Vital Signs highlights how researchers are "cracking the code on the genome" to harness the biomedical superpowers of hibernating animals

HONG KONG, Nov. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a groundbreaking new episode, CNN's long-running series Vital Signs delves into the cutting-edge science of hibernation, revealing how the secrets of the animal kingdom could unlock revolutionary advancements in human health, from fighting cancer and heart disease to facilitating space travel. This November, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, takes viewers on a global journey to meet the extraordinary individuals leading the charge in understanding hibernation in mammals and potentially inducing human torpor one day.

CNN first visits the University of Utah, where Professor of Neurobiology Chris Gregg is exploring the genetic links between hibernation and cancer. Inspired by his own battle with stage 4 male breast cancer, Gregg, alongside researchers Alana Welm and K-T Varley at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, is investigating why cancer growth ceases in animals during hibernation. Their research meticulously studies dormant cancer cells, seeking to understand "why cancer cells go dormant, how they stay dormant, and what reactivates them," offering profound implications for cancer treatment.

The journey continues to Fauna Bio, a biotech company where researchers are studying the "Usain Bolts of hibernators" — the 13-lined ground squirrel. These remarkable creatures survive up to 25 "mini heart attacks or strokes" during their six-month hibernation yet repair all damage. Fauna Bio has developed their own AI platform to compare the genetic biobanks of hibernators and humans, identifying compounds and genes that could protect human heart cells. This research has already led to preclinical safety trials for a drug aimed at treating conditions like heart failure. Additionally, the team is developing a "RESPYRS Unit" for NASA, preparing to send squirrels into space to study hibernation in microgravity, aiming to understand its potential for long-duration human space travel.

Vital Signs then travels to the RIKEN Laboratory for Hibernation Biology in Kobe, Japan, to meet Dr. Genshiro Sunagawa. His team's pioneering work in 2020 demonstrated the ability to induce a torpor-like state in non-hibernating mice by activating specific "Q neurons" in the brain. Dr. Sunagawa envisions a future where humans could safely and efficiently hibernate, transforming emergency medicine by enabling safer patient transport, reducing the need for general anaesthesia during surgery, and vastly extending the viability of organs for transplant. He also explores the profound connection between hibernation and mental health, hypothesizing that conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder may share an evolutionary origin with hibernation, a natural mechanism for survival.

Finally, the episode touches upon recent studies at the University of Pittsburgh in conjunction with NASA, which successfully induced a torpor-like state in human participants for up to 20 hours at a time using an FDA-approved sedative. These participants experienced reduced metabolic rates and could still perform complex tasks, hinting at the tangible near-future applications of this groundbreaking science.

From battling disease on Earth to exploring the cosmos, Vital Signs reveals how the profound lessons from hibernating animals are paving the way for a healthier, more adaptable human future.

Vital Signs trailers: https://bit.ly/4psV4mq 

Vital Signs images: https://bit.ly/4oW2gYe 

Vital Signs microsite: https://edition.cnn.com/health/vital-signs 

Airtimes for 30-minute special: 

Saturday, 29^th November at 2:30pm and 7:30pm HKT

Sunday, 30^th November at 2:30am and 12pm HKT

- Ends –

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SOURCE CNN International