
The Missouri Physiological Society (mophys) is holding their annual chapter meeting tomorrow at the University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC) campus! Here are just some of the highlights showcasing ways in which physiologists in Missouri are advancing science and medicine:

Felix Yang (Graduate student at the University of Missouri, Kansas City; Mentor: Dr. Xiang-Ping Chu) will present research on certain ion channels in the brain that are associated with detecting acidic conditions and changes in blood sugar.
Dr. Praghalathan Kanthakumar (Faculty at the University of Missouri, Columbia) will share their research on the role of a small peptide that regulates vascular activity in the development of diabetic kidney disease.
Michael Ponte (Graduate student at Kansas University Medical Center; Mentor: Dr. E. Matthew Morris) will present research on the unique and complex role the liver plays in regulating food intake.

Grace Oti and Amy Keilholz (Graduate/Professional students at the University of Missouri and Marquette University; Mentor: Dr. Nicole Nichols) will share their research on diseases associated with the loss of motor neurons, which often cause difficulty in breathing and swallowing.

Shannon Draper (Undergraduate student, University of Missouri, Columbia; Mentor: Dr. Darla Tharp) will present research examining why the risk of heart failure increases after menopause in females and how this relates to cognitive declines. Interestingly, the research has focused on Ossabaw Island pigs, which are naturally at risk of developing diabetes.

Grace Feeney (Graduate/Professional student at A.T. Still University) has been working in the laboratory of Dr. Tim Ostrowski and Dr. Daniela Ostrowski and will share research examining the role of oxidative stress in the development of sleep apnea in Alzheimer’s disease.

Anna Cernich (Undergraduate student at Truman State University, working with Dr. Brett Berke) will present research exploring how developmental changes in the communications between neurons and muscles affect courtship behaviors in Drosophila.
Categories: Diet and Exercise, Illnesses and Injuries, Intelligence and Neuroscience, Physiology on the Road, sleep
Tags: Alzheimer's, APS Chapter, Diabetes, Drosophila, health, heart failure, Missouri, Mophys, respiration, sleep apnea