Yvette Taché, Ph.D.
Dr. Taché, Ph.D. is Professor of Medicine, and co-Director of the Center of the Neurobiology of Stress at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Digestive Disease Division. Her field of expertise is in the role peptides in brain-gut interactions as it relates to the pathophysiology of stress-induced visceral hypersensitivity, gastrointestinal motility, post-operative ileus and regulation of feeding behavior. Using functional, pharmacological, neuroanatomical and molecular approaches in rodents her group made pioneering observations that established the physiological role of several brain peptides in the regulation of vagal outflow to the stomach. These data demonstrated the effects of the peptides on both gastric and colonic function as well as feeding behavior. The work also established an important role for brain and intestinal corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptors in the gut responses to stress. These findings have important implications to preclinical models of irritable bowel syndrome and the ultimate treatment of this disease. She has received several awards for her scientific contributions including the Middleton Award and Research Career Scientist Award from the Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development Department of Veterans Affairs, the Legion of Honor from the French government and the Outstanding Women in Science Award from the American Gastroenterology Association.