The Molecular and Applied Sciences Laboratory’s research focuses on:

  1. How nutrition and exercise affects the molecular environment of muscle and fat tissues (e.g., mRNA and protein expression changes as well as morphology).

  2. How aging affects the genetic architecture of skeletal muscle.

  3. How weight-training affects intra-muscle cell adaptations.

The research conducted in the MASL Laboratory prepares students to conduct animal and cell culture models, as well as human studies.

The laboratory routinely conducts Western Blotting, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), histology, and various enzyme assays.

Research

Recent and ongoing studies include:

  1. How whey protein and amino acids affect chronic resistance and endurance training parameters.

  2. How skeletal muscle aging affects LINE-1 “jumping gene” activity in skeletal muscle.

  3. How different forms of weight-training affect molecular adaptations in skeletal muscle.

  4. What physiological differences exist between individuals that grow muscle during resistance training versus those that do not.

Michael Roberts, Ph.D.
Professor
(334) 844-1925
Email Michael Roberts
Last updated: 05/05/2023