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The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities 2023 Annual Meeting, May 7-10, Boston

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Newswise — May 5, 2023 (Lexington, KY) – The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) 2023 Annual Meeting will be held May 7-10 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. This year’s meeting focuses on Driving Collaborative Science, and features dozens of sessions on timely topics on the latest technology and strategies for shared research resources. With close to 1000 attendees from more than 200 leading academic research institutions and commercial manufacturers attending, the ABRF 2023 Annual Meeting will be the largest event for shared research resources, or Core, facilities.

Among the notable sessions at the 2023 ABRF Annual Meeting are:

ABRF Award for Outstanding Contributions to Biomolecular Technologies – presented to Dr. Chris Enke and Richard Yost for the development of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer and the tremendous impact triple quads have made for a wide range of biomedical research applications.

ABRF Diversity Equity and Inclusion Award – presented to Dr. Tshaka Cunningham with Polaris Genomics and Future Kings, a regional nonprofit which serves boys and girls of color from economically challenged communities through a unique, year-long afterschool educational program that guides young men and women in grades 6-12 from underserved communities to explore exciting career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Their targeted focus is on cybersecurity, computer game design, biomedical sciences, and engineering.

Keynote speakers: Beth Cimini, Ph.D., Senior Group Leader, Broad Institute will present Making More from Your Microscopy: Advances in High-Content Image Analysis

Ed Boyden, Ph.D., HHMI and MIT, will close the meeting with an engaging presentation on Optical Tools for Analyzing and Controlling Biological Systems.

Along with these key sessions, the ABRF Annual Meeting will include dozens of workshops on current developments in specific technology areas, including Genomics, Imaging, Mass Spectrometry, Flow Cytometry, and Proteomics, as well as best practices for Core Facilities Management and Leadership. Attendees will also engage with over 70 biotechnology manufacturers and systems developers to view the latest advances in research instrumentation and tools to support their ground-breaking work. Visit the meeting web site for the latest information or contact ABRF to learn more.

About the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities is a unique membership association comprising over 2000 members working within or in the support of resource and research biotechnology laboratories. Our members represent over 400 laboratories and administrative offices in government, academia, research, industry and commercial settings. ABRF promotes education and career advancement for scientists, core administrators, and staff through conferences, a quarterly journal, publication of research group studies and conference scholarships. The society also sponsors multi-center research studies designed to help members incorporate new biotechnologies into their laboratories.

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May 5, 2023
Stephen J. Galli, MD, to Receive 2024 American Society for Investigative Pathology Gold-Headed Cane Award

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Newswise — May 3, 2023 — The 2024 recipient of the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP) Gold-Headed Cane Award is Dr. Stephen J. Galli, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, and Mary Hewitt Loveless, MD, Professor in the Stanford University School of Medicine (Stanford, CA).

The ASIP Gold-Headed Cane Award is the society’s oldest and most prestigious award (first awarded in 1919). This award recognizes significant long-term (lifetime) contributions to the field of pathology, including meritorious experimental pathology research, outstanding teaching, general excellence in the discipline, demonstrated leadership in the field, and engagement in the activities of the ASIP.

Dr. Galli earned a BA magna cum laude in biology from Harvard College in 1968, a BMS with Honors from Dartmouth Medical School in 1970, and an MD from Harvard Medical School in 1973. Subsequently, Dr. Galli completed residency training in the Department of Pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital (1973-1976), where he served as Chief Resident in 1976. Dr. Galli completed several research fellowships during the course of his training. He was appointed the Karin Grunebaum Cancer Research Foundation Fellow while working with Dr. Richard A. Adams at the Dan-Farber Cancer Institute (1971-1972). From 1974-1976, Dr. Galli worked with Dr. Harold Dvorak in the Department of Pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Finally, he was supported by the Medical Foundation Inc for work at the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital from 1977-1978. In 1978, Dr. Galli was appointed as an Instructor in Pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and was subsequently promoted through the ranks at Harvard Medical School: Assistant Professor of Pathology in 1979, Associate Professor of Pathology in 1983, and Professor of Pathology in 1993. In 1999, Dr. Galli was appointed as Professor of Pathology and of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Mary Hewitt Loveless MD Professor in the School of Medicine at Stanford University, and became the Chair of the Department of Pathology. He remained Chair of Pathology at Stanford University until 2016, and remains active on the faculty today. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Galli has held numerous hospital appointments, including most recently Chief of Pathology Service and Director of the Pathology Residency Program at the Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Galli has provided time and effort towards teaching at each of his institutions and across all of his faculty appointments. This teaching encompasses classroom teaching, clinical education for pathology residents, as well as teaching in the setting of the research laboratory for various kinds of learners. His efforts towards quality educational programs continued as he became Chair of Pathology at Stanford where he initiated and directed the development of many new educational programs.

Dr. Galli joined the American Society for Investigative Pathology in 1982 and has been active in the Society since that time. He has made significant contributions to the Society over time. Dr. Galli served as the Chair of a Task Force on Research and Training Opportunities in Pathology from 1999-2000. The report from this task force was exceptionally well prepared and contained recommendations for the Society that remain valid until today, nearly twenty years later. Dr. Galli was elected into the Presidential succession in 2003 and served as Vice President (2003-2004), President-elect (2004-2005), President (2005-2006), and Past President (2006-2007). Dr. Galli was an exceptional member of the ASIP Council, always thoughtful and intentional with important decisions for the Society. Dr. Galli has provided excellent counsel to the leaders of the ASIP (elected and staff) over the years, even during times when he was not serving in an official capacity. Dr. Galli continues as an engaged member of the ASIP, currently serving on the Committee for Equal Representation and Opportunity and is a member of the newly formed President’s Circle.

