FAU researchers have been studying how human and camel cells maintain stability in environments of extreme heat. They tracked shifts in gene activity across different temperatures in cells which help maintain tissue structures called fibroblasts in the skin.

“By focusing on how gene expression variability changes under stress, we can identify mechanisms that help some species maintain stability while others become more vulnerable,” says Valery Forbes. “This approach also works with limited data, making it useful for studying how organisms respond to climate shifts and other environmental pressures even when sample sizes are small.”

• Valery Forbes