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Story contact: Nicholas Childress, CVMMarCom@missouri.edu
Photo courtesy Kaylie Dow
Kaylie Dow, a doctoral candidate in the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Pathobiology and Integrative Biomedical Sciences, recently received the Geoff Burstock Prize for Best Poster Presentation in Basic Science. The award was given at the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience (ISAN) Meeting in Bologna, Italy.
Dow presented her research, “The A Isoform of Alpha1 (α1A) Adrenergic Receptors in Cardiac Vagal Nucleus Ambiguus Increases Heart Rate through Increased GABAergic Inhibition.” Conducted under the mentorship of Carie Boychuk, PhD, the research examines how adrenergic receptors in the brainstem influence cardiac vagal activity and heart rate regulation.
As part of this work, Dow is also investigating whether these receptors contribute to cardiovascular changes associated with a high-fat diet. Early findings suggest the α1A adrenergic receptor may play a role in this process.
“This was my first time attending ISAN, and I was amazed by the breadth and quality of the science presented by researchers from around the world,” Dow said. “To receive this award from such an accomplished group of scientists is an absolute honor. I am incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Carie Boychuk as my mentor and to be part of such a supportive and collaborative research environment.”