9630683 Florant Dr. Florant proposes to study the physiological processes that affect and may ultimately regulate energy balance and thermoregulatory behavior in mammals that hibernate. He will investigate how diet manipulations alter lipid storage during hibernation. He will also test the hypothesis that essential fatty acids (EFA) play a pivotal role in maintaining thermoregulation during hibernation. The results of these studies will lead to a better understanding of how the diet influences cell membrane structure and function as well as the importance of lipids in physiology and behavior. ??