Dr. Galli has served the larger pathology community in a number of ways over the course of his career. He previously served as Associate Editor of The Journal of Immunology (1980-1984), as Advisory Editor for The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1993-2011), on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (1996-2001), Transmitting Editor (2001-2009) and then Associate Editor (2009-2013) for International Immunology. He is currently serving on the Editorial 2 Board of Allergology International (since 1995), Laboratory Investigation (since 1997), and on the Board of Consulting Editors of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. In addition, Dr. Galli serves on the Editorial Committee for the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease (since 2004). Dr. Galli has organized or co-organized 18 major national/international meetings. Most recently, he organized the 65th Annual Meeting of the Pluto Club (The American Association of University Pathologists) in Catagena, Columbia (March 2019). Dr. Galli has given significant time as a grant reviewer for the NIH, as a member of several study sections over the years, and as a member of expert panels. From 1999-2001, he chaired the NIH/NIAID Hyper-ID Scientific Review Group. Between 2019 and 2023, Dr. Galli served as Vice Chair and then Chair of the Membership Committee for the National Academy of Medicine.

Dr. Galli has received a number of honors and awards in recognition of his excellent research and leadership within the pathology community. He was elected to the Collegium Internationale Allergologicum in 1984, to membership in the Pluto Society (Association of University Pathologists) in 1986, to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 1991, and to the Association of American Physicians in 1997. In 2001, Dr. Galli was elected as a Foreign Member in the Physical, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences Class of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Dr. Galli was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in 2010. Stanford University awarded Dr. Galli the President’s Award for Excellence Through Diversity in 2010. In addition, Dr. Galli received the Faculty Mentor Award for Postdoctoral Education from the Immunology Program at the Stanford University School of Medicine in 2010. In 2011, Dr. Galli received the Scientific Achievement Award from the World Allergy Organization. In 2014, Dr. Galli received the ASIP Rous-Whipple Award from the American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Karl Landsteiner Medal from the Austrian Society of Allergology and Immunology. In 2015, he was elected to membership in the American Clinical and Climatological Association. In 2017, Dr. Galli was elected to membership in Sigma Xi, and became an Overseas Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. In 2019, Dr. Galli was granted an honorary PhD in clinical and experimental medicine (Dottorato di Ricerca Honoris Causa in Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale) from the University of Naples Federico II, and was elected as a Foreign Member of the Societa Nazionale di Scienze Lettere e Arti (academy of Medical Sciences) in Naples, Italy. In 2020, Dr. Galli received the Distinguished Career Achievement Award from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University (Hanover, NH). In 2022, Dr. Galli received the Lifetime Honorary Membership Award from Stanford Healthcare, and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Dr. Galli’s research laboratory is interested in mast cell and basophil development and function, allergy and allergic disorders, and inflammation associated with allergic reactions. The work from Dr. Galli’s laboratory is high impact and he is regarded as an international expert in his area of research. He has given many invited lectures based upon his research around the US and abroad. His laboratory has been and continues to be very well-funded. He received a Merit Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (1995-2006). Currently, Dr. Galli is PI for a large U19 grant from the NIH/NIAID to conduct clinical trials using oral immunotherapy for childhood multi-food allergies (2019-2024). He is also PI for two R01 grants and a co-investigator on a third R01 grant. His CV lists numerous completed research projects associated with extramural funding. Dr. Galli’s research has been extremely productive over the course of his career. He holds 15 US patents for scientific developments from his laboratory. He has published 294 original research papers, 194 book chapters and reviews, 14 commentaries and meeting reports, and a few other works (reports for the National Academies). Dr. Galli’s research is highly impactful. His H-index is 133 and his papers have been cited >77,000 times. In addition to his contributions to the scientific literature, Dr. Galli has edited 12 books, including 9 volumes of the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease. It is difficult to describe the remarkable body of work from Dr. Galli’s laboratory in a few sentences, and he continues to add to this body of work today.

The letters contained in the nomination package expounded on Dr. Galli’s many contributions as an academic leader and exceptional educator, a national and international leader in the field, but also his major contributions to research throughout his career and to-date. Dr. Elaine Jaffe (NIH Distinguished Investigator, Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute/NIH) described Dr. Galli and his scientific stature in the field of experimental pathology: “He is a pathologist at the pinnacle of our discipline…His scientific achievements are outstanding…His pioneering and innovative work dealing with basic immunology and in particular the function of mast cells and basophils has been continually supported by NIH grants during the course of his career…” Dr. Tom Montine (Stanford Medicine Endowed Professor in Pathology and Chair, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine) reinforced the impact of Dr. Galli’s research: “…Professor Galli’s research focuses on the development and function of mast cells and basophils, and the roles of these cells in health and disease. His work has had a major impact on our understanding of anaphylaxis, food allergies, and asthma, and on innate and acquired host defense against venoms. It would be difficult to over-estimate the impact that Professor Galli has had on the filed of allergy and immunology…”

Dr. Irv Weissman (Professor of Pathology and Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine) summarized Dr. Galli’s contributions to the larger field of experimental pathology nicely: “…Dr. Galli is a longtime leader in bringing pathology to the forefront of the medical sciences…Dr. Galli is an academic visionary, and a national and international leader…” and “…Dr. Galli is the world’s leading researcher in the investigation of the biology and pathology of mast cells…”

Dr. Galli will receive the 2024 ASIP Gold-Headed Cane Award during the 2024 Annual Meeting of the ASIP in Baltimore, MD (April 2024).

