Re-alimentation in harbor seal pups: Effects on the somatotropic axis and growth rate.
Seasonal influence on the response of the somatotropic axis to nutrient restriction and re-alimentation in captive steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus)
Validation of heterologous radioimmunoassays (RIA) for growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IFG)-I in Phocid, Otariid, and Cetatiean species.
Needless to say it has been a bit brutal so far. She even went on to tell me that the assays I will be doing take six days and sometimes I will have sixteen hour days and working some weekends. Don't ask me what assays really are because I still don't know. I will be working with radioactive material so I am having to do presentations and taking quizzes on them and I have had homework to do every night. So definitely not a vacation but at least I am getting paid very well. This work I am going to be doing is really intimidating just because it is all about chemistry, which was never my strong suite. In fact, it was never even a suite, it was a tattered bag that I wore. But dang it by the end of this I will be at least ok at it!!!! On the absolutely positive side of life, I saw three little armadillos just chilling on campus today!!! They were rummaging through the dirt in the flower beds looking for yummies and they were not at all afraid of humans. I took a bunch of pictures of them, getting really close and finally I couldn't resist, I petted one. Yes yes I know it was a bad idea but sooooo irresistible! They were just so darn cute!! They were wild ones so it was really odd it just let me touch it, but I just have a way with animals ;)
