https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:5301 Comparative physiology and biomimetics in metabolic and environmental health: what can we learn from extreme animal phenotypes? Stenvinkel, Peter Peter Stenvinkel 0000-0002-8785-4820 Kotanko, Peter Peter Kotanko Painer-Gigler, Johanna Johanna Painer-Gigler 0000-0003-3929-511X University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Shiels, Paul G. Paul G. Shiels Evenepoel, Pieter Pieter Evenepoel Schurgers, Leon Leon Schurgers Natterson-Horowitz, Barbara Barbara Natterson-Horowitz Kalogeropoulu, Szilvia Szilvia Kalogeropoulu 0000-0002-3689-6369 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Schiffman, Joshua Joshua Schiffman Johnson, Richard J. Richard J. Johnson Springer journal article open access eng This review explores the remarkable metabolic adaptations of species that thrive in extreme environments, providing insights into their resilience, flexibility and disease resistance. Species such as hibernating brown bears, migratory birds, cavefish, Greenland sharks and naked mole rats exhibit unique metabolic traits that challenge conventional paradigms of metabolic regulation. These adaptations, including resistance to hypoxia and metabolic ageing, offer potential solutions to human metabolic disorders, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and CVD. Insights from comparative physiology, particularly the mechanisms by which animals cope with food scarcity, extreme temperatures and hypoxia, could help identify novel therapeutic targets for advancing human health. For example, hibernation can serve as a model for understanding metabolic diseases, providing insights into reversible insulin resistance and energy homeostasis. This review also highlights the impact of environmental stressors, including climate change, on these species, which may jeopardise their survival despite their resilience. Accelerating anthropogenic environmental change threatens even the most resilient animal species. We call for a holistic approach to conservation and environmental protection to preserve these species and the valuable lessons they offer for managing our metabolic health. Biomimetics Cardiovascular Disease Climate Change Comparative Physiology Exposome Hibernation Insulin Resistance Longevity Metabolic Adaption NrF2 Planetary Health Review http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:5301/download 10.1007/s00125-025-06611-3 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Diabetologia issn:0012-186X VoR Diabetologia 69 1.33 MB 2026