KIP Newsblog

Category: Seminars-Presentations

KIP Students Attend the 11th Annual Michigan Physiological Society (MPS) Conference

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KIP doctoral students Gregory Miodonski and Oluwatosin Oyeniran attended the 11th Annual Michigan Physiological Society (MPS) Conference hosted by Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan. The event featured participation from eleven institutions including Michigan Technological University and was held from Monday June 24th to Tuesday June 25th, 2024.

One of the highlights of the conference was when Oluwatosin presented his research, titled “Classroom Techniques for Teaching Skeletal Muscle Contraction”. This project supervised by Dr. Steven Elmer explores the alternative teaching (hands-on or active learning) approaches that can be employed to skeletal muscles to students across different levels.

Oluwatosin Oyeniran delivering a poster presentation

Another important highlight of the conference were the keynote lectures from eminent speakers including Emeritus Professor John Williams from the University of Michigan who took the audience on a journey through his life as a physiologist in his talk titled, “The Pancreas and Me”. The Physiology Trivia Competition was also a fascinating session as it refreshes our understanding of basic physiology. Furthermore, the professional development series was very enriching as it offers new perspectives and approaches to learning, teaching, and career development.

Moreover, doctoral students Gregory Miodonski and Oluwatosin Oyeniran had the privilege to moderate the oral presentation session on Strength, Reproduction, and Integrative Physiology. Speaking on their experience, Gregory stated, “It’s no accident that the MPS is arguably the most active APS  chapter–it takes a lot of work to keep physiologists, trainees, and our communities involved throughout the year. Our annual meeting in particular requires everyone to chip in, and it was a pleasure to do my part”.

On the other hand, Oluwatosin stated, “Moderating an oral presentation session and presenting my research findings to a large scientific and academic audience was both fulfilling and fabulous. The feedback I got from the participants was highly beneficial, bringing out novel ideas and roadmaps for future studies.

Furthermore, the MPS conference was a great opportunity to meet and network with graduate students in physiology, mentors and advisors, early career researchers, and possible future research collaborators. We also had a great time interacting with other graduate students, faculty, and keynote speakers, while discussing and learning about ongoing projects and cross-exchanging ideas to help advance our research and careers.

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KIP Hosts Student Research Forum

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Presenters from left to right: Lily Hart, Lexi Little, Nathan Balok, Kyle Wehmanen, Xinqian (Sherry) Chen, Derrick Simet, Oluwatosin Oyeniran

The MTU KIP department hosted its annual Student Research Forum on February 16, 2024 as part of its February department seminar series. Students and faculty from the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology, as well as the Central Michigan University Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program attended. Several undergraduate and graduate students presented their research, educational, and outreach related projects.

As part of the thematic style poster session, students first delivered short, 3-minute oral presentations to the audience and then gave more in-depth explanations of their projects to attendees that circulated through the posters. The student presentations were excellent, and students were commended for their work and level of professionalism. Importantly, the questions and feedback that students received will help them move their projects forward and prepare to present their work at regional and national conferences later this Spring.

To help support student travel to conferences, please consider contributing to our student travel fund through our giving opportunities page. 

Audience listening to the students’ 3-minute presentations
Small groups interacting with presenters and their posters
Left to right: Xinqian (Sherry) Chen (KIP PhD candidate) with Dr. Zhiying Shan
“Brain-Derived Extracellular Vesicles from Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats with High Salt Diet Increase PVN and SON Vasopressin Levels in Sprague Dawley Rats”
Left to right: Derrick Simet (member of Dr. Chen’s lab) with Dr. Qing-Hui Chen
“Inhibiting Local Brain Metabolism of Ethanol in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala Blunts Sympathoexcitatory Responses Induced by Ethanol in Sprague Dawley Rats”
Left to right: Dr. Steven Elmer with Oluwatosin Oyeniran (KIP PhD student)
“Classroom Techniques for Teaching Skeletal Muscle Contraction”
Left to right: Nathan Balok (KIP MS student)
“Physiology Outreach in the Upper Peninsula,” Dr. Steven Elmer, Kyle Wehmanen (KIP PhD student)
“Metabolic Cost of Human Locomotion on Soft Terrain”
Left to right: Dr. Carolyn Duncan, Alexandra Little (BioSci undergraduate student), Lily Hart (KIP MS student)
“Surface Electromyography to Quantify Deep Tendon Reflexes”
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February KIP Seminar: Student Research Forum

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Please join us this Friday, February 16, from 3:00-4:15 pm in ATDC 101 for this month’s KIP Seminar. Refreshments will be provided.

