Fauna Bio Announces Dr. Lara Do Amaral-Silva as Recipient of the CEPS FaunaBio Translational Research Award

-       Research study shows how bullfrogs can adapt and live without oxygen for up to 4 hours after overwintering

EMERYVILLE, Calif., March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fauna Bio, biotechnology company improving human health by leveraging animal genomics, announced today Dr. Lara Do Amaral-Silva, assistant professor of biology at Wake Forest University, as the recipient of the FaunaBio Translational Research Award through the American Physiological Society (APS).

The FaunaBio Translational Research Award honors researchers whose work demonstrates exceptional promise for translating scientific discoveries into tangible solutions in the area of comparative genomics using non-traditional animal models, and supports one young investigator's trip to the APS Summit held this year in Long Beach, CA to present their research.

Her research focuses on the physiology of animals that can overcome metabolic challenges in the brain to gain overarching insights into brain diseases. The presentation at the APS Summit, titled "NMDA receptors' functional plasticity improves network stability to function without oxygen," highlights the role of NMDA receptors in the American bullfrog, and neural network function during hypoxia.

"While Fauna Bio is focused on data and discovery from mammals, we recognize there is important translational work being done in a broader range of species. This important research highlights the resilience of brain function in animals under challenging conditions that would be fatal to humans," said Ashley Zehnder, Ph.D., CEO & Co-Founder, Fauna Bio. "Understanding how bullfrog brains adapt to low-oxygen environments could offer invaluable insights into potential therapeutic interventions for human brain disorders associated with oxygen deprivation. Dr. Amaral-Silva's work not only advances our understanding of neural circuit function but will help the industry improve the development of novel therapeutic strategies for hypoxia-related conditions."

Dr. Amaral-Silva and colleagues evaluated the role of NMDA receptors in the output of the respiratory network and single neuron currents in both control and overwintered bullfrogs. Their findings revealed that overwintering reduces NMDA receptor calcium permeability and enhances desensitization during repetitive stimulation, thereby improving tolerance to hypoxia, which enabled the bullfrogs to survive for up to 4 hours without oxygen. Dr. Amaral-Silva's research highlights the need for further investigation into neurophysiological processes aimed at sustaining brain performance during oxygen deprivation, that can prevent dysfunction and damage.

The research also identified specific NMDA receptor subunits, GluN2B and GluN2C, as key players in mediating the NMDA receptor current. The downregulation of GluN2C after hibernation corresponds with reduced desensitization, suggesting a novel mechanism for adjusting NMDA receptor function to maintain network excitability during energetic stress.

"I'm excited to present our research on neurophysiological processes in animals that can transform brain function to maintain performance during oxygen deprivation, to avoid dysfunction and damage," said Dr. Amaral-Silva. "As our research advances, we hope that these insights will improve our understanding of brain function and facilitate the discovery of novel pathways and approaches in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders."

Fauna Bio will also be hosting a breakfast for trainees to learn about biomedical careers and will be co-moderating a symposium entitled 'Translational Potential of Animal Adaptations to Human Health' at APS Summit 2024.

About Fauna Bio

Fauna Bio is a biotechnology company using comparative genomics and data from "extreme mammals" capable of surviving conditions or physiological events that would be lethal to humans to identify drug targets to treat human disease. By comparing gene expression in animal species, Fauna Bio unlocks unique insights that drive innovative approaches to human disease prevention and treatment. For more information visit www.faunabio.com. Follow us @faunabio.

SOURCE Fauna Bio