Granted the following topics are not comparative physiology research, I think they are certainly worth mentioning:
Sayani Bhattacharjee, a graduate student at The University of Toledo, presented research on a novel way to overcome drug resistant prostate cancer, at least in cancer cells. A common treatment for prostate cancer is to block androgens. The problem with this treatment is that nearly all patients become resistant to the treatment. Fingers crossed their new approach to preventing resistance continues to show promising results.
Dr. Lauren Gerard Koch (The University of Toledo) and Dr. Steven Britton (University of Michigan) presented their research on developing models for studying health as well as disease using an exercise capacity approach. The problem with many models is that they are watered down versions of disease with only one genetic alteration and do not accurately reflect the complexities of disease such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or even aging. They found over generations, that rats who had a low capacity for exercise developed more risks for diseases such as metabolic syndrome, obesity and cancer in addition to shorter lifespans than rats who had a higher capacity for exercise.
Jooho Oh, Daniel Branch, Luke Pepperney, and Dr. Kedryn Baskin from The Ohio State University presented their research examining how dietary phosphate impacts exercise. Inorganic phosphate is found in many foods and acts a preservative and flavor enhancer. Their research showed that high intake of inorganic phosphate was associated with reduced physical activity and other metabolic disturbances. Who knew that just one component of a Western diet could have such a large effect. For more information on dietary phosphate, check out the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. (link: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/phosphorus)
Categories: Comparative Physiology, Exercise, Illnesses and Injuries, Physiology on the Road
Tags: American Physiological Society, cancer, Ohio, Ohio Physiological Society, phosphate, Prostate, University of Toledo
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 