Emeriti

Stress, reproduction; neuroendocrinology; environmental estrogens; immunocastration.

Fertilization and fertility; sperm-oocyte membrane protein interactions. Sertoli cell proliferation, including use of CRISPR editing.

Protein metabolism; energy metabolism; homeorhesis; systems analysis.

Comparative biochemistry, physiology, and larval development of invertebrates.

Equine Reproduction

Biochemistry of sex steroid synthesis, conceptus development, sexual differentiation, comparative reproduction and adrenal function.

Aquatic toxicology and water quality; molecular mechanisms of toxicology.

Avian developmental genetics, embryology, cytogenetics, and genomics.

Ruminant nutrition of dairy cattle; mammary gland synthesis of milk protein and fat; nutrient digestion, absorption, and metabolism; evaluation of by-product feedstuffs and forage quality.

Reproductive and developmental biology of fish; sturgeon aquaculture.

Conservation genetics, population genetics, immunogenetics, disease susceptibility genomics, disease ecology, forensic genetics. Free-ranging species of management concern in California. Threatened and endangered species. Carnivores, wild pigs, raptors (birds of prey) and corvids (magpies, crows, and relatives). Special interests in Yellow-billed Magpies, Swainson's Hawks, Mountain Lions.

Quantitative applications; biological and production systems modeling; feed and fiber evaluations.

Quantitative genetics and statistics; inheritance of disease in the dog.

Companion animal nutrition: trace mineral and amino acid metabolism, feline and canine nutrient requirements, obesity, improvement of pet foods, the role of clinical nutrition in the management and prevention of disease.

Fish feeding, nutrition, biochemistry, and physiology.

Development of genetic tools for companion animals and analyzing inherited diseases in cats, dogs, horses and primates

Animal Genomics; molecular genetics; animal growth; milk composition.

Animal welfare and stress; environmental enrichment for intensively managed animals; social behaviors in domestic birds.

Photosexual stimulation and photorefractoriness; endocrine disruption; reproductive behavior of parrots

Transgenic animals; growth and differentiation, molecular genetics; cytogenetics, equine genetics.

Computer decision support software; beef quality assurance; standardized performance analysis for cattle and sheep ranches. Animal management systems; resource use in animal agriculture; beef cattle growth.

Investigate the endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine regulation of reproductive function in the horse and exotic species. Founder of Fertilplus Partners LLC to develop recombinant equine follicle stimulating hormone to enhance fertility in the mare. Website: Fertilplus.us

Our laboratory focuses on ruminant livestock production, across geographic locations and levels of biological organization. Projects range from examination of interactions among nutrition, genetics and physiological state, all the way to regional studies of environmental impacts of different production systems. Recently, a major emphasis has been on understanding the genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying variations in feed efficiency in beef cattle. This work requires in vivo experiments in conjunction with in silico modeling analyses. Mathematical modeling is used at all levels of biological and enterprise organization to identify critical areas of research, design appropriate experiments, and aid in interpretation of results.

Skeletal injuries in equine athletes, silicate associated osteoporosis in horses, musculoskeletal biomechanics.

Physiology and behavior focused on the welfare of agricultural animals including horses, in areas such as housing, transport, environment and handling. Research in refeeding and nutritional rehabilitation programs for starved horses and other animals.

Director of Aquatic Health Program and State certified Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory. The Director conducts aquatic, embryonic, and developmental toxicology and endocrine disruption on invertebrate, fish and shellfish using biochemical, molecular, nutritional, and histopathological biomarkers.

Ruminant nutrition; feedlot cattle nutrition and management; factors associated with digestive function.