Graber NeuroMuscular Physiology Laboratory

We examine the effect of advancing age on muscle and the molecular mechanisms that underlie age-associated loss of physical function/performance primarily by utilizing pre-clinical models of aging, sarcopenia, frailty and exercise (various models). We have moved in recent years to also examining the effects of exercise on age-related changes to cognitive and cardiovascular function, and brain/heart health. We are particularly interested in how exercise mitigates loss of proteostasis and increased inflammation during aging. Currently, we are beginning to do clinical exercise trials.

Our basic science and translational/reverse translational approaches encompass standard biochemical wetlab techniques including, but noit limitied to: western immunoblotting, q-rt-PCR, enzymatic assays, immunohistochemistry, and ‘omics technologies such as transcriptomics (RNAseq Next Generation Sequencing) and proteomics (liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry).

We determine the effects of exercise and aging on functional capacity using a multitude of well-validated tests. For physical function we use rotarod (overall motor function), grip meter (forelimb strength), treadmill (aerobic capacity/endurance), voluntary wheel running (volitional exercise rate), and activity monitoring (x/y/z plane laser motion detection). For contractile function we use in vitro/ex vivo (force, velocity, power, and fatigue in soleus, diaphragm, and edl muscles) and in vivo (plantar flexor, dorsiflexor, quadriceps maximum isometric torque) contractile physiology. For cognitive testing we developed the y-maze (short term and spatial memory), open field (anxiety and exploratory behavior), novel object recognition (long term memory), and puzzle box (executive function). For cardiovascular function, we measure blood pressure and our collaborators perform echocardiograms. 

Our laboratory is housed within the Brody School of Medicine, a short walk from the Health Sciences Building, the College of Allied Health Sciences, and the Physical Therapy Department.

We invite you to browse our website, check out our current research projects, and to get in touch with us via the “Contact Us” page. If you have questions, would like to collaborate, or are interested in joining our research group–we are always in search of excellent researchers.