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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 significant gaps in women's health.
Bone Loss: After a 5-year search for a brain-derived hormone, we identified a novel, potent hormone effective in males and females that enhances bone formation (Herber, Krause, et al., 2019). In lactating mothers, this hormone offsets significant bone loss independent of estrogen. This study was a team effort, started in the Ingraham lab and finished with the Ambrosi lab at UC Davis. With funding from NIA and efforts by a newly formed SF Bay Area start-up, we hope to open new therapeutic doors for reversing osteoporosis.
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), we recently defined a neural circuit to the hindbrain that elevates locomotion while overriding spinal reflexes that control urine and fecal release. This work is highly relevant to age-related issues in the colon and bladder.
Functional Gut Disorders: 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—watch for our new paper in Science 2025 - Venkataraman and Figueroa.
IRACDA Scholars Program: I also direct the UCSF IRACDA Program funded by NIGMS, which trains the next generation of biomedical researchers.