in certain rats in a paper published by JCI Insight. This observation may reveal a new cause of hypertension and could offer clues about which therapies patients may respond to. • The Link Between Obesity and Puberty – Carol Elias, Ph.D., professor of molecular & integrative physiology and obstetrics & gynecology at the U-M Medical School, and her team published a study in the journal iScience which examined two important regions in the brain to try and understand how leptin influences pubertal timing. The mouse study identified genes connecting the onset of puberty to the remodeling of specific brain sites. • Investigational New Therapy Prevents Onset of Dravet Syndrome Symptoms in Mice – Lori Isom, Ph.D., chair of U-M’s Department of Pharmacology and professor of molecular & integrative physiology, and her team have spent several years tracing the
developmental pathway of Dravet syndrome, a debilitating genetic disease that causes intractable seizures and can lead to sudden death. Based on the encouraging findings of the team’s mouse study, published in Science Translational Medicine in August, a clinical study has been launched to begin evaluating STK-001 in children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome. These studies represent only a small sample of the myriad projects currently underway at the University of Michigan and would not be possible without a collective commitment to achieving the highest standards of humane and compassionate animal care. ULAM is honored to partner with the U-M research community in its pursuit of innovative scientific advancements to benefit both human and animal health. •
MIP's Secret Weapon: Chuck Norris? Elizabeth Wagenmaker Laboratory Technician, Molecular & Integrative Physiology
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here is a poster hanging in the laboratory next to mine that depicts how specific groups of lab members view each other: undergraduates see the postdocs as rolling in cash, grad students see a screaming PI, postdocs see grad students as small children poking an electrical outlet with a metal knife, etc. The one that always puts a knowing smile on my face is how lab technicians see each other: as Chuck Norris. That’s right, the butt-kicking action star that has spawned a thousand memes depicting his badassery; one of my favorite science-related ones being “the periodic table is incomplete because only Chuck Norris knows the element of surprise.” Like Chuck Norris, lab technicians have to possess - and be adept at - a multitude of skills. We also have to be quick on our feet because on any given day, we are acting as researchers, administrators, air traffic controllers, wish-granting genies and, yes, sometimes even therapists. It is not unusual for us to be filling many roles at once. Unlike Chuck Norris, we may not quite know everything but we do serve an important purpose in maintaining the lab’s “history.” As students and postdocs come and go, it is often the technicians that provide continuity and stability within a lab. We are frequently some of the most visible representatives of the department when it comes to forming working relationships with labs outside of Molecular and Integrative Physiology (MIP) as well as other university support staff. Additionally, many lab technicians working in MIP hold graduate degrees, have research interests of their own, and publish regularly, all of which significantly contributes to the research goals of the lab and the department as a whole. So, just as with Chuck Norris, lab technicians are like Swiss Army knives: we have many important functions, we are great problem solvers and we come in handy! As a result, we truly are MIP’s secret weapons in the optimal functioning and success of the department.
Physiology Matters
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