InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here on the Zoo’s website! There are eight different divisions that make up the world renowned Institute for Conservation Research: applied animal ecology, applied plant ecology, behavioral ecology, conservation education, genetics, wildlife disease laboratories, conservation partnership development, and last but certainly not least, reproductive physiology. This week the interns got the opportunity to meet with Dr. Chris Tubbs, who has a background in endocrinology, and is also one of the scientists of the Reproductive Physiology Department. Reproductive physiology is just what it sounds like, it is the study of the structure, function, and composition of animal reproduction. Scientists, like Dr. Tubbs, apply the use scientific technology in order to adhere to their mission of sustaining biodiversity through the science of reproduction. This mission is especially critical when it comes to preserving the longevity of endangered species. Thus, Dr. Tubbs and his department work closely with endangered species like the southern white rhino and the California condor in the hopes of saving their species from possible extinction. Therefore, to get the data he needs to develop an understanding of the animal’s reproductive process and cultivate a corresponding solution, so in short, Dr. Tubbs works with a lot of hormones. [caption id="attachment_115388" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Hormones are present in bodily fluids and waste. We are talking blood, urine, and feces. Although, blood samples are the most accurate at measuring hormone levels, it is not always convenient or permeated in the situation to get blood samples from animals on a daily basis. Therefore fecal matter is the next best thing. So let’s see how you fair in a game of “Who Dung It?” There are five different animals represented in this game—an elephant, rhino, giraffe, panda, and Koala. If you think you’ve got it the answers from left to right are rhino, panda, koala, giraffe, and elephant.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115387" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Though it may not seem obvious, urine samples and fecal matter are in high demand in this department due to the fact that they provide a plethora of information. Samples like these help answer fundamental questions in regards to diet, health, and reproductive viability. The answers, in return, provide the backbone for developing a diagnostic and recovery plan.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115385" align="aligncenter" width="400"] In his work, Dr. Tubbs is able to work a lot with the Frozen Zoo. The frozen is the first and most developed of its kind. There are approximately 1,000 species of 10,000 individual frozen at 200 degrees Celsius in liquid nitrogen. The Frozen Zoo is a unique tool that has aided the reproductive team in conserving biodiversity through their research. For example, the frozen gametes cells can be used for processes like invitro fertilization; a process that has the potential to save an animal from extinction.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115389" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Another focus of Dr. Tubbs work is analyzing environmental issues that may be negatively affecting endangered species. Despite what you learn in science class, there are environmental chemicals that can trick a hormone receptor and inhibit reproductive success. For example, Dr. Tubbs is evaluating the effects phytoestrogen on rhinos. Phytoestrogen that occurs naturally in plants such as the alphas that was a part of the rhino diet and is commonly found in BPA products. By testing the chemicals in their diet, Dr. Tubbs and his team were able to conclusively determine that the phytoestrogen present in the rhino’s diet inhibited reproduction.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115394" align="aligncenter" width="400"] However, the most fascinating aspect of the scientist’s research is that no tests were ever directly preformed on any animals. The reproductive physiology lab has grown an immortal genetically engineered line of cells from human cells in order to conduct research. The line was developed in the 1950’s and has still held useful for modern scientist to conduct safe and informative research.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115383" align="aligncenter" width="400"] On our tour, we were able to see some of the things Dr. Tubbs works with on a daily basis—sperm. Intern Glenna is shown here looking at toad sperm through a microscope. We learned, as seen by the projected microscope image, that sperm have different anatomy depending on which animal it comes from. Toad sperm does not have the traditional head that we associate with sperm; instead toad sperm is thin and shaped kind of like eyelashes.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115382" align="aligncenter" width="400"] In preparation for our lab experiment, the interns were given a crash course on the hormone of progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone that is used to track the reproductive cycles of the animal. When progesterone levels peak it is a sign of ovulation, and when levels remain high and flat line it is a clear indicator of pregnancy. As levels begin to decrease, it indicates the end of a pregnancy because progesterone levels signal the uterus to begin contracting. This pattern may slightly fluctuate based on the animal, but levels generally follow this pattern as seen in the graph representing the progesterone levels of a pregnant rhino.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115390" align="aligncenter" width="400"] The interns were able to participate in a mock experiment of progesterone levels. Each pair was given a different scenario. One of the scenarios was determining why a rhino named Dumisha was unable to give birth. From there, the interns then had to use the ten known progesterone levels of different time intervals during a pregnancy as a control to determine the unknown progesterone levels.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_115393" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Once the unknowns were determined and graphed, each pair was able to answer where their animal was in their reproductive cycle. Although this experiment only took about 15-20 minutes, in reality this process takes months and sometimes years of research to answer the questions we were tasked to solve.[/caption] Samantha, Photo Team Week Two, Winter Session 2016