UCF Biology Faculty

Lorrie Rea
Ph.D., Alaska Fairbanks (1995)
Phone: 407-823-6564
Office: BIO 436
Email: lrea@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu

Research Interests

My general research interests encompass the metabolism and nutritional physiology of terrestrial and marine mammals. I am particularly interested questions dealing with lipid metabolism in large mammals and how physiological processes are adapted to periods of food limitation and fasting in the wild. My most recent research addresses how lipids are mobilized from body stores during the fasting in grey seals in an attempt to better understand the biochemical controls of long-term fasting. I expect that graduate students in my lab will also be involved in a broad range of physiological research including studies on thermoregulation, osmoregulation, lactation and energetics

Selected Publications

Rea, L.D., M.A. Castellini, B.S. Fadely and T.R. Loughlin. 1998. Health status of young Alaska Steller sea lion pups (Eumetopias jubatus) as indicated by blood chemistry and hematology. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, 120:617-623.

Rea, L.D., R. Groscolas, E. Mioskowski and M.A. Castellini. 1997. Changes inplasma fatty acids indicate change in nutritional status in developing Weddell seal plups. Polar Biology. 18:351-357.

Zenteno-Savin, T., M.A. Castellini, L.D. Rea and B.S. Fadely. 1997. Plasma haptoglobin levels in threatened Alaskan pinniped populations. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 33:64-71.

Castellini, M.Å., L. D. Rea, J. L. Sanders, J.M. Castellini and T. Zenteno-Savin. 1994. Developmental changes in cardiorespiratory patterns of sleep associated apnea in northern elephant seals. American Journal of Physiology. 267:R1294-R1301.

Castellini, M.A. and L.D. Rea. 1992. The biochemistry of natural fasting at its limits. Experientia. 48(6):575-582.

Rea, L.D. and D. P. Costa. 1992. Changes in resting metabolic rate during long-term fasting in northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris). Physiological Zoology. 65(1):97-111.