The Division of Applied Physiology is comprised of faculty with teaching and research interests that address the following areas:

• Understanding systemic and tissue level physiological changes induced by exercise and diet that lead to improved health.
• Understanding biological mechanisms responsible for improved health with exercise and diet
• Understanding biological mechanisms mediating improvements in mental health following acute and chronic exercise.
• Understanding biological mechanisms mediating improvements in physical and mental performance.

The Division of Applied Physiology faculty members are:

John Baynes, PhD
Dr. Baynes' research focuses on analytical biochemistry, chemical modification of proteins in aging and chronic disease, chemical modification of proteins by carbohydrates and lipids in diabetes and the role of these reactions in pathogenesis of diabetic complications and cardiovascular disease.

James Carson, PhD
Dr. Carson’s research focus is on biological mechanisms related to muscle growth and wasting processes. Specifically he is interested in the interaction of these processes with nutrition, sex steroids and muscle loading interventions.

Mark Davis, PhD
Dr. Davis's research focuses on 1) Physiological mechanisms of mental and physical fatigue during exercise and in disease, 2) Effects of exercise and nutrition on mental and physical performance during intense exercise and training in athletes and military personnel, and 3) Effects of Exercise and Nutrition on immune function and susceptibility to infection and cancer.

Larry Durstine, PhD
Dr Durstine's research interests are in the impact of physical activity and planned exercise on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, and exercise management for chronic diseases and disabilities including cardiovascular disease rehabilitation.

Greg Hand, PhD
Dr. Hand’s research focuses on: 1) physiological mechanisms for acute and chronic conditions that are caused or exacerbated by emotional stress; 2) benefits of commonly used therapeutic modalities, such as exercise and alternative medicine, on treatment of these conditions ; and 3) enhance access to effective treatments by clinical populations. The research models include chronic studies in awake animals that are subjected to various physiological and psychological stressors, and clinical and minority populations that are affected significantly by physiological and psychological stressors related to disease state and/or environment.

Matt Kostek, PhD
Dr. Kostek’s research integrates modern molecular techniques in genetics and genomics in the study of muscle growth, repair, and function. As the only tissue in the human body that can adapt to the stimulus to which is imposed upon it by not only altering gene & protein expression but also altering the number of cells contained therein, altering cellular mass and volume, and it’s overall physiology; skeletal muscle has been deemed “Plastic Fantastic” by some (Nader) and the overall goal of this work is to elucidate the mechanisms behind these alterations.

Angela Murphy, PhD
Dr. Murphy's research focuses on nutritional strategies to counteract the immune suppression associated with exercise stress, nutritional interventions to offset exercise-induced inflammation, dietary and physical activity interventions to delay tumor progression in cancer models, and Physiological mechanisms of nutrition on performance.

Shawn Youngstedt, PhD
Dr. Youngstedt's research focus is on sleep, circadian rhythms, and the influence of exercise and bright light on mental health.