KIP Newsblog

Category: Publications

KIP Doctoral Candidate Contributes to Michigan Physiological Society Annual Conference 2026

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KIP Ph.D. candidate, Oluwatosin Oyeniran recently participated in the Michigan Physiological Society (MPS) Annual Conference 2026, held on June 15-16, 2026, and hosted by Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan. The conference brought together students, faculty, researchers, and healthcare professionals from across Michigan to discuss current advances in physiological research, education, and professional development.

Oyeniran, a member of the Integrative Physiology Laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. William Cooke, attended the conference to engage with the broader physiological sciences community and contribute to the scientific program through conference leadership activities.

A notable aspect of his participation was serving as a moderator for two featured scientific sessions. The first session, “Science Advocacy & Policy,” was presented by Dr. Daniel Michele from the University of Michigan and explored the important role scientists play in informing public policy, advocating for research funding, and communicating scientific discoveries to policymakers and the public. The second session, “Who Will Teach Physiology?”, was presented by Dr. Erica Wehrwein from Michigan State University and focused on the future of physiology education, workforce development, and strategies for training and inspiring the next generation of physiology educators.

Oluwatosin Oyeniran moderating the scientific sessions: (i) “Science Advocacy & Policy” presented by Dr. Daniel Michele of the University of Michigan, and (ii) “Who Will Teach Physiology?” presented by Dr. Erica Wehrwein of Michigan State University.

As a session moderator, Oyeniran introduced speakers, facilitated audience discussions, managed question-and-answer periods, and helped ensure the smooth flow of each session. The experience provided an opportunity to engage with leading physiologists and contribute to meaningful conversations about the future of science, education, and professional engagement within the discipline.

“The conference provided an excellent opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research and important issues facing the physiology community,” said Oyeniran. “Moderating sessions on science advocacy and physiology education allowed me to interact with experts in the field while developing my leadership and professional communication skills.”

The Michigan Physiological Society Annual Conference featured presentations spanning a wide range of physiological disciplines, including cardiovascular physiology, neuroscience, exercise physiology, metabolism, and translational biomedical science. Attendees participated in scientific presentations, networking events, and discussions focused on advancing research and education in physiology.

L-R: Oluwatosin Oyeniran (KIP), Madeline E. Laguna (Bio Sci), Aurora M. Dahl (Bio Sci), and Dr. Robert Larson (Bio Sci) at the Michigan Physiological Society Annual Conference 2026

For graduate students, participation in professional scientific meetings is an important component of academic and professional development. Conferences provide opportunities to learn about emerging discoveries, build professional networks, explore potential collaborations, and gain exposure to diverse career paths within the physiological sciences.

L-R: Oluwatosin Oyeniran and Dr Erica Wehrwein (Session speaker, and Professor of Physiology, Michigan State University) participating in scientific discussions and networking activities during the annual meeting

Oyeniran’s participation reflects the continued commitment of the Integrative Physiology Laboratory and the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology to fostering student engagement in professional scientific organizations and leadership activities.

The department congratulates Oluwatosin on his contributions to the success of the Michigan Physiological Society Annual Conference 2026 and looks forward to his continued growth as a scientist, educator, and leader in the field of physiology.

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KIP Students Attend the 2026 American Physiological Society (APS) Summit

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Doctoral candidate Gregory Miodonski, master’s student Derrick Simet, both from the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP), and undergraduate student Daniel Heaman (Human Biology), attended the American Physiological Society (APS) Summit held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 23-26, 2026. The summit brought together researchers, faculty, and students from across the globe to share advancements in physiology and related biomedical sciences.

A highlight of the conference was the opportunity for all three students to present their research during the poster sessions. Gregory Miodonski presented his project titled “Sex Differences in the PVN Orexin Mediated Sympathoexcitatory & Pressor Responses,” focusing on how orexin signaling in the paraventricular nucleus contributes to cardiovascular regulation.

Daniel Heaman presented “Central Amygdala Ethanol and Acetate Microinjection Affect Sympathetic Nerve Activity in a Sex-Dependent Manner,” which investigates how ethanol and its metabolite acetate influence neural regulation of sympathetic activity differently between sexes.

Derrick Simet presented “Orexin Dependent Increase of Aquaporin-4 Expression in the PVN and Potential Contributions Toward OX1R-Induced Elevated Blood Pressure in Sprague Dawley Rats,” exploring molecular mechanisms of astrocytes underlying blood pressure regulation.

In addition to presenting, the students attended a variety of scientific sessions throughout the summit. One particularly engaging session, “Neural, Endocrine, and Renal Influences on Cardiovascular Pathophysiology,” highlighted the complex interactions between physiological systems in the development of cardiovascular disease.

Reflecting on the experience, they noted that presenting at APS provided valuable opportunities to engage with fellow physiologists and former Michigan Tech colleagues, receive constructive feedback, and gain new perspectives for future research. Discussions with other attendees helped refine ideas and offered insight into future directions for their work.

Outside of the conference, the group also explored Minneapolis and enjoyed experiencing local restaurants.

Attendance at the APS Summit was made possible through funding support from Michigan Technological University’s Health Research Institute. The experience provided an important opportunity for KIP students to share their research, build professional connections, and engage with current developments in the field of physiology.

