Diabetes Drug Protects Against Muscle Loss

As we get older, it can be harder to bounce back from injury or prolonged periods of bed rest. That’s partly because it takes older adults longer to rebuild muscles that have atrophied due to disuse. The resulting weakness can limit mobility and put people at risk for falls, hospitalization, and even chronic disease. Encouragingly, it may be possible to protect older adults against muscle loss with a drug that millions of people already take. Continue reading → Diabetes Drug Protects Against Muscle Loss

Age-Related Sarcopenia and Recovery Following Muscle Disuse

Aging coincides with frequent periods of muscle disuse and, when combined with subsequent poor muscle recovery, contributes to sarcopenia, loss of muscle during aging. In order to develop effective interventions to offset deficits in muscle mass and function, Micah Drummond, PhD, and colleagues studied the cellular and molecular events that accompany muscle disuse in older adults. Continue reading → Age-Related Sarcopenia and Recovery Following Muscle Disuse

Research Statement

The research projects within Dr. Drummond’s laboratory hold to two general research themes: 1) Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of muscle growth and metabolic function in healthy and mobility impaired older adults. 2) Novel exercise and nutritional strategies to improve muscle, metabolic and physical function deficits in older adults recovery during rehabilitation.