About the American Society for Investigative Pathology

The American Society for Investigative Pathology is comprised of biomedical scientists who investigate mechanisms of disease. Investigative pathology is an integrative discipline that links the presentation of disease in the whole organism to its fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms. It uses a variety of structural, functional, and genetic techniques and ultimately applies research findings to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. ASIP advocates for the practice of investigative pathology and fosters the professional career development and education of its members.

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May 3, 2023
The American Association of Immunologists Announces 2023 Intersect Fellowships for Computational Scientists and Immunologists

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Newswise — ROCKVILLE, MD (May 1, 2023) — The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Intersect Fellowships for Computational Scientists and Immunologists.

This fellowship provides independent research scientists with one year of salary support for postdoctoral fellows trained in basic bench research to undertake one year of training in computational science, or postdoctoral fellows trained in computational science to spend one year in an immunology research lab to learn basic immunological principles and laboratory techniques.

This year, AAI awarded fellowships to eight recipients. Congratulations go to:

Mauro Di Pilato, Ph.D. (AAI ’22)
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Trainee: Fernanda Grande Kugeratski, Ph.D. (AAI ’22)
Co-PI: Ziyi Li, Ph.D., assistant professor, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

De’Broski R. Herbert, Ph.D. (AAI ’00)
Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Trainee: Fungai Musaigwa, Ph.D. (AAI ’22)
Co-PI: Danielle R. Reed, Ph.D., associate director, Monell Chemical Senses Center

Anna Huttenlocher, M.D. (AAI ’10)
Professor
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Trainee: Yiran Hou, Ph.D. (AAI ’22)
Co-PI: Huy Dinh, Ph.D. (AAI ’22), assistant professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Gislaine A. Martins, Ph.D. (AAI ’08)
Associate Professor
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Trainee: Jessica C. Dos Santos, Ph.D. (AAI ’21)
Co-PI: Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, Ph.D., assistant professor, Cedars Sinai Medical Center

Borna Mehrad, M.D. (AAI ’22)
Professor
University of Florida
Trainee: Matthew G. Wheeler, Ph.D. (AAI ’23)
Co-PI: Reinhard C. Laubenbacher, Ph.D., professor, University of Florida

Debashis Sahoo, Ph.D. (AAI ’21)
Associate Professor
University of California, San Diego
Trainee: Saptarshi Sinha, Ph.D. (AAI ’23)
Co-PI: Pradipta Ghosh, M.D., professor, University of California, San Diego

Chetan Seshadri, M.D., Ph.D. (AAI ’18)
Associate Professor
University of Washington
Trainee: Deborah L. Cross, Ph.D. (AAI ’22)
Co-PI: Philip H. Bradley, Ph.D., professor, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Arlene H. Sharpe, M.D., Ph.D. (AAI ‘96)
Chair and Professor
Harvard Medical School
Trainee: Samuel C. Markson, Ph.D. (AAI ’21)
Co-PI: David Liu, M.D., assistant professor, Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Applications for the 2024 AAI Intersect Fellowship Program for Computational Scientists and Immunologists will be accepted beginning June 1, 2023. For complete program information, including application and eligibility requirements, and to view past recipients, visit www.aai.org/IntersectFellowship.

About The American Association of Immunologists
Founded in 1913, The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) (www.aai.org) is an association of professionally trained scientists from all over the world dedicated to advancing the knowledge of immunology and its related disciplines. AAI members have been responsible for some of the most significant immunological discoveries of the past century, including the development of cancer immunotherapies, monoclonal antibodies, transplant technologies, and dozens of life-saving vaccines. The organization counts 27 Nobel Laureates among its members. AAI owns and publishes The Journal of Immunology, the oldest and most established journal in the field, as well as ImmunoHorizons, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science of immunology.

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May 1, 2023
Study Reveals the Healing Power of Food after a Traumatic Brain Injury

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Newswise — Long Beach, Calif. (April 21, 2023)—In the first few days after a traumatic brain injury (TBI), food is often an afterthought as clinicians focus on minimizing the damage to the brain. However, a new study suggests that getting enough calories can help boost the brain’s healing process, making nutrition an important consideration for improving TBI care. Researchers will present their work this week at the American Physiology Summit, the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California.

“This evidence highlights the importance of ensuring proper nutrition for TBI patients during recovery,” said Casey C. Curl, a doctoral candidate at the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. “Specifically, formulations containing fuels that are preferred by the brain, such as lactate, should be prioritized during the acute and chronic phases of recovery from TBI.”

When a person comes to the hospital with a traumatic brain injury, many patients go for several days without eating or even receiving nutrition through a tube or intravenous line. Even then, the tools clinicians use to calculate a patient’s nutritional needs are not designed for the unique circumstances of a brain injury, and recent studies suggest that most TBI patients get far fewer calories than they need.

Key to the research is a new biomarker the team developed to assess nutritional status. While it is possible to measure the amount of calories a person consumes, measuring whether the amount of calories provided to the patient to meet their energy needs is more complex. To fill this gap, the researchers created a way to measure the amount of glucose produced internally as the body processes energy inputs. This metric, called fractional gluconeogenesis, ranges from zero (fully fed) to 100% (drastically underfed).

For the study, researchers tracked how nutritional status affects fractional gluconeogenesis and protein synthesis in a rat model of TBI. They used deuterium oxide, also known as heavy water, as a tracer to assess fractional gluconeogenesis and protein synthesis in different parts of the brain and body. By comparing these dynamics in rats with different levels of caloric intake, they were able to gain insights into how nutrition affects brain healing processes.

“Our study found that after TBI, the brain responds abnormally by increasing protein synthesis in the higher brain region while decreasing it in the lower regions,” said Curl.

