Damon Runyon Researchers

Before, during, and after a meal, complex signals in the gut must be communicated to the brain to regulate physiology and behavior. Dr. Saavedra-Peña [HHMI Fellow] is researching how sensory neurons in the gut detect mechanical stretch, a potent satiety signal after a meal. Although vagal neurons, the primary component of the parasympathetic nervous system, are known to play a role in gut mechanosensation, the contribution of other neurons and mechanoreceptors are still unclear. Since disruptions in gut-brain communication can lead to obesity, metabolic disorders, and increased cancer risk, identifying the key cellular and molecular players in gut mechanosensation will aid in developing new treatments for metabolic disorders and provide a foundation for investigating the function of these circuits in gastric cancers. Dr. Saavedra-Peña received her PhD and MS from Yale University, New Haven and her BS from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, Mayagüez.