Skeletal muscle & ageing
Coordinator and contact: Professor Di Newham
Skeletal muscle is integral to human movement and performance. This grouping is focused on conditions in which muscle mass and function is impaired and function is compromised. These include ageing (sarcopenia), neuromuscular diseases - including spinal cord injury stroke and also critical care. Research is focused on both underlying casual mechanisms and strategies to improve muscle performance.
Molecular biological through single fibre mechanics to integrated whole body functional assessments of movement are used to address mechanisms of muscle adaptation and consequences for function.
Human muscle cell behavior studied in culture. Myotubes grown in culture from cells extracted from muscle biopsy samples of the quadriceps muscles.
Whole muscle function assessed using isokinetic dynamometry
Human single fibre contracting in vitro against artificially created 'real life' (inertia and elasticity) loading. A: Force. B: Fibre shortening (solid) and distance moved by virtual mass (broken). C: Work done by fibre (solid) and kinetic energy of virtual mass (broken).
Spinal cord injured people participating in a team sport after intensive training with electrically stimulated cycling exercise in their own home. Cycling is powered through coordinated stimulation of their leg muscles.
Analysis of muscle biopsy samples to evaluate the mechanisms underlying the training effects.
Studies on whole body vibration for older people (Professor Di Newham, Professor Roger Woledge & Ross Pollock).
Group members
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Dr Stuart Bruce
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Professor Steve Harridge
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Professor Norman Lazarus
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Professor Di Newham (coordinator and contact)
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Dr Anthea Rowlerson
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Dr Chris Smith
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Professor Roger Woledge
Publications
Attached files
Group publications (pdf, 18 KB)