About

Leslie Martin is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at UC San Diego. His research includes integrated urology and primary care models that improve outcomes for men with testosterone deficiency. His publication record includes articles such as 'Integrated Urology and Primary Care Model Improves Outcomes for Men With Testosterone Deficiency' published in Urol Practice in 2023, and 'Hair-on-End Sign' in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2016. His work is classified within the fields of urology and general medicine, and he has contributed to the scientific community through numerous publications. He is associated with UCSD's School of Medicine and is involved in research that advances clinical practices in urology and related fields.

Research topics

• Biology
• Ecology
• Computer Science
• Genetics
• Zoology
• Demography
• Environmental science
• Database
• Geography

Selected publications

• Impact of Hurricane Beryl on Texas beach-dune systems: Insights from drone-based LiDAR and multispectral surveys

  The Science of The Total Environment · 2025-04-08 · 4 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Landmark marine mammal laws under threat

  Science · 2025-12-11 · 1 citations

  letter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Climate, food and humans predict communities of mammals in the United States

  Diversity and Distributions · 2024-06-27 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Aim The assembly of species into communities and ecoregions is the result of interacting factors that affect plant and animal distribution and abundance at biogeographic scales. Here, we empirically derive ecoregions for mammals to test whether human disturbance has become more important than climate and habitat resources in structuring communities. Location Conterminous United States. Time Period 2010–2021. Major Taxa Studied Twenty‐five species of mammals. Methods We analysed data from 25 mammal species recorded by camera traps at 6645 locations across the conterminous United States in a joint modelling framework to estimate relative abundance of each species. We then used a clustering analysis to describe 8 broad and 16 narrow mammal communities. Results Climate was the most important predictor of mammal abundance overall, while human population density and agriculture were less important, with mixed effects across species. Seed production by forests also predicted mammal abundance, especially hard‐mast tree species. The mammal community maps are similar to those of plants, with an east–west split driven by different dominant species of deer and squirrels. Communities vary along gradients of temperature in the east and precipitation in the west. Most fine‐scale mammal community boundaries aligned with established plant ecoregions and were distinguished by the presence of regional specialists or shifts in relative abundance of widespread species. Maps of potential ecosystem services provided by these communities suggest high herbivory in the Rocky Mountains and eastern forests, high invertebrate predation in the subtropical south and greater predation pressure on large vertebrates in the west. Main Conclusions Our results highlight the importance of climate to modern mammals and suggest that climate change will have strong impacts on these communities. Our new empirical approach to recognizing ecoregions has potential to be applied to expanded communities of mammals or other taxa.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sequence specificity of an essential nuclear localization sequence in Mcm3

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2024-11-14

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Proteins with nuclear localization sequences (NLSs) are directed into the cell nucleus through interactions between the NLS and importin proteins. NLSs are generally short motifs rich in basic amino acids; however, identifying NLSs can be challenging due to the lack of a universally conserved sequence. In this study, we characterized the sequence specificity of an essential and conserved NLS in Mcm3, a subunit of the replicative DNA helicase. Through mutagenesis and AlphaFold 3 (AF3) modeling, we demonstrate that the precise positioning of basic residues within the NLS is critical for nuclear transport of Mcm3 through optimal interactions with importin. Disrupting these interactions impairs the nuclear import of Mcm3, resulting in defective chromatin loading of MCM and poor cell growth. Our results provide a structure-guided framework for predicting and analyzing monopartite NLSs, which, despite lacking a single consensus sequence, retain key characteristics shared between the NLSs of Mcm3 and the SV40 large T antigen. Author Summary Transporting proteins into and out of the cell nucleus is essential for chromosome-associated activities. Nuclear localization sequences (NLSs), short motifs rich in basic amino acids, are commonly found in nuclear proteins. NLSs work by interacting with importin, a key transport receptor responsible for recognizing and guiding NLS-containing proteins through the nuclear pore complex into the nucleus. Other than being rich in basic amino acids, NLSs generally lack a discernible consensus sequence, raising questions about how they specifically control nuclear transport through their interactions with importins. Through a detailed mutagenesis study of a conserved and essential NLS in Mcm3, a subunit of the replicative DNA helicase, we demonstrate that the use of AlphaFold 3 (AF3), alongside genetic, biochemical, and cell biological analyses, define key contacts between Mcm3’s NLS and importin that are required for nuclear import of Mcm3.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Shaped by Their Environment: Variation in Blue Whale Morphology across Three Productive Coastal Ecosystems