This seminar will showcase the current research, educational, and outreach projects that KIP’s undergraduate and graduate students are working on. Students will present their projects and answer questions. This is a great way for them to receive feedback before they go on to present at regional and national conferences. We look forward to seeing you!

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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 Seminar with Dr. Patrick Mueller from Wayne State University’s School of Medicine

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Please join us on Friday, December 8, from 3:00-4:00 pm in ATDC 101 for our last seminar of the fall 2023 semester. Our guest speaker is Dr. Patrick Mueller from the Department of Physiology at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine.

The title of Dr. Mueller’s presentation is “Mechanisms of Neuroplasticity Involved in Inactivity-Related Cardiovascular Disease.” More information about our speaker and his research can be found in the abstract or flyer below.

Abstract: The goal of the research in my laboratory is to learn more about how the brain controls the diameter of blood vessels in the peripheral circulation, which directly influence our resting blood pressure. In particular, I am interested in how the brain adapts in its control of the cardiovascular system under various physiological and pathophysiological states. Currently, the laboratory is to examining how sedentary versus physical active conditions change the brain (known as neuroplasticity) and is related to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals who do not exercise on a regularly basis. Using a variety of techniques, we examine blood pressure regulation at the level of the whole animal down to levels of gene expression in individual cells. More recently we have been focusing on the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the context of a sedentary lifestyle and renovascular hypertension.  Included in these studies, is the exploration of sex-based differences in blood pressure regulation by the brain since women of reproductive age have a far lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than men. Ultimately our goal is to target neural mechanisms in the brain which contribute to cardiovascular disease.

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KIP Students Have Strong Showing at 2023 Upper Peninsula Medical Conference

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Three from the Exercise Physiology Lab presented a poster at the conference. From left to right: Enioluwa Wright (undergraduate BioSci student), Abby Brooks (MS KIP student), Nathan Balok (MS KIP student)

The 2023 Upper Peninsula Medical Conference was held on the MTU’s campus on October 28, 2023. Several KIP students attended to learn more about their field of study and network with health care professionals.

Abby Brooks is a first-year master’s student in Kinesiology. She is part of the Exercise Physiology Lab and advised by Dr. Steve Elmer. Something she found really interesting about the conference was the talk that involved red light and blue light. She had heard about blue light before and how it affects how you sleep, but she didn’t know how bad the effects actually were, and it made her think about how she should put her phone down earlier. She didn’t know the ideas presented about red light and its benefits. She also presented a poster on her research, titled “Promoting Physical Activity in the Rural and Medically Underserved Upper Peninsula.”

Abby Brooks presents her poster to the public.

Lily Hart is a thesis-based master’s student in Kinesiology and a member of Dr. Carolyn Duncan’s Biomechanics Lab. Something she found interesting about the conference was the variety of professions that can be a part of the medical field other than being a physician. Also, it was her first time being a part of a conference and presenting, and she felt very grateful to be able to be there with the lab team.

From left to right: Lily Hart, Gracie VanLangevelde, and Lexi Little presenting their poster.

Gracie VanLangevelde is pursuing an accelerated master’s degree in Kinesiology. She works in Dr. Duncan’s lab and focuses on deep tendon reflexes. Something she learned was that the ticks in the Upper Peninsula carry diseases other than Lyme disease. People can collect the ticks they find and submit them to the local lab for testing. The title of her poster presentation was “Utilizing Surface Electromyography and Kinematic Analyses to Quantify Deep Tendon Reflexes.” Gracie said, “I hope to contribute to this ongoing study to help other researchers with their work.”

Xinqian (Sherry) Chen has been studying for four years under Dr. Zhiying (Jenny) Shan to earn her PhD in Integrative Physiology. Something she learned from the conference was new mechanism of diabetes is focusing on the loss of beta cell identity (dedifferentiation or trans-differentiation) instead of the loss of beta cell numbers. Her poster presentation was titled “Brain-derived Small Extracellular Vesicles from Dahl Salt Sensitive Rats with High Salt Diet Induce Inflammation and Oxidative Stress.”

Xinqian (Sherry) Chen with her poster.

Nathan Balok is a first-year master’s student in Kinesiology. He is currently working in the Exercise Physiology Lab with Dr. Elmer. When he attended the UP Medical Conference, he found Dr. Jed Magen’s presentation about major depressive disorder in primary care settings particularly interesting. Since he hopes to enter the medical field as a physician, it will be crucial for him to be mindful of his patients’ health from a holistic point of view, including their mental health. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of major depressive disorder and taking the steps to treat it will help him be a better advocate for patients’ health in the future. 

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