Previous studies have shown that being underfed leads to reduced protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and liver cells. The new findings suggest a similar thing happens in the brain. “Understanding this decrease in protein turnover during the brain healing process is crucial because a caloric deficit may affect the patient’s ability to heal from their injury,” said Curl.

The findings suggest that providing adequate nutrition in the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury can help the brain manufacture the proteins it needs for the healing process, without having to prioritize certain brain regions over others.

In addition to feeding patients sooner as part of routine practice, Curl noted that clinicians could use fractional gluconeogenesis as a practical metric to assess whether patients are getting enough calories during TBI treatment and recovery.

This research was funded by a grant from the PAC-12 conference.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The American Physiology Summit will be held April 20–23, 2023, in Long Beach, California. To schedule an interview with the researchers, conference organizers or presenters, contact . Find more highlights from the meeting in our Summit Newsroom. 

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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April 21, 2023
Childhood Trauma Linked to Reduced Vascular Function and Diminished Sleep Quality

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Newswise — Long Beach, Calif. (April 21, 2023)—Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to reduced vascular function and diminished sleep quality in young adults, according to a study at the University of Iowa. In addition, researchers found that poor sleep efficiency may contribute to vascular dysfunction with increasing ACEs exposure. Researchers will present their work this week at the American Physiology Summit, the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California. 

“These findings have significant implications for human health.” —Laura Schwager

ACEs are highly stressful and potentially traumatic events happening during the first 18 years of life, which is the critical development period in a person’s life. It’s already known that people who experience ACEs have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease later in life. Yet, the biological mechanisms underlying this health disparity are not fully understood. The goal of this study was to better understand how ACEs increase the risk of cardiovascular disease to aid the development of better preventive measures and treatments.

Researchers assessed 22 young men and women for ACE exposure, anxiety and depressive symptoms, using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scales, respectively. The research team also measured the functional health of the participants’ blood vessels by assessing the ability of the artery in the arm to dilate in response to an increase in blood flow.

The team found among young adults, ACEs have a negative impact on blood vessel function, while sleep efficiency has a positive effect regardless of anxiety or depression symptoms. Also, sleep efficiency appears to be a mediator of the relationship between ACEs and blood vessel function.

“These findings have significant implications for human health,” said Laura Schwager, lead author of the study and postbaccalaureate research coordinator at the University of Iowa. “But we also caution that this is a preliminary investigation, and we will need studies with larger, more diverse samples to confirm this relationship and also to examine whether improving sleep in those with ACEs results in improved vascular function and lower cardiovascular disease risk.”

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The American Physiology Summit will be held April 20–23, 2023, in Long Beach, California. To schedule an interview with the researchers, conference organizers or presenters, contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more highlights from the meeting in our Summit Newsroom. 

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work. 

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April 21, 2023
Extracellular Vesicles Could Be a Marker for Lung Disease Severity in Premature Infants

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Newswise — Rockville, Md. (April 6, 2023)—New research finds extracellular vesicles are present in the lungs of premature babies and may be involved in lung development and as a predictor of lung disease. The study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. It was chosen as an APSselect article for April.

Approximately 75% of premature infants born between 22 and 24 weeks’ gestation develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic disease that occurs when the lungs are not mature enough at birth to support normal function. Extracellular vesicles—the tiny particles released from all cells that facilitate intercellular communication and may aid in other physiological processes—have been found previously in the lungs, but it’s not clear what role they play in lung development.

“Because proper lung development requires tremendous cellular and structural changes, it is possible that [extracellular vesicles] are both markers and mediators of these dynamic processes,” the researchers of the current study wrote.

The research team analyzed samples collected from the airways of premature infants—gestational ages ranged from just over 22 weeks to just under 35 weeks—during standard treatment procedures for respiratory problems, such as intubation. Of the 34 four samples examined, 27 of them contained extracellular vesicles.

The extracellular vesicles contained epithelial and immune proteins across all stages of lung development. Babies born in the earlier stages of lung development had higher CD24 expression, a protein expressed by a diverse population of cells, with CD24-loaded extracellular vesicles gaining recent attention for their therapeutic role in COVID-19. In addition, the newborns who developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia also had higher levels of CD14 extracellular vesicles, which have been identified as a potential marker for disease severity in adults with acute lung injury.

“Given what is known about lung development and [bronchopulmonary dysplasia], it is interesting to hypothesize how [extracellular vesicles] carrying the markers identified in this study might participate in normal physiological and pathological processes,” the researchers wrote. “This work provides a foundation for future directions to elucidate the role of [extracellular vesicles] in lung development and injury, including determination of the role of [extracellular vesicles] throughout the stages of lung development.”

Read the full article, “Developmental trajectory of extracellular vesicle characteristics from the lungs of preterm infants,” published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. It is highlighted as one of this month’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program. Read all of this month’s selected research articles.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more research highlights in our Newsroom.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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April 6, 2023
New insights into an old drug: Scientists discover why aspirin works so well

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Newswise — New research has revealed important information about how aspirin works. Even though this drug has been available commercially since the late 1800s, scientists have not yet fully elucidated its detailed mechanism of action and cellular targets. The new findings could pave the way to safer aspirin alternatives and might also have implications for improving cancer immunotherapies.

Aspirin, which is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is one of the most widely used medications in the world. It is used to treat pain, fever and inflammation, and an estimated 29 million people in the U.S. take it daily to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Scientists know that aspirin inhibits the cyclooxygenase enzyme, or COX, which creates messenger molecules that are crucial in the inflammatory response. Researchers led by Subhrangsu Mandal, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington, have discovered more about this process.

