Welcome to Dr. Yates' Stress Physiology Lab
We study metabolic fetal programming related to maternal stress, placental insufficiency, and intrauterine growth restriction. In humans and companion animals, IUGR-born individuals (~10% of all US-born babies; ~25% worldwide) are at much greater risk for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other metabolic disorders that shorten life expectancy and reduced quality of life. In food animals, IUGR leads to less efficient growth and poorer carcass quality, which reduces the financial sustainability of meat animal production.
Our lab utilizes pregnant sheep and rodents as physiological models for humans and ruminant livestock species. We have developed research techniques to allow us to measure fetal physiological responses to maternal stress factors in real-time over the last trimester of pregnancy. In addition, we can study glucose metabolism in live animals, primary tissue samples, and cells cultures. A large factor in metabolic homeostasis is proper skeletal muscle growth, and we have developed ex vivo and in vitro protocols for measuring functional capacity of muscle stem cells, as well as microscopy and immunoblot techniques for determining muscle fiber dynamics.
Contact Dr. Dustin YatesYates Laboratory Current Members
Yates Laboratory Alumni
M.S.
Taylor Barnes-Ph.D. student, Texas A&M University (Animal Science)
Taylor Lacey-Assistant Laboratory Specialist, University of California, Davis
Elena Stout-Curriculum Lead and Teacher, Dailies
Micah Most-Extension Educator, Wyoming Extension
Rebecca Swanson-Ph.D. student, Mississippi State University (Animal and Dairy Sciences)
Caitlin Cadaret-Ph.D. student, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Rachel Gibbs-Ph.D. student, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Melanie White-Ph.D. student, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Ph.D.
Joslyn Beard-Livestock Extension Specialist, University of Arizona
Caitlin Cadaret-Assistant Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University
Shawna Clement-Lecturer, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Zena Herrera-Food Scientist, Tyson Foods, Inc.
Rachel Gibbs-Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Haley Beer-Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Pablo Grijalva-Safety Inspector, United States Department of Agriculture