Physiologists in Arizona also shared their research this past weekend at the 17th annual Arizona Physiological Society conference held at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
2024 Arizona Physiological Society Established Scientist Keynote Address
The Established Scientist Keynote Address was given by Dr. Meredith Hay, Professor and former Executive Vice President and Provost of The University of Arizona in Tucson. Dr. Hay also served as President of the American Physiological Society. Dr. Hay’s research focuses on inflammation and dementia. She is also founder and CEO of ProNeurogen, Inc, a company designed to develop potential therapeutics for chronic pain and vascular dementia.
2024 Arizona Physiological Society Early Career Scientist Keynote Address
The Early Career Scientist Keynote Address was given by Dr. Andreia Zago Chignalia, Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Chignalia’s research focuses on mechanisms driving the development of cardiovascular and related pulmonary diseases.
Other highlights:
Jonathan Lo (Medical student in the laboratory of Dr. Christopher Olson at Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ) spoke about their discovery of vitamin D deficiency in a group of indoor zebra finches that lacked exposure to natural sunlight. The birds showed signs of feather loss and formation of eggs with thinner shells that was at least partially mitigated by the addition of UV-B light fixtures. These findings demonstrate the importance of UV light exposure to the normal metabolism and health of birds.
Alyssa Welborn (Undergraduate student, University of Arizona, Tucson), Moreira-Junior L, Streicher J, and Carvalho-de-Souza JL examined a compound present in anise seed essential oil that may help prevent pain signals.
Zak Webber (Graduate student, University of Arizona, Tucson), O’Hern C, Lo-Bianco J, Kamau-Devers W, Caywood S, Dionise M, Hill J, and Largent-Milnes T examined the effects of in utero exposure to opioids on the development of cardiac abnormalities in zebrafish. Although this research was designed to model what happens in developing human fetuses when exposed to the drug in utero, it has major implications for aquatic life as well. In fact, opioids have been detected in wastewater and treatment plants are not always required to report levels of the drug in their run-off. That means opioids may end up in rivers and streams where they can harm aquatic life.
Dr. Jinhua Chi (Postdoctoral scholar, Arizona State University), Jin Y, Kim K, Lalime N, Hawley D, Lewis F, Butterick B, Zhou F, Olson M, Oladun B, Kharoufeh N, Wang X, Campen MJ, Cui JY, and Gu H found that exposure to microplastics alters the metabolism of various strains of bacteria.
Alessia Daniele (Undergraduate student, Arizona State University), Austin K, and Watanabe K discovered that exposure to different photoperiods (long vs short days) affects the development of follicles in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus).
Source:
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Categories: Environment, Illnesses and Injuries, Physiology on the Road, Reproduction and Development
Tags: American Physiological Society, Arizona physiological society, health, medicine, mental-health, microplastic, opioid, science, Vitamin D, wellness
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 