Prarthana Guha, a graduate student in Mandal’s lab, will present the team’s findings at Discover BMB, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, March 25–28 in Seattle. Avisankar Chini also made significant contributions to the study.

“Aspirin is a magic drug, but long-term use of it can cause detrimental side effects such as internal bleeding and organ damage,” Mandal said. “It’s important that we understand how it works so we can develop safer drugs with fewer side effects.”

The team found that aspirin controls transcription factors required for cytokine expression during inflammation while also influencing many other inflammatory proteins and noncoding RNAs that are critically linked to inflammation and immune response. Mandal said this work has required a unique interdisciplinary team with expertise in inflammation signaling biology and organic chemistry.

They also showed that aspirin slows the breakdown of the amino acid tryptophan into its metabolite kynurenine by inhibiting associated enzymes called indoleamine dioxygenases, or IDOs. Tryptophan metabolism plays a central role in the inflammation and immune response.

“We found that aspirin downregulates IDO1 expression and associated kynurenine production during inflammation,” Mandal said. “Since aspirin is a COX inhibitor, this suggests potential interplay between COX and IDO1 during inflammation.”

IDO1 is an important target for immunotherapy, a type of cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system seek out and destroy cancer cells. Because COX inhibitors modulate the COX–IDO1 axis during inflammation, the researchers predict that COX inhibitors might also be useful as drugs for immunotherapy.

Mandal and his team are now creating a series of small molecules that modulate COX–IDO1 and will explore their potential use as anti-inflammatory drugs and immunotherapeutic agents.

Prarthana Guha will present this research from 4 to 5:30 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, March 28, in Exhibit Hall 4AB of the Seattle Convention Center (Poster Board No. 185) (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

Image available.

Research in Mandal’s lab is funded by National Institute of Health grant R15 HL142032-01.

About the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

The ASBMB is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with more than 12,000 members worldwide. Founded in 1906 to advance the science of biochemistry and molecular biology, the society publishes three peer-reviewed journals, advocates for funding of basic research and education, supports science education at all levels, and promotes the diversity of individuals entering the scientific workforce. www.asbmb.org

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://discoverbmb.asbmb.org/newsroom.

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March 28, 2023
Nobel Laureate and Wildlife Ecophysiologist to Speak at American Physiology Summit

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Newswise — March 28, 2023 (Rockville, Md.)— The American Physiology Summit will feature top scientists and inspiring speakers, including Nobel Laureate David Julius, PhD, and renowned wildlife ecophysiologist Terrie Williams, PhD, who will give keynote presentations.

The 2023 Summit, the flagship meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), will be held April 20–23, 2023, in Long Beach, California. Advanced registration is recommended for reporters who would like to attend the meeting, access embargoed press materials online or join the virtual press conference on April 18 at 10:30 a.m. PDT/1:30 p.m. EDT.

For more on the science behind the biggest issues impacting life and health today, explore the meeting’s schedule at a glance, full program and game-changer sessions.

The biology behind why we feel pain

Julius will kick off the 2023 Summit with the opening keynote presentation “Gut Feelings: Probing Mechanisms of Visceral Pain,” on Thursday, April 20, at 4 p.m. He is professor and chair of the Department of Physiology and Morris Herzstein Chair in Molecular Biology and Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

Julius was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine—jointly with Ardem Patapoutian, PhD, a professor at Scripps Research and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator in La Jolla, California—for discovering receptors for temperature and touch. Julius’ work has focused on identifying and understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in our senses of touch and pain. His group discovered a family of temperature-sensitive ion channel receptors that enable sensory nerve fibers to detect hot or cold temperatures. Read more about Julius.

The ever-adaptable mammalian brain

Williams will give the meeting’s closing keynote talk “The Master Switch of Life: A Daring Journey into the Untamed Brain,” on Sunday, April 23, at 11 a.m. Williams is a distinguished professor and director of the Integrative and Comparative Energetics Lab and the Marine Mammal Physiology Project at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Williams, who has studied terrestrial and aquatic mammals for more than four decades, researches the survival physiology of animals including sea otters, narwhals, polar bears, lions and seals. Williams and her students strive to understand the ecological significance of large mammals and their exquisite physiological adaptations necessary for surviving in a world that is constantly changing due to human impacts. Read more about Williams.

To register for a press pass, please visit our Summit Newsroom and submit a press registration form.

Follow #APS2023 on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Contact: [email protected]

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiology Summit (APS2023) is an innovative event for scientific exchange and networking. Thousands of researchers, educators and students will come together to share the most recent advances and breakthroughs impacting the research community and the world around us. APS 2023 is the annual meeting of the American Physiological Society, whose mission is to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health.

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March 28, 2023
Obesity risk may pass from mothers to daughters

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Newswise — WASHINGTON—Women with obesity may share risk for the disease with their daughters, but not their sons, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Obesity is a common, serious and costly disease affecting nearly half of the adults and 20 percent of children in the United States. It costs an estimated $173 billion in medical care costs. People with obesity are at higher risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues, and many other conditions.

“These findings highlight that girls born to mothers who have obesity or have high amounts of body fat may be at higher risk of gaining excess body fat themselves,” said Rebecca J. Moon, B.M., Ph.D., M.R.C.P.C.H., of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton in Southampton, U.K. “Further studies are needed to understand why this is happening, but our findings suggest that approaches to addressing body weight and composition should start very early in life, particularly in girls born to mothers with obesity and overweight.”

