Peter Mohler’s accomplishments demonstrate that cell biology and physiology graduate students can become national research and academic leaders. Peter Mohler earned his doctorate in cell and molecular physiology, the predecessor of the cell biology and physiology department and curriculum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000....

Congratulations to Sarah Cohen on winning the 2025 Hettleman Prize! The prestigious prize is awarded to just five promising University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill early-career faculty members who exemplify groundbreaking and innovative research along with future career promise. The late Phillip Hettleman, a member of the Carolina class...

As part of a continued collaboration, four Wake Technical Community College students will complete research intensive summer internships under the mentorship of UNC Cell Biology and Physiology principal investigators.  The Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (CBP) welcomed four Wake Technical Community College students on May 19th as part of...

In this CBP In the Loop: Spring 2025 newsletter, explore top CBP research stories, faculty and trainee research awards and honors, graduating student profiles, CBP’s new 9-month biomedical master’s program, and CBP faculty and trainee collaboration and outreach efforts. Download a PDF of the full newsletter here: CBP In the loop_Newsletter_Spring...

Trimming neuronal axons involves a distinct pathway and a rare pathogen-sensing immune protein that could have implications for Alzheimer’s disease. Neurons have the remarkable ability to kill parts of themselves without dying in a phenomenon known as axon pruning. During axon pruning, neurons trim unnecessary axons, long, threadlike projections from...

O’Brien will map the kidney nerve network from acute injury to chronic disease for the first time in a high-risk/high reward project. Sympathetic and sensory neurons innervate the kidney, with sympathetic neurons playing key roles in regulating blood flow and fluid balance and sensory neurons sending critical information about physiological...

Understanding the influence of blood vessels on liver recovery may be the first step in developing better treatments for liver injury and solving the problem of why some drugs fail in the pharmaceutical market. The human liver naturally cleanses the body of most toxins, but this comes at a biological...

The UNC Provost’s Office awarded Heather McCauley a Junior Faculty Development Award to create a new humanized mouse model that more closely replicates complex epithelial and immune cell dynamics in the gut.  Lining the intestines are rare hormone-producing cells called enteroendocrine cells that sense nutrients, gut microbes, and metabolites in...

2024 was a productive year for researchers in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology. In this In the Loop: Year in Review newsletter, explore their scientific discoveries, uncover upcoming opportunities for collaboration and learning, and gain insights into the faculty and students that power the department’s culture and scientific...

Using technology first designed by Bryan L. Roth, MD, PhD, the Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology, researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have engineered a molecular technology that can turn off pain receptors. Pain is meant to be a defense mechanism. It creates a strong sensation to get...