Ara Katz
Co-Founder, Co-CEO
Dr. John A. Ryals, PhD is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Metabolon Inc. with over 30 years of experience in biotechnology, agri-bioscience, genetics, and business development. Prior to founding Metabolon, he was President and CEO of Paradigm Genetics, a publicly traded agricultural biotechnology company focused on industrializing the process of gene function discovery. He worked in senior research positions at Novartis and Ciba-Geigy, and is currently on the board of directors at AgBiome, LLC, a provider of early-stage research and development for agriculture, as well as the advisory board of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University. Dr. Ryals received a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Key Publications:
Cooper M A, O’Meara B, Jack M M, Elliot D, Lamb B, Khan Z W, Menta B W, Ryals J M, Winter M K, Wright D E. “Intrinsic activity of C57BL/6 substrains associates with high-fat diet-induced mechanical sensitivity in mice.” J Pain, pii: S1526-5900(18)30193-7, 2018 May 24. Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29803670. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2018.05.005
Cooper M A, Menta B W, Perez-Sanchez C, Jack M M, Khan Z W, Ryals J M, Winter M, Wright D E.“A ketogenic diet reduces metabolic syndrome-induced allodynia and promotes peripheral nerve growth in mice.”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29763602. Exp Neurol. 306:149-157, 2018 May 17. DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.05.011.
Grote C W, Wilson N M, Katz N K, Guilford B L, Ryals JM, Novikova L, Stehno-Bittel L, Wright D E. “Deletion of the insulin receptor in sensory neurons increases pancreatic insulin levels.” Exp Neurol. 305:97-107, 2018 Jul. Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29649429. DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.04.002
Cooper M A, Jack M M, Ryals J M, Hayley P, Escher T, Koch L G, Britton S L, Raupp S M, Winter M K, McCarson K E, Geiger P C, Thyfault J P, Wright D E. “Rats bred for low and high running capacity display alterations in peripheral tissues and nerves relevant to neuropathy and pain.”Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29075557 . DOI: 10.1002/brb3.780
Guilford B L, Parson J C, Grote C W, Vick S N, Ryals J M, Wright D E.“Increased FNDC5 is associated with insulin resistance in high fat-fed mice.” Physiol Rep.;5(13). pii: e13319, 2017 Jul. Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28676551. DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13319.
Cooper M A, Ryals JM, Wu P Y, Wright K D, Walter K R, Wright D E. “Modulation of diet-induced mechanical allodynia by metabolic parameters and inflammation.”J Peripher Nerv Syst, 22(1):39-46, 2017 Mar. Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27935216. DOI: 10.1111/jns.12199.
Pierce A N, Di Silvestro E R, Eller O C, Wang R, Ryals J M, Christianson J A.“Urinary bladder hypersensitivity and dysfunction in female mice following early life and adult stress.” Brain Res, 1639:58-73. Web 2016 Mar 2. Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26940840. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.02.039.
Pierce A N, Zhang Z, Fuentes I M, Wang R, Ryals J M, Christianson J A. “Neonatal vaginal irritation results in long-term visceral and somatic hypersensitivity and increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis output in female mice.’ Pain. 156(10):2021-31. 2015 Oct. Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26098441. DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000264.
Katz N K, Ryals J M, Wright D E. “Central or peripheral delivery of an adenosine A1 receptor agonist improves mechanical allodynia in a mouse model of painful diabetic neuropathy.” Neuroscience. 285:312-23, 2015 Jan 29. Web 2014 Nov 8. Accessed 2018 June 4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25451280. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.10.065
Pierce A N, Ryals J M, Wang R, Christianson J A. “Vaginal hypersensitivity and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction as a result of neonatal maternal separation in female mice.” Neuroscience. 263:216-30, 2014 Mar 28. Accessed 2018 June 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24462609. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.01.022