The researchers measured body fat and muscle in 240 children (9 years old or younger) and their parents in early childhood. They used this data to determine whether the body mass index (BMI)—a screening tool for overweight and obesity—and the amount of body fat and muscle in the child was related to that of their parents.

They found the girls had similar BMI and fat mass to their mothers, suggesting that girls born to mothers who have obesity or have high fat mass are at high risk of also developing obesity or overweight. The researchers did not find the same association between boys and their mothers or either girls or boys and their fathers.

The other authors of this study are Stefania D’Angelo of the University of Southampton; Christopher R. Holroyd of the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust in Southampton, U.K.; Sarah R. Crozier of the University of Southampton and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Wessex in Southampton, U.K.; Justin H. Davies of the University of Southampton, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust; and Keith M. Godfrey, Cyrus Cooper and Nicholas C. Harvey of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, the University of Southampton, the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, and the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust in Southampton, U.K.

The study received funding from the Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation, the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, the Seventh Framework Program, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Horizon 2020 Framework Program, and the National Institute on Aging.

The manuscript, “Parent-Offspring Associations in Body Composition: Findings From The Southampton Women’s Survey Prospective Cohort Study,” was published online, ahead of print.

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Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

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March 21, 2023
Coconut Sugar May Lower Blood Pressure, Artery Stiffness in Older Adults

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Newswise — Rockville, Md. (February 10, 2023)—A first-of-its-kind study finds a natural coconut sugar may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving blood vessel health and managing high blood pressure. The study is published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Higher blood pressure and arterial stiffness with older age are two risk factors contributing to cardiovascular disease. In a new study, researchers explored the effect of a natural sweetener on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults.

Coconut sap powder, which is a natural sweetener derived from coconut sugar traditionally used in Asian cuisine, is rich in vitamins B and C, as well as iron, calcium and potassium. Coconut sap powder also contains flavonoids and nitrates—compounds known to contribute to blood vessel health—and inulin, a prebiotic soluble fiber that helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Previous research suggests coconut sap powder increases antioxidant biomarkers in young adults. In the current study, a group of volunteers with an average age of 55 took either a coconut sap powder supplement or a placebo every day for eight weeks. Before and after the trial, the research team measured the volunteers’ resting heart rate, cholesterol levels, markers of inflammation, blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

The group of volunteers who took the coconut sap powder supplement had lower systolic blood pressure when measured in the arm, but not when measured in the carotid artery. However, stiffness of the common carotid artery was reduced. However, blood markers of inflammation and oxidative stress did not change with the consumption of coconut sap powder.

“The [coconut sap powder]-lowering effects on [blood pressure] and arterial stiffness provide insight for [coconut sap powder] as a novel nutraceutical to potentially treat age-related cardiovascular dysfunction and disease,” the researchers wrote.

Read the full article, “Coconut sugar derived from coconut inflorescence sap lowers systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults: a pilot study,” published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more research highlights in our Newsroom.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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February 10, 2023
Omics and AI May Help Predict Lung Disease Risk in Premature Babies

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Research Alert

Article title: Development of a peripheral blood transcriptomic gene signature to predict bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Authors: Alvaro Moreira, Miriam Tovar, Alisha M. Smith, Grace C. Lee, Justin A. Meunier, Zoya Cheema, Axel Moreira, Caitlyn Winter, Shamimunisa B. Mustafa, Steven Seidner, Tina Findley, Joe G. N. Garcia, Bernard Thébaud, Przemko Kwinta, Sunil K. Ahuja

From the authors: “In conclusion, we show that the combination of omics and artificial intelligence can potentially predict [bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)] and stratify neonates at risk for severe BPD.”

This study is highlighted as one of February’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.

Journal Link: American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology

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February 6, 2023
Association for Molecular Pathology Commends Congress on Decision to Not Include VALID Act in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023
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Newswise — ROCKVILLE, Md. – Dec. 23, 2022 – The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP), the premier global, molecular diagnostic professional society, today applauded Congress for reaching an agreement on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and recognizing that it was not the appropriate mechanism for advancing the Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act. The VALID Act proposed dramatic oversight modifications that would have been disruptive to clinical testing laboratories and harmful to patients throughout the U.S.

“AMP members have worked tirelessly to lead advocacy efforts to inform policymakers on how to best modernize the current regulatory framework for laboratory testing services,” said Mary Steele Williams, Executive Director, Association for Molecular Pathology. “We are grateful for champions in Congress such as U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), who shared our concerns about the significant flaws in the VALID Act. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress and other stakeholders in 2023 to help ensure widespread patient access to high-quality, essential medical procedures.”

“For decades we have allowed clinical labs in our nation’s academic medical centers the freedom to innovate under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). The VALID Act would have upended that system and replicated the testing nightmare of the early days of the COVID pandemic, putting all lab-developed tests under the FDA’s control,” said Senator Paul. “I have been fighting to stop the VALID Act for years, so I am pleased to say that despite a major push all year by powerful special interests, the VALID Act was kept out of the 2022 year-end legislation.”

