  also investigated how protein expression changes with parasitism in bluegill sunfish, and how diet affects which proteins are expressed in zebrafish. As we wrap up these projects, new directions include biomarkers in bonnethead sharks and manatees.

Questions? Send me an email.