Robert Clark, MD is Professor of Critical Care Medicine and Pediatrics at UPMC CHP, as well as Associate Director of Molecular Biology at the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research (SCRR).  With his research team at the SCRR, Dr. Clark has found that female brain cells are better able to survive starvation than male ones. Their findings are published in the January 23, 2009 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry and reported in the February 9th issue of Pitt Chronicle. The results are based on a study of neurons from rats and mice. Within 24 hours, starved neurons from male animals were dying off from autophagy whereas the female cells mobilized fatty acids as fuel which prolonged survival. It is concluded that the findings could have important implications for the nourishment of critically ill patients.