Welcome

To the DeNardo Lab at ASU

Our lab encompasses a wide array of studies, but all follow a central theme. We are interested in the interaction between physiological processes and the environment. That is, we study how physiological processes allow an animal not only to survive, but to thrive and reproduce in challenging enviroments, as well as study how environmental conditions influence physiological processes. In an admittedly simplified sense, ecology could be looked at as the means by which an animal utilizes its environment to meet physiological needs and evolution as the means by which physiological capability is optimized to deal with environmental conditions. While some may consider the previous statement a result of "seeing the world through physiology-colored glasses", the statement does emphasize the importance of understanding physiological processes regardless of primary discipline as well as the need for physiologists to look beyond physiology in order to fully understand body function.

We primarily use squamate reptiles (i.e., lizards and snakes) as models to address questions of broad taxonomic significance. While predominantly a physiology-based laboratory, our research integrates ecology, behavior, evolution, and conservation.