Department of Biology
The City College of New York
138th St. And Convent Ave.
New York, NY 10031
212-650-8538 Fax: 212-650-8585
rbuffen@sci.ccny.cuny.edu

Research Interests:
Ecophysiology
Biology of naked mole-rats
Human nutrition

My research interests broadly encompass comparative vertebrate ecophysiology. Here I study energetics, thermoregulation, endocrine and nutritional physiology under physiologically stressful situations, These topics have been primarily addressed in strictly subterranean rodents (naked mole-rats), as well as bats (Angolan free-tailed bats) roosting under thermally stressful conditions, desert rodents and kangaroos living in the arid zone.

In recent times, as many of the 400 captive naked mole-rats in my care are now more than 10 years old and some are at 20years old, in collaboration with Jennifer Jarvis (University of Cape Town) and Timothy O’Connor (hyperlink to Tim’s web page) I have begun studying aging in these extremely long-lived rodents.

My interests in animal nutrition studies, have extended into humans. In this area, I investigate the effects of energy restriction, appetite regulation, body composition and bone metabolism.  

Teaching interests:
Comparative physiology
Human Function
Endocrinology
Energetics and Nutrition
Organismic Biology

Timothy O’Connor and myself have designed and offered new courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels (in Comparative Animal Physiology Bio 726; Bio 468) and in Human Function III. This course in Human Physiology covers the topics of endocrinology, energetics and gut function (Bio 402). These courses depend heavily upon student participation in leading case studies and problem solving exercises.

Select Publications:
Buffenstein R. and S. Yahav (1991). Is the naked mole-rat Heterocephalus glaber a poikilothermic or poorly thermoregulating endothermic mammal? Journal of thermal Biology 16:227-232.

Buffenstein R., S.D. Poppitt, R.M. McDevitt and A.M. Prentice (1995). Food intake and the menstrual cycle: a retrospective analysis with implications for appetite research. Physiology and Behaviour 58:1067-1077.

Buffenstein, R., N.T. Urison, R. Woodley, L.A. van Der Westhuizen and J.U.M. Jarvis (1996). Temperature changes during pregnancy in the subterranean naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber): the role of altered body composition and basking behaviour.Mammalia 60: 619-628.

Buffenstein R., S.K. Maloney and G.N. Bronner (1999). Seasonal and daily variation in blood and urine concentrations of free-ranging Angolan free-tailed bats (Mops condylurus) in hot roosts in southern Africa. South African Journal of Zoology. 34:11-18.

Buffenstein R., R. Woodley, C.Thomadakis, T.J.M. Daly, and D.A. Gray^, (in press). Cold-induced changes in thyroid function in a poikilothermic mammal, the naked mole-rat. Am. J. Physiol.