Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle

Physiology on the Road

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Little-known functions of the spleen: Q&A with Dr. Frank van Breukelen and Gilbecca Smith, University of Las Vegas

We are excited to feature Dr. Frank van Breukelen and his graduate student, Gilbecca Rae Smith, from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. They presented exciting new research at the 2024 American Physiology Summit examining some little-known functions of the spleen.  Q: We often associate the spleen with its ability to filter blood and make white blood cells to fight infections. We don’t often consider the importance of its ability to […]

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Physiology on the Road: Midland physiologists search for answers

The Midland Society of Physiological Sciences, comprised of physiologists in Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota is hosting their annual chapter meeting this weekend at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Javier Stern, Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases at Georgia State University will present the Keynote lecture on the role of neuropeptides in the hypothalamus of the brain. The title of his […]

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Physiology on the road: 17th annual Arizona Physiological Society conference

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 […]

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Physiologists in California meet today to discuss the latest research

The California Society of Physiologists is hosting their annual meeting today at the University of California Davis campus! Adapting to high altitude The keynote address will be given this evening by Dr. Tatum Simonson (Associate Professor, University of California San Diego) who will speak about, “Variation in human responses to low oxygen: Insights from Mount Everest to Machu Picchu.” Together with Dr. Francisco Villafuerte (Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru) […]

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Physiology on the Road: Mophys 2024!

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 […]

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What dolphins can teach us about healthy aging

The risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases with aging as arteries can become increasingly stiff and the inner lining, called the endothelium, can become dysfunctional. Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Yara Bernaldo De Quiros Miranda (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) is interested in understanding how bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, protect their cardiovascular system during aging. She is currently a visiting scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder where she […]

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Speaking of hypoxia tolerance…

Amy Klink, a graduate student working in the laboratory of Dr. Allyson Hindle at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has been studying hypoxia tolerance of Weddell seals. These remarkable animals can hold their breath for 90 minutes and dive as deep as 900 meters! During such long and deep dives, these seals slow down their heart rate and constrict blood vessels in visceral as well as peripheral organs. As […]

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What sea turtles can teach us about hypoxia tolerance

Imagine being able to explore the Earth’s oceans without needing special oxygen equipment. Loggerhead sea turtles have this ability and can actually hold their breath for up to 7 hours! According to the Guiness Book of World Records, Budimir Šobat from Croatia set the record in 2021 for being able to hold his breath for 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds underwater. While quite remarkable, he would need to hold his […]

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Gut-temperature axis in high altitude deer mice?

Dr. Graham Scott (McMaster University) presented intriguing research at the American Physiology Summit earlier this month in Long Beach, CA. His laboratory has been examining a potential link between the gut microbiome and the ability for deer mice to help regulate body temperature. Deer mice live in high elevations where atmospheric oxygen levels are low. This presents a physiological challenge as they have to use a lot of energy to […]

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Flexible hypoxia tolerance in frogs

In a new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience and presented at the American Physiology Summit earlier this month, graduate student Nikolaus Bueschke, postdoctoral fellow Dr. Lara Amaral-Silva and Dr. Joseph Santin (University of Missouri, Columbia) together with researchers Min Hu and Alvaro Alvarez (University of North Carolina at Greensboro), explored how bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) emerging from hibernation tolerate hypoxia while they kickstart physiological functions in ice-covered ponds. This […]

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