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Hormones and Nerves In Sex-Specific Physiology
Biological sex is one of nature's most robust variables. We study sex differences and hormone-responsive nodes in the brain and peripheral tissues that maintain metabolic, skeletal, and gut physiology in females to address the large gaps in women's health.
- Bone Loss: After a 5-year hunt for a brain-derived hormone that increases and strengthens bones (Herber, Krause, et al., 2019), we identified a novel potent hormone that is effective in males and females. In lactating mothers, this hormone offsets significant bone loss independent of estrogen (see Babey, Krause, et al., 2024, which has been downloaded >37K). With funding from NIA and efforts by a newly formed SF Bay Area start-up, we hope to open new therapeutic doors for osteoporosis. Please consider helping us reach this goal with a gift (link).
- Metabolic Decline: After showing how estrogen triggers a pathway in the brain to increase physical activity in females (Krause et al., 2021 - See NYT Article), follow-up studies aim to define this complex neural circuit with projections to the hindbrain. This work is highly relevant to T2DM, weight gain, and inactivity that often occurs in natural or drug-induced menopause and is funded by NIDDK.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome: In a project funded by NIDDK, we have defined a gut-brain conduit that propagates intestinal visceral pain syndromes, such as IBS, which disproportionately affects women. Read our team's study that defines EC cells as the major driver of gut pain (Bayrer, Castro, et al., 2023). Newer work delineates the role of estrogen signaling in visceral pain—stay tuned for our upcoming bioRxiv preprint in late 2024.
- IRACDA Scholars Program: I also direct the UCSF IRACDA Program, which seeks to train the next generation of scientists in biomedical research - funding is provided by NIGMS.