  Integrative Organismal Biology · 2023-01-01 · 12 citations

  articleOpen access

  Synopsis Species ecology and life history patterns are often reflected in animal morphology. Blue whales are globally distributed, with distinct populations that feed in different productive coastal regions worldwide. Thus, they provide an opportunity to investigate how regional ecosystem characteristics may drive morphological differences within a species. Here, we compare physical and biological oceanography of three different blue whale foraging grounds: (1) Monterey Bay, California, USA; (2) the South Taranaki Bight (STB), Aotearoa New Zealand; and (3) the Corcovado Gulf, Chile. Additionally, we compare the morphology of blue whales from these regions using unoccupied aircraft imagery. Monterey Bay and the Corcovado Gulf are seasonally productive and support the migratory life history strategy of the Eastern North Pacific (ENP) and Chilean blue whale populations, respectively. In contrast, the New Zealand blue whale population remains in the less productive STB year-round. All three populations were indistinguishable in total body length. However, New Zealand blue whales were in significantly higher body condition despite lower regional productivity, potentially attributable to their non-migratory strategy that facilitates lower risk of spatiotemporal misalignment with more consistently available foraging opportunities. Alternatively, the migratory strategy of the ENP and Chilean populations may be successful when their presence on the foraging grounds temporally aligns with abundant prey availability. We document differences in skull and fluke morphology between populations, which may relate to different feeding behaviors adapted to region-specific prey and habitat characteristics. These morphological features may represent a trade-off between maneuverability for prey capture and efficient long-distance migration. As oceanographic patterns shift relative to long-term means under climate change, these blue whale populations may show different vulnerabilities due to differences in migratory phenology and feeding behavior between regions. Spanish abstract La ecología y patrones de historia de vida de las especies a menudo se reflejan en la morfología animal. Las ballenas azules están distribuidas globalmente, con poblaciones separadas que se alimentan en diferentes regiones costeras productivas de todo el mundo. Por lo tanto, brindan la oportunidad de investigar cómo las características regionales de los ecosistemas pueden impulsar diferencias morfológicas dentro de una especie. Aquí, comparamos la oceanografía física y biológica de tres zonas de alimentación diferentes de la ballena azul: (1) Bahía de Monterey, California, EE. UU., (2) Bahía del sur de Taranaki (BST), Nueva Zelanda, y (3) Golfo de Corcovado, Chile. Adicionalmente, comparamos la morfología de las ballenas azules de estas regiones utilizando imágenes de aeronaves no tripuladas. La Bahía de Monterey y el Golfo de Corcovado son estacionalmente productivos y apoyan la estrategia migratoria de la historia de vida de las poblaciones de ballena azul chilena y del Pacífico Norte Oriental (PNO), respectivamente. Por el contrario, la población de ballena azul de Nueva Zelanda permanece en la menos productiva BST durante todo el año. Las tres poblaciones eran indistinguibles en cuanto a la longitud corporal total. Sin embargo, las ballenas azules de Nueva Zelanda tenían una condición corporal significativamente mayor a pesar de una menor productividad regional, potencialmente atribuible a su estrategia no migratoria que facilita un menor riesgo de desalineación espaciotemporal con oportunidades de alimentación disponibles de manera más consistente. Alternativamente, la estrategia migratoria de las poblaciones de ballenas PNO y chilena puede tener éxito cuando su presencia en las zonas de alimentación se alinea temporalmente con la abundante disponibilidad de presas. Documentamos diferencias en la morfología del cráneo y la aleta caudal entre poblaciones, que pueden estar relacionadas con diferentes comportamientos de alimentación adaptados a las características de hábitat y presas específicas para cada región. Estas características morfológicas pueden representar una compensación entre la maniobrabilidad para la captura de presas y una migración eficiente a larga distancia. A medida que los patrones oceanográficos cambian en términos de mediano a largo plazo debido al cambio climático, estas poblaciones de ballenas azules pueden mostrar diferentes vulnerabilidades debido a diferencias en la fenología migratoria y el comportamiento de alimentación entre regiones.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• <b>Shaped by their environment: variation in blue whale morphology across three productive coastal ecosystems</b>