AMP also thanks Congress for including the following provisions and protections for clinical laboratory professionals in the Consolidated Appropriations Act.
- One-year delay to the implementation of the clinical lab fee schedule provisions within the Protecting Access to Medicare Act.
- Two-year extension to existing telehealth waivers without any restrictions for laboratory test ordering.
- Additional infectious disease reporting infrastructure and support for efforts that will enable early detection of emerging variants of concern from the PREVENT Pandemics Act.
ABOUT AMP

The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) was founded in 1995 to provide structure and leadership to the emerging field of molecular diagnostics. AMP’s more than 2,900 members practice various disciplines of molecular diagnostics, including bioinformatics, infectious diseases, inherited conditions, and oncology. Our members are pathologists, clinical laboratory directors, basic and translational scientists, technologists, and trainees that practice in a variety of settings, including academic and community medical centers, government, and industry. Through the efforts of its Board of Directors, Committees, Working Groups, and Members, AMP is the primary resource for expertise, education, and collaboration in one of the fastest-growing fields in healthcare. AMP members influence policy and regulation on the national and international levels, ultimately serving to advance innovation in the field and protect patient access to high-quality, appropriate testing. For more information, visit www.amp.org and follow AMP on Twitter: @AMPath

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December 23, 2022
Researchers ID Role of Enzyme as Regulator of Inflammation in Lung Disease

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Research Alert

Article title: Pim-1 kinase is a positive feedback regulator of the senescent lung fibroblast inflammatory secretome

Authors: Ashley Y. Gao, Ana M. Diaz Espinosa, Fiorenza Gianì, Tho X. Pham, Chase M. Carver, Aja Aravamudhan, Colleen M. Bartman, Giovanni Ligresti, Nunzia Caporarello, Marissa J. Schafer, Andrew J. Haak

From the authors: “In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a critical role for Pim-1 kinase in regulating the inflammatory secretome of senescence lung fibroblasts and warrant further investigations into the utility of targeting Pim-1 as a therapy for [idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].”

This study is highlighted as one of December’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.

Journal Link: American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology

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December 2, 2022
Endocrine Society Condemns Florida Ban on Gender-Affirming Care

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Newswise — WASHINGTON—The Endocrine Society rebukes the Florida Board of Medicine’s decision to ban gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse teenagers.

We call on the Florida Board of Medicine to reverse the ban and allow physicians to provide evidence-based care and protect the lives of minors.

The Florida ban is blatantly discriminatory and contradicts medical evidence followed by the Endocrine Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the Pediatric Endocrine Society and other mainstream medical organizations.

When an individual’s gender identity is not respected and they cannot access medical care, it can result in higher psychological problem scores and can raise the person’s risk of committing suicide or other acts of self-harm. Research has found denying access to puberty-delaying medication and/or hormone therapy raises the risk of suicidal ideation and self-harm.

According to the Endocrine Society’s globally recognized evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines, only reversible treatments to delay puberty are recommended for adolescents.  Puberty-delaying medication is safe, reversible, and the conservative approach that gives teenagers and their families more time to explore their options. The same treatment has been used for decades to treat precocious puberty.

Teenagers who continue to demonstrate gender incongruence and who demonstrate the ability to provide informed consent can be offered gender-affirming hormone therapy, which is partially reversible. The Florida Medicaid ban prevents teenagers from accessing these important treatment options.

Medical evidence, not politics, should inform treatment decisions. The Endocrine Society submitted comments earlier this year during the abbreviated public comment period on the Board’s guidance on “treating gender dysphoria for children and adolescents, yet the Florida Board of Health opted to rely on controversial research that is not recognized by the mainstream medical community in crafting its ban on gender-affirming care. Consequently, the state blocked transgender residents from receiving gender-affirming care through Medicaid coverage.

Twenty states have proposed legislation to limit access to care during the 2022 legislative session, according to Freedom for All Americans. The Endocrine Society is alarmed that misinformation about medical care recommended for transgender and gender-diverse adolescents is fueling efforts to limit access to gender-affirming care. The move by the Florida Board of Health to ban gender-affirming care based on a political agenda rather than on science sets a dangerous precedent for all health care decisions.

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Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

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November 4, 2022
It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity: Water Loss Hurts Bees Most in the Desert

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Newswise — (San Diego) October 29, 2022—Digger bees lose large amounts of water during flight, which compromises their activity period and survival in the desert heat. Researchers from Arizona State University will present their work this week at the American Physiological Society (APS) Intersociety Meeting in Comparative Physiology: From Organism to Omics in an Uncertain World conference in San Diego.

“Water loss appears to be a critical problem for male digger bees. Climate change will very likely challenge their important ecological functions.” —Meredith Johnson

Climate change plays a role in the physiological evolution and survival of animals of all sizes. Desert animals, already acclimated to high temperatures, use evaporative heat loss to help prevent overheating. However, the sometimes-limited ability to replenish water loss means the danger of dehydration is a challenge for desert animals, including the Sonoran Desert digger bee.

Bees are an integral part of the ecosystem due to their ability to pollinate—more than 80% of flowering plants rely on insect pollinators. When bees become unable to pollinate sufficiently—due to lack of food or other changes in their environment—plant biodiversity decreases and plant-eating animals are affected. A large percentage of food crops, including fruits, nuts and vegetables, also depend on pollination. Researchers explored the effects of heat, water stress and food availability on male digger bees in the Arizona Uplands, a region of the Sonoran Desert.

During the study, air temperatures increased from around 66 degrees F in the early morning—when the bees began to fly to a mating site—to about 100 degrees at midday, when they typically stop flying for the day. In addition, no plants were in bloom at the study site to provide nectar for the bees to drink at the time of the study. Marking techniques used by the research team suggest that the bees survive for about a week, which means they are finding nectar somewhere in the desert. Researchers think the bees may be traveling for some distance during the later—and hotter—part of the day to find food.

The researchers also examined the bees’ body temperature and body water content throughout the day. The hottest body temperature measurement was approximately 111 degrees F. Digger bees can withstand body temperatures around 125 degrees during flight, suggesting that overheating is not why the bees stopped flying before midday, explained Meredith Johnson, a doctoral candidate at Arizona State University and first author of the study.

