My field of interest is animal physiology, particularly in the areas of biomineralization, osmoregulation and membrane transport. The major emphasis of my research involves the control of calcification in the Crustacea and the mechanisms of ion translocation to and from skeletons. Along with Drs. Thomas Shafer and Richard Dillaman, I am studying how blue crabs control the onset of mineralization of their exoskeletons after they molt. We are investigating the biochemical, physiological and morphological changes that take place following the molt to determine the mechanisms that prevent premature hardening of the cuticle before molting and promote hardening afterwards.  Graduate students in my lab have worked on problems involving crustacean mineralization, crustacean gill structure and ion transport, crustacean salinity and temperature preference, hormonal control of molting in isopods, and bone physiology.

Roer, R.D., K.E. Halbrook and T.H. Shafer (2001) Glycosidase activity in the postecdysial cuticle of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 128B: 683-690.

Pierce, D.C., K.D. Butler and R.D. Roer (2001) Effects of exogenous N-acetylhexosamindase on the structure and mineralization of the postecdysial exoskeleton of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 128B: 691-700.

Roer, R. and D. Towle (2004) Partial nucleotide sequence of a putative cuticular hexosaminidase from the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  MDIBL Bulletin 43: 40-42.

Roer, R. and D. Towle (2005) Partial nucleotide sequence and expression of plasma membrane Ca-ATPase in the hypodermis of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  MDIBL Bulletin  44: 40-43.

Li, T., R. Roer, M. Vana, S. Pate and J. Check (2006) Gill area, permeability and Na+,K+-ATPase activity as a function of size and salinity in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  J. Exp. Zool. 305: 233-245.