  Figshare · 2023-01-01

  datasetOpen access

  <b>Shaped by their environment: variation in blue whale morphology across three productive coastal ecosystems</b>Dawn R. Barlow¹*, K.C. Bierlich¹, William K. Oestreich², Gustavo Chiang³, John W. Durban⁴, Jeremy A. Goldbogen⁵, David W. Johnston⁶, Matthew S. Leslie⁷, Michael Moore⁸, John P. Ryan², Leigh G. Torres¹¹Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon USA²Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California, USA³Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad (CIS) &amp; Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile⁴Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, USA⁵Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA⁶Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA⁷ National Climate Adaptation Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, USA⁸Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA*dawn.barlow@oregonstate.edu<b>Abstract: </b>Species ecology and life history patterns are often reflected in animal morphology. Blue whales are globally distributed, with distinct populations that feed in different productive coastal regions worldwide. Thus, they provide an opportunity to investigate how regional ecosystem characteristics may drive morphological differences within a species. Here, we compare physical and biological oceanography of three different blue whale foraging grounds: (1) Monterey Bay, California, USA, (2) the South Taranaki Bight (STB), New Zealand, and (3) the Corcovado Gulf, Chile. Additionally, we compare the morphology of blue whales from these regions using unoccupied aircraft imagery. Monterey Bay and the Corcovado Gulf are seasonally productive and support the migratory life history strategy of the Eastern North Pacific (ENP) and Chilean blue whale populations, respectively. In contrast, the New Zealand blue whale population remains in the less productive STB year-round. All three populations were indistinguishable in total body length. However, New Zealand blue whales were in significantly higher body condition despite lower regional productivity, potentially attributable to their non-migratory strategy that facilitates lower risk of spatiotemporal misalignment with more consistently available foraging opportunities. Alternatively, the migratory strategy of the ENP and Chilean populations may be successful when their presence on the foraging grounds temporally aligns with abundant prey availability. We document differences in skull and fluke morphology between populations, which may relate to different feeding behaviors adapted to region-specific prey and habitat characteristics. These morphological features may represent a trade-off between maneuverability for prey capture and efficient long-distance migration. As oceanographic patterns shift relative to long-term means under climate change, these blue whale populations may show different vulnerabilities due to differences in migratory phenology and feeding behavior between regions. <br>

  PublisherDOI

• <b>Shaped by their environment: variation in blue whale morphology across three productive coastal ecosystems</b>

  Figshare · 2023-01-01

  datasetOpen access

  <b>Shaped by their environment: variation in blue whale morphology across three productive coastal ecosystems</b>Dawn R. Barlow¹*, K.C. Bierlich¹, William K. Oestreich², Gustavo Chiang³, John W. Durban⁴, Jeremy A. Goldbogen⁵, David W. Johnston⁶, Matthew S. Leslie⁷, Michael Moore⁸, John P. Ryan², Leigh G. Torres¹¹Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon USA²Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California, USA³Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad (CIS) &amp; Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile⁴Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, USA⁵Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA⁶Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA⁷ National Climate Adaptation Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, USA⁸Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA*dawn.barlow@oregonstate.edu<b>Abstract: </b>Species ecology and life history patterns are often reflected in animal morphology. Blue whales are globally distributed, with distinct populations that feed in different productive coastal regions worldwide. Thus, they provide an opportunity to investigate how regional ecosystem characteristics may drive morphological differences within a species. Here, we compare physical and biological oceanography of three different blue whale foraging grounds: (1) Monterey Bay, California, USA, (2) the South Taranaki Bight (STB), New Zealand, and (3) the Corcovado Gulf, Chile. Additionally, we compare the morphology of blue whales from these regions using unoccupied aircraft imagery. Monterey Bay and the Corcovado Gulf are seasonally productive and support the migratory life history strategy of the Eastern North Pacific (ENP) and Chilean blue whale populations, respectively. In contrast, the New Zealand blue whale population remains in the less productive STB year-round. All three populations were indistinguishable in total body length. However, New Zealand blue whales were in significantly higher body condition despite lower regional productivity, potentially attributable to their non-migratory strategy that facilitates lower risk of spatiotemporal misalignment with more consistently available foraging opportunities. Alternatively, the migratory strategy of the ENP and Chilean populations may be successful when their presence on the foraging grounds temporally aligns with abundant prey availability. We document differences in skull and fluke morphology between populations, which may relate to different feeding behaviors adapted to region-specific prey and habitat characteristics. These morphological features may represent a trade-off between maneuverability for prey capture and efficient long-distance migration. As oceanographic patterns shift relative to long-term means under climate change, these blue whale populations may show different vulnerabilities due to differences in migratory phenology and feeding behavior between regions. <br>