Water loss is a bigger problem for the insects. “These bees lose 17% of their body water content per hour, with the amount slightly increasing as the air temperature [rises],” Johnson said. “Loss of about 50% of total body water content is lethal, suggesting that these bees can maximally fly for about three hours.”

The flying time constraint is important to note, as typically bees need to fly for six or seven hours each day searching for mating opportunities. Without sufficient time to mate, the bee population will shrink in the future.

“Water loss appears to be a most critical problem for male digger bees. Climate change will very likely challenge their important ecological functions,” Johnson said.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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October 29, 2022
Math Model Shows Climate Change Puts Rainforest Animal’s Survival in Jeopardy

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Newswise — (San Diego) October 29, 2022—A South American marsupial with ties to an ancient line of animals may go extinct in the next half-century due to warming temperatures. Researchers from the Universidad Austral de Chile will present a mathematical model of the monito del monte’s survival predictions this week at the American Physiological Society (APS) Intersociety Meeting in Comparative Physiology: From Organism to Omics in an Uncertain World conference in San Diego.

The monito del monte, native to the rainforests of South America, is a marsupial in the relict family Microbiotheriidae. These tiny animals typically weigh about 20 grams (0.7 ounce) and measure around 3 to 5 inches long. Monitos reproduce and prepare for winter hibernation during the summer. Preparation includes eating as much as possible—including fruit, insects, small birds and other dead animals—to store as body fat. Researchers estimate that monitos need to have fat reserves that are almost twice their body weight to survive the winter.

Climate change predictions show that ambient temperatures in coastal Chile will increase an estimated 36.5 degrees F over the next 50 years. This will have a large impact on the ability of the monito population to survive the winter. The warmer temperatures will cause the animals to come out of hibernation earlier than usual, and they will be unable to find food during the winter, explained Roberto Nespolo Rossi, PhD, first author of the study. Nespolo and his research team developed a mathematical model to estimate survival rates for the monito population in the advent of global warming.

The mathematical model uses an algebraic formula to connect days of winter survival with the ambient temperature. The calculations are based on the assumption that all of the monitos’ daily energy expenditure during hibernation comes from the fat stores they have accumulated during the warmer months.

Energy content of fat (kilojoule per gram) X Fat stores (grams)

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Daily energy expenditure (kilojoule per day)

The model “is one of the few predictive models built on physiological parameters, so it can be applied to other hibernators, for which there is plenty of physiological data,” Nespolo said. “Our predictions for 50 years … indicate that most coastal populations [of monitos] will go extinct,” he added. This is especially important because the monito, sometimes referred to as a “living fossil,” is the last living relative of the ancient marsupial order Microbiotheria.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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October 29, 2022
Food Security Harmed by Warming Ocean, Accelerating Fish Development

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Newswise — (San Diego) October 29, 2022— Higher temperatures spurred by worsening climate change increased the growth rate of fish and consumption of their yolk sac—a structure that provides an embryo with food and helps develop important structures, such as blood cells. In addition, higher temperatures boosted fish mortality rates and led to faster depletion of their yolk sac, according to researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. The findings will be presented this week at the American Physiological Society (APS) Intersociety Meeting in Comparative Physiology: From Organism to Omics in an Uncertain World conference in San Diego.

Ocean temperatures are predicted to rise as carbon monoxide gas accumulates due to climate change. To determine the impact on larval white seabass, researchers sampled fish reared at 18–23 degrees Celsius throughout development from birth to six days old. With this process, they were hoping to differentiate the effects of temperature and time. They estimated growth and development rates by examining images obtained under a light microscope, among other methods.

These findings are important because it helps inform fish population predictions in the face of climate change. The fishing industry is an important link in the U.S. food supply chain. Predicting growth rates and population structures of white seabass, a commercially and recreationally significant population in California, is critically important to help ensure food security.

“Our results suggest that larval fish recruitment could swing to either extremity as a result of ocean warming,” said Ria Bhabu, co-author of the study and a student at the University of California San Diego.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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October 29, 2022
Climate Change Negatively Affecting School Sharks

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Newswise — (San Diego) October 29, 2022— Preliminary research data suggest warmer temperatures and increased salt levels might have negative effects on the behavior and physiology of school sharks. A clear indicator of physiological changes is higher levels of stress markers such as glucose and lactate concentrations in the blood. Researchers also noted behavior changes according to the warmer and saltier the environment is and the more time school sharks spend resting. School sharks are usually constantly swimming. A break in their usual activity means they might be too stressed to find food or escape predators. The findings will be presented this week at the American Physiological Society (APS) Intersociety Meeting in Comparative Physiology: From Organism to Omics in an Uncertain World conference in San Diego.

Researchers also examined the response of school sharks to increases in temperatures and salinity levels based on neonatal and juvenile (one year old and older) stage. The findings show newborns were more tolerant of some of the environmental changes than juveniles. This suggests neonates might have a special ability at birth to inhabit coastal waterways where freshwater mixes with salt water before migrating into deeper waters as juveniles.

The shallow water home of school sharks is constantly fluctuating, but this natural variation is being exacerbated due to the rapid pace of climate change. As a result, researchers through this study were seeking to determine “if this endangered species will be able to continue using these protected, resource-rich waters, or if they will be forced out into the ocean, which may have major ecological implications for the survival of the species.” They specifically wanted to know if the nursery ground in southeast Tasmania will remain a viable area for school shark pups in the coming years. To reach their conclusion, researchers evaluated the physiology and biochemistry of neonatal and juvenile sharks.

“Hopefully, these findings will be able to guide or inform regulations that can improve shark health,” said Katherine Ollerhead, a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania in Australia and co-author of the study.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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October 29, 2022