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Title: A Week of Science, Exploration, and the Great Lakes

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Last week, I had the opportunity to blend professional growth with a bit of adventure during a short trip through Michigan. My journey began in Grand Rapids, where I attended the annual Midwest Chapter of American College of Sports Medicine (MWACSM) conference. It was an exciting and enlightening event where I had the chance to deliver a long-form professional presentation titled “Metabolic Cost of Human Locomotion: A Historical Review and Future Considerations.” Getting the experience to present and engage with a broad audience from undergraduate students to professionals in the field was rewarding and provided great opportunity for personal growth. The other highlight of the MWACSM conference was undoubtedly the keynote by Dr. Philip Skiba. His talk on Nike’s “Breaking Two” project—a quest to break the 2-hour marathon barrier—was inspiring and highlighted some of the most cutting edge work marrying engineering and science to optimize human performance.

From Grand Rapids, I then headed to Ann Arbor to attend the Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) conference. Here, I presented a poster on my current research titled “Human Powered Locomotion on Variable Terrain: Implications for How to Move on Mars.” The interdisciplinary nature of the conference made it incredibly enjoyable. Presentations ranged from hard engineering to deep space science to ecology and biomechanics, fostering conversations that bridged numerous fields of research. It was refreshing to be part of such a diverse gathering of minds, all united by a common curiosity for the unknown.

Figure 1: The poster presented at the Michigan Space Grant Consortium Conference held October 19th 2024 in Ann Arbor, MI.

This trip was not just a personal and professional milestone but also an opportunity to represent Michigan Tech and the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP). By presenting my research, I had the chance to showcase our work to undergraduates and other attendees from around the region. I hope that sharing cutting-edge topics and insights with future scientists and researchers could inspire collaborations both within and outside the department and university.

To cap off the trip, I embarked on a mini adventure. Driving back home, I took a scenic route that allowed me to touch three of the Great Lakes in a single day—Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Feeling the cool water from each of these massive lakes was a grounding experience, a reminder of the vast and varied landscapes that define this region.

All in all, the trip was a perfect mix of professional development, scientific inspiration, and personal exploration.

Submitted by Kyle Wehmanen

Figure 2: Scenes from my visit to three Great Lakes on the return trip to Houghton. The photo on the left is from near Lake Huron and the photo on the right, Lake Michigan.
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KIP Graduate Students Discuss Publication on APS Podcast

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Graduate students Kyle Wehmanen and Felix Cottet-Puinel discussed their recent publication in the Advances in Physiology Education titled “Impact of Health Behaviors on Community Well-Being and Resilience: Teaching K-12 Students with Jenga!” on the American Physiological Society (APS) Publications Podcast series. You can listen to the podcast on the APS Publications Podcast website.

Kyle and Felix during Podcast
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KIP, CMU-DPT, and ME-EM Students Collaborate on Backpack Study and have Paper Published in “Applied Ergonomics”

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Three departments at Michigan Tech collaborated on a research study titled “Influences of Backpack Loading on Recovery from Anterior and Posterior Losses of Balance.” The official release of the paper can be found in Applied Ergonomics.

Students from the Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology and Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics department at MTU and Central Michigan University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program worked on this study under the direction of Dr. Carolyn Duncan (KIP faculty).

Participant in Study
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KIP Alum and Faculty Published in Journal of Antioxidants

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Professor Qing-Hui Chen, Professor Zhiying Shan, and Dr. Andrew Chapp, a former KIP doctoral student, have had a review article published in the Journal of Antioxidants titled “ Acetic Acid: An Underestimated Metabolite in Ethanol-Induced Changes in Regulating Cardiovascular Function.”

Dr. Chapp has worked on this research project since he started his PhD in 2013 in the KIP department. He is the lead author of this article.

From left to right: Andrew Chapp, Qing-Hui Chen, Mingjun Gu (Chen lab assistant)
Zhiying Shan
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Former KIP Doctoral Student Published in the Journal of Applied Physiology

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Former Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) doctoral student Joshua Gonzalez ’21 (Ph.D. Integrative Physiology) and Professor William Cooke (KIP) are the co-authors of an article published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

The article is titled “Acute fasting reduces tolerance to progressive central hypovolemia in humans.”

In addition to his paper being published, it was also selected for “APSselect”, which is a monthly collection from the American Physiological Society (APS) that showcases some of the best recently published articles in physiological research.

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Recent KIP Graduate Published in “Frontiers in Physiology”

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Isaac Wedig, PhD

Dr. Isaac Wedig, who earned his PhD in Integrative Physiology in Spring 2023, had his dissertation manuscript published by Frontiers in Physiology. The article is titled “Blood Flow Restriction as a Potential Therapy to Restore Physical Function Following COVID-19 Infection.” It was included as a part of a special Research Topic on “Intervention for Prevention, Management of and Rehabilitation from COVID-19.” Learn more about Isaac’s research by reading the introduction below or the full article on Frontiers in Physiology‘s website.

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KIP Contributes to American Physiological Society “I Spy Physiology” Blog

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Master’s student Isaac Lennox and Dr. Steve Elmer wrote a post for the American Physiological Society’s nationally circulated I Spy Physiology blog. The post, entitled “Why It’s Still Important to Stay Active to Reduce COVID-19 Severity,” was published on October 5, 2022.

KIP graduate students have authored COVID-19 physical activity posts for this blog targeted for the general public in 2020, 2021, and, now, 2022. 

To read the full blog post and to find previous posts from KIP’s graduate students and faculty, go to APS’s website for the I Spy Physiology blog.

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