  PublisherDOI

• A Comparative Analysis of US and Japanese News Reports on Whaling Suggests Strategies to Improve Bilateral Communication on Commercial Whaling in Japan

  Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy · 2022-07-03 · 1 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Media coverage on controversial topics, such as whaling, presents opposing arguments that can shape public opinions. To investigate how the US and Japanese media portrayed Japan’s withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission, we examined 368 news reports on whaling from the US and Japan published during 2018 and 2019, concurrent with Japan’s withdrawal. We identified ten frequently used arguments and analyzed how they were deployed to support either the pro-whaling or anti-whaling stance. Unsurprisingly, Japanese reports were predominantly more pro-whaling than the US reports. Cultural differences alone did not fully explain these diverging stances and usage of arguments. Moreover, broader anthropocentric concerns and the interests of the two countries overlapped, suggesting that while the two countries have a shared awareness of anthropocentric perspectives, the communication problem lies in their diametrically opposed assertions regarding those topics. By analyzing the issue, we revealed the potential for mutual understanding between the US and Japan, which allowed us to propose possible solutions to improve diplomacy on this issue.

  PublisherDOI

• <i>Balaenoptera ricei</i> is also the Gulf of Mexico whale

  Marine Mammal Science · 2022-04-01 · 1 citations

  article

  The names we give organisms matter to conservation efforts (Mace 2004). Currently, there are calls to reevaluate nomenclatural conventions in biology, to recognize indigenous priority (Gilman &amp; Wright, 2020) and to engage with the history of colonialism (Pillon, 2021). The description of a new whale species in the Southern Hemisphere, Mesoplodon eueu, or Ramari's beaked whale, included engagement with Indigenous people (Carroll et al., 2021) showing that norms around naming marine mammal species appear to be evolving.

  PublisherDOI

• Visual Health Assessment and evaluation of Anthropogenic threats to Arabian Sea Humpback Whales in Oman

  ˜The œjournal of cetacean research and management. Special issue · 2022-07-20 · 16 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The sub-population of humpback whales inhabiting the Arabian Sea is a small and genetically distinct population that remains in low latitudes year round. Designated as Endangered on the IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, the population faces a number of threats throughout its range, including entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, and habitat degradation. Research conducted primarily off the coast of Oman over the past 20 years has contributed to understanding the population’s distribution, abundance, and conservation status. However information on the population’s health and specific threats is limited. This study examines all available images of Arabian Sea humpback whales obtained between 2000 and 2018 for evidence of disease, predation, epizoites and human-induced scarring or injury to individuals. Tattoo-like skin disease was detected in 43.4% of 83 adult whales, with a roughly equal distribution between males and females. Prevalence of the disease was significantly higher in 2012-2018 (51.7%) than in 2000-2011 (24.1%). Killer whale tooth rakes were detected on the ventral surface of the tail flukes of 12% (95% CI 4.5-18%) of 77 individuals. Roughly two thirds (66.6%: 95% CI 52-80%) of the 42 individuals represented by good quality photos of the caudal peduncle region at the fluke insertion bore scarring patterns consistent with entanglement in fishing gear. Four individuals had injuries consistent with vessel strikes and at least two other individuals showed severe injuries and deformations likely caused by interactions with fishing gear. Documented entanglement events from Oman and Pakistan involved large-mesh nylon gillnets, known to be used extensively throughout the Arabian Sea. These findings indicate an urgent need to design effective management and mitigation of threats, and to continue monitoring Arabian Sea humpback whales, with an emphasis on methods that allow continued and expanded assessment of health, body condition, and anthropogenic interactions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Howard C. Rosenbaum

  84 shared

• Phillip A. Morin

  NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service

  79 shared

• Tim Collins

  74 shared

• Gianna Minton

  73 shared

• R.M. Baldwin

  69 shared

• Francine Kershaw

  65 shared

• Rubaiyat M. Mansur

  Wildlife Conservation Society

  64 shared

• Brian D. Smith

  Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

  64 shared

Labs

• Leslie Martin | UCSD ProfilesPI

Education

• Ph.D., Scripps Institution of Oceanography

  University of California, San Diego

  2016

• M.S., Scripps Institution of Oceanography

  University of California, San Diego

  2010

• B.S., Zoology

  Oklahoma State University

  2002