Applicants for hosting visiting scholars are currently being solicited by the Laboratory of Molecular Physiology at Marshall University under the guidance of Dr. Eric Blough. The Laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms associated with muscle (cardiac, smooth, and skeletal) adaptation during aging, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and are well funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH), NASA, WV-EPSCOR, Novartis Pharmaceutical, Glaxo Smith Kline, and McNeil Pharmaceutical. To address these topics a variety of different hypertrophy and disuse models (animal, cell culture, ex-vivo tissue preparations) are used along with several molecular, morphological and physiological (Echo, EKG, muscle physiology) tools.

Several ongoing projects that applicants may join include: (1) Age- and Syndrome X related changes in circulatory system structure and function. The long term objective of this project is to investigate how disease influences cardiovascular (vascular, cardiac) structure, intracellular signaling and function (contractile output). (2) Aging, reactive oxygen species and cardiovascular physiology. The long term objective of this project is to understand the role that reactive oxygen species play in regulating age-associated cardiovascular dysfunction. (3) Mechanotransduction in smooth muscle. The long term objective of this project is to investigate the mechanisms smooth muscle uses to convert mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals. (4)Syndrome X and exercise induced signal transduction. The long term objective of this project is to investigate how diabetes/obesity may influence exercise-induced signal transduction. (5) Development of a nano-scale protein based cargo transport system. The long term objective of this project is to investigate the electrical fields to control the mobility of actin / myosin filament to deliver molecular cargo to addressable coordinates on a micro-patterned surface.

The Laboratory of Molecular Physiology is housed in the brand new Byrd Biotechnology Research Center a 200,000 square-foot, state of the art research facility that brings together under one roof the faculty, staff, and students of the School of Medicine and the College of Science. Please visit website for more information about Marshall University (http://www.marshall.edu/aboutmarshall.asp), living in Huntington (http://www.huntingtonwvonline.com/visiting/uniquelyhuntington.asp), Byrd Biotechnology Research Center (http://www.marshall.edu/campus/virtualtour.asp?id=34) and our lab (http://www.science.marshall.edu/blough/).

Prospective applicants should have a PhD in physiology, molecular biology or biomedical field,

and would be able to stay in the U.S. for 12-18 months. Inquires are encouraged and welcome (Dr.

Eric Blough, blough@marshall.edu).

Annex:

1.       Cardiovascular Research Group

2.       Curriculum Vitea of Dr. Eric Blough, Director of Research