KIP Newsblog

Intro to Epidemiology Offered for Spring 2017

Published December 2, 2016

Epidemiology, what is it? With the addition of Dr. Kelly Kamm, we will finally be able to offer students the opportunity to learn all about it.

Dr. Kamm joins the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology and The Department of Biological Sciences as a research scientist with a specialty in epidemiology and community health.

She will teach a Intro to Epidemiology course for the Spring 2017 semester. Any undergraduate or graduate student with an interest in various professional schools including medical, PA, and PT schools are encouraged to take her course.

Intro to Epidemiology (EH 4990)
MWF, 12:05 – 12:55 pm

Course Description: This course is an introduction to the principles and methods of epidemiology to understand the distribution and determinants of health in a population. Course topics will include basic statistics used in epidemiologic studies, study design, sources and impact of error. We will use current examples to explore the use of epidemiologic data to address public health problems.
Credits: 3.0
Pre-Requisite(s): BL 2020 and BL 2021

201701 Intro to Epidemiolgy EH 4990 02

Exercise Science Student Recipient of Annexstad Family Foundation Scholarship

Published October 19, 2016

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Congratulations to Alyssa Smith, exercise science major, who was recently awarded the Annexstad Family Foundation Scholarship.

Read the full article by Jenn Donovan on Tech Today.

KIP Fall Seminar Series

Published September 14, 2016

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The KIP Fall 2016 Seminar Series will kick off on Friday, September, 30 with Dr. Stephen DiCarlo, professor in the School of Medicine at Wayne State University.

Friday, September 30
3:00 – 4:00 pm
ATDC, 101

His work focuses on shifting information distribution from a teacher-centered based approach so that students become “active learners.” He has received numerous awards for his teaching including the Claude Bernard Distinguished Lecturer award from the American Physiological Society.

Abstract: Too Much Content, Not Enough Thinking, and Too Little FUN!
Henry Ford, stated “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is why so few people engage in it.” This is also true in the classroom where the content driven curriculum leaves little time for thinking. In this setting, information is transferred from the notes of one person to the notes of another person without going through the minds of either person. That is, we spend too little time thinking about the information. This is important because active processing of information, not just passive reception of that information, leads to learning. Specifically, we understand the information we think about because understanding is the residue of thinking. Therefore, we will discuss strategies to create a joy, an excitement, and a love for learning. By making learning fun, our students will be impatient to run home, study, and contemplate–to really learn.

*This is a co-sponsored event with William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Dr. DiCarlo will also deliver a lunchtime presentation and hands on workshop on Thursday, September 29. Both events can be found on the Michigan Tech Events Calendar or clicking on the links provided.

Kilgas and Phillips Receive Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Award

Published August 3, 2016

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Please join me in congratulating doctoral students Matthew Kilgas and Kevin Phillips as both received $3,000 awards for their research through the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation (BCBSM) Student Award Program. Briefly, this foundation is dedicated to improving the health of Michigan residents and supports student research projects across a wide range of human health topics. We wish Matt and Kevin the best of luck with their respective projects and strongly encourage other graduate students to apply in the future.

Matthew Kilgas (Dr. Elmer’s Lab)
“Restoring Quadriceps Function Following ACL Reconstruction with Blood Flow Restriction Exercise”

Kevin Phillips (Dr. Yoon’s Lab)
“Muscle Architecture and Muscle Neuromuscular Fatigue in Middle-Aged Obese Adults”

Dr. Elmer Awarded National Science Foundation Grant

Published August 2, 2016

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Dr. Steven Elmer and his team were recently awarded a $50,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for their project entitled “I-Corps: A New Assistive Device for Wheelchair Users”.

As part of the grant, Elmer along with doctoral student Matt Kilgas (KIP) and Mike Morley (Assistant Director of Technology Commercialization, Innovation and Industry Engagement) will participate in the rigorous I-Corps curriculum. This curriculum consists of a 7 week program to help train scientists and engineers to develop entrepreneurship skills that will lead to the commercialization of technology that has been supported previously by NSF-funded research. The team will travel to San Francisco for a three day “Kick Off” workshop and return for the final “Lessons Learned” workshop at the end of the program.

This new grant is a result of Dr. Elmer’s continued efforts to provide wheelchair users a means to strengthen upper-extremity muscles and improve their mobility without overtaxing their heart and lungs. Elmer’s team engineered a rehabilitation device called RENEW-U to provide wheelchair users this opportunity.

* This is the first NSF award for the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology.

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Conference

Published June 29, 2016

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Early this month Dr. Steven Elmer, Dr. Christopher Schwartz, and graduate student Matthew Kilgas attended the 63th annual meeting for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in Boston, Massachusetts. For this meeting more than 6,000 professionals from around the world come together for one of the most comprehensive sports medicine and exercise science meeting in the world. Dr. Elmer and Matthew presented their research relating to using upper-body eccentric exercise to improve muscle strength and power. Dr. Elmer also attended the ACSM Awards Banquet where he was recognized for receiving the ACSM Research Endowment Grant.

Larson recipient of American Autonomic Society Lundbeck Research Fellowship

Published June 21, 2016

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Robert Larson wa Larson_Headshot s recently named a recipient of the American Autonomic Society Lundbeck Research Fellowship for his post-doctoral research proposal entitled “Targeting cardiac sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems with Ang-(1-7) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.” Robert will begin his post-doctoral fellowship in the lab of Dr. Mark Chapleau in The Department of Internal Medicine at The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in July. The $50,00 AAS-Lundbeck Research Fellowship provides salary support for one year and travel costs to the AAS annual conference for two years. Robert earned his master’s degree with Dr. Jason Carter and his doctorate degree with Dr. Qing-Hui Chen.

Robert’s full story was recently featured on Michigan Tech News. Congratulations Robert and continued success as you move on to The University of Iowa.

Experimental Biology 2016

Published June 3, 2016

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The Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) department was represented well at the Experimental Biology (EB) 2016 Conference in April. Faculty members Dr. Jason Carter, Dr. Qinghui Chen, and