Dear Colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce that the following article has been published: Greta Dalle Luche, Susan Bengtson Nash, John R Kucklick, Fletcher M J Mingramm, Ashley S P Boggs, Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of steroid hormone profiles in blubber from stranded humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), Conservation Physiology, Volume 7, Issue 1, 2019, coz030, https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coz030 ABSTRACT: Marine mammal blubber is known to have quantifiable concentrations of steroid hormones and is increasingly chosen as a matrix for the detection of these reproductive and stress biomarkers. Steroid hormones act through complex cascades, often in concert, yet studies conducted on cetaceans have rarely measured more than two steroids simultaneously. Due to the role of steroid hormones in multiple physiological processes, and variability in concentration among individuals, data on single compounds are often difficult to interpret. Here a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous analyses of multiple steroid hormones in cetacean blubber was validated and applied to samples from 10 stranded humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, oestrone, oestradiol, cortisone, cortisol, corticosterone and 11-deoxycorticosterone were reliably (relative standard deviation on six replicates <15%) and accurately (recovery of an amended sample between 70% and 120%) quantified, but not 11-deoxycortisol. With the exception of progesterone, testosterone, oestradiol and cortisol, these compounds were quantified for the first time in humpback whales. Given that blubber is frequently collected from free-swimming cetaceans in ongoing research programs, the technique developed here could substantially strengthen understanding and monitoring of the physiological condition of these species. The article is online (free access): https://academic.oup.com/conphys/article/doi/10.1093/conphys/coz030/5540810?... Please, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions (greta.dalleluche@griffithuni.edu.au<mailto:greta.dalleluche@griffithuni.edu.au>) Kind regards Greta - Greta Dalle Luche PhD Candidate Griffith University, Environmental Futures Research Institute (EFRI) SOPOPP | Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program Nathan Campus, 170 Kessels Road, QLD 4111 | Brisbane, Australia Mobile: +61/0 410 896069<tel:+61/0%20410%20896069> | E-mail: greta.dalleluche@griffithuni.edu.au<mailto:greta.dalleluche@griffithuni.edu.au>