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Medicine is Key to Saving Species

Conservationists have been warning for years that animal species are going extinct at an alarming rate. A professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Michigan, Timothy Cernak, is making the case for funding research in a new field that could help save them: conservation medicine.

“Modern medicine could prevent the extinction of endangered species,” Cernak says. “In zoos, botanical gardens, and animal rehabilitation centers, many diseases are treatable, but the understanding of medicine for endangered species lags far behind our current understanding of human medicine.”

tests chemical compounds to evaluate their effectiveness in fighting disease in animals.

In a new article, Cernak and his co-authors present a vision of chemists and pharmacists collaborating with conservationists, veterinarians, and others to keep species alive.

Keeping Potatoes Healthy

The potato industry is no small potatoes in Michigan: Our state leads the U.S. in producing spuds for chips. Potatoes must be stored in the offseason to meet demand year-round; however, preserving potatoes in cold temperatures results in a process called cold-induced sweetening — or CIS — in which starches convert to sugars. When those potatoes are processed, a carcinogenic compound called acrylamide forms and the chips are discolored.

Fortunately, that switches on the CIS-causing gene. The results of experiments implementing a technique to stop CIS through gene editing were promising.

“This discovery represents a significant advancement in our understanding of potato development and its implications for food quality and health,” says MSU professor Jiming Jiang. “It has the potential to affect every single bag of potato chips around the world.”

New Map of Human Ovary Sets Stage for Innovation

, a global project that aims to create “maps” of each type of human cell to further scientific understanding. This team from U-M has created the highest-resolution atlas of the human ovary yet.

The insights the team has uncovered could lead to treatments restoring ovarian hormone production and other innovations. Because the atlas shows detail down to the single-cell level, the team was able to use a technology called spatial transcriptomics on tissue samples to pinpoint the genes that allow follicles to produce eggs.

“Now … we can test whether affecting these genes could result in creating a functional follicle,” says U-M professor Ariella Shikanov. “This can be used to create an artificial ovary that could eventually be transplanted back into the body.”

This story originally appeared in the July 2024 issue of ������ϲ�ͼ������ magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of ������ϲ�ͼ������ at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on July 8.