The skeletal muscle wasting that occurs due to aging, inactivity, or disease results in a decreased quality of life. The focus of our laboratory is to determine the mechanisms responsible for inactivity- or disease-induced skeletal muscle wasting. Our long-term goal is to develop a therapeutic approach to prevent these forms of skeletal muscle weakness. This goal is approached experimentally by using animal models and performing both in vivo and in vitro investigations. To determine the mechanisms responsible for muscle wasting, we utilize both pharmacological probes and genetically engineered animals to study cell signaling pathways that contribute to inactivity- or disease-induced muscle weakness. The combined use of well-defined physiologically relevant models with new molecular technologies allows for mechanistic studies to determine cause and effect.
Research Highlights
- Research in the Powers laboratory has been continuously funded since 1990 by grants from the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and contracts with the pharmaceutical industry.
- Our published research appears in high impact journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Physiological Reviews, and the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
- Our research has produced several ground-breaking findings as evidenced by an increasing number of citations in the scientific literature (e.g., >5086 citations during 2010-2015).