{"id":42124,"date":"2026-04-27T14:16:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T18:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/?p=42124"},"modified":"2026-04-27T14:16:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T18:16:12","slug":"furman-undergrads-win-award-for-research-about-gut-brain-sensory-axis-autism-and-fragile-x-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/furman-undergrads-win-award-for-research-about-gut-brain-sensory-axis-autism-and-fragile-x-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Furman undergrads win award for research about gut-brain-sensory axis, autism and Fragile X syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Neuroscience major Camila Vargas Calatayud \u201926, and biology and French double major Holly Bragdon \u201926 earned one of only three poster awards at the meeting of the South Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Consortium<\/a> (SCAND). Their project explores the relationship between the gut microbiome, the brain and auditory processing in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are investigating the gut-brain axis and nutritional neuroscience in a lab where we work specifically with mice that have Fragile X syndrome (FXS),\u201d said Vargas Calatayud. FXS has many symptoms that overlap with autism, and one of those is hyperacusis, or an outsized, overwhelming sensitivity to sound.<\/p>\n

\"A

From left: Brent Wilkerson (MUSC), Holly Bragdon, Camila Vargas Calatayud and Linnea Freeman.<\/p><\/div>\n

Working with Associate Professor of Biology and Neuroscience Linnea Freeman<\/a>, researchers at Furman and at the Medical University of South Carolina are studying whether manipulating the gut microbiome can impact hearing deficits observed in the mouse model of Fragile X syndrome. FXS is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability and leading single-gene cause of ASD, Freeman said.<\/p>\n

Researchers alter the makeup of the gut bacteria through cross-fostering, where a mouse mom takes care of a different litter, Freeman explained. That process exposes mouse pups to a different microbiome through the mother\u2019s milk, skin and feces.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our preliminary results, we saw that altering the gut microbiome had a corrective effect on hearing in mice,\u201d Bragdon said. \u201cThat\u2019s exciting news for treating auditory disorders in Fragile X syndrome and autism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing deficits go hand-in-hand with behavioral differences including those related to anxiety and sociability, added Freeman. \u201cThis work highlights the gut-brain-sensory axis as a potential pathway for novel therapeutic strategies targeting sensory and behavioral dysfunctions associated with FXS and ASD.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAutism symptoms can become very debilitating or limiting for patients,\u201d Vargas Calatayud said. \u201cI\u2019m excited about the possibility of alleviating some of the symptoms through less invasive approaches like introducing probiotics in patients with ASD.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study represents a continuation of NIH-funded research<\/a> Freeman has undertaken with Brent Wilkerson and his team at MUSC. Furman biology major Luke McLeod \u201927 was also a contributor to the project in 2025, and this summer he\u2019ll pick up where Freeman\u2019s lab left off.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud of Camila\u2019s, Holly\u2019s and Luke\u2019s work,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cLuke couldn\u2019t attend SCAND, but Camila and Holly were the only undergraduate students to receive a poster award.\u201d The other two awards went to Ph.Ds.\/postdoc fellows at the University of South Carolina and MUSC.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that Furman undergraduate researchers can hold their own with Ph.Ds. as both students will seek doctorate degrees after graduating Furman \u2013 neurolinguistics for Bragdon and neuroscience for Vargas Calatayud.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m grateful for Dr. Freeman for being an incredible mentor,\u201d Bragdon said. \u201cShe prepared us well by holding weekly meetings over the summer where we\u2019d discuss the literature, sort of like a science book club, so I felt equipped to present on our project and answer questions about the subject.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been lucky to have Dr. Freeman as a professor,\u201d Vargas Calatayud said.\u00a0 She has challenged me and satisfied my intellectual curiosity. She\u2019s a role model for me. It\u2019s inspiring to see a woman so well placed in the world of neuroscience research.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vargas Calatayud of Caracas, Venezuela, is also a Latin American studies minor. \u201cAs an international student, it\u2019s very exciting to have opportunities to be involved in such cutting-edge research,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

And when she\u2019s missing home or facing challenges at Furman, Vargas Calatayud said it\u2019s her hard work and sense of contribution that keep her motivated and on track. For her, the award holds special significance. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m representing my country. My successes are my country\u2019s successes. That\u2019s something I always keep very present,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Using a mouse model, undergraduate researchers get closer to understanding how the gut-brain connection impacts autism and Fragile X symptoms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":257,"featured_media":42125,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,16,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biology","category-modern-languages-and-literature","category-neuroscience"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/257"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42124"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42129,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42124\/revisions\/42129"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}