Physiology Research

The research focus of Physiology in the Kinesiology Department is to understand movement from the organismal (i.e. human activities of daily living such as walking) to the molecular level (i.e. protein interactions that allow muscle contraction) and how this movement is altered under a variety of conditions, such as aging, fatigue and exercise. The overall goal of this work is to understanding the underlying mechanisms behind the improvement and degradation of movement, leading to various countermeasures designed to improve human health across the lifespan.

Research Labs

The Muscle Biophysics Laboratory is directed by Dr. Edward (Ned) Debold whose research focuses on the molecular basis on striated muscle contraction, with specific foci on the molecular basis of muscle fatigue and heart failure.

The Muscle Biology Laboratory led by Dr. Mark Miller, examines the effects of exercise, disease and fatigue on skeletal muscle structure and function from the molecular to the whole body level, using both humans and animal models. One primary interest of the laboratory is examining male and female adaptations to muscle contraction in a variety of conditions, which inform potential sex-specific countermeasures that lead to a better health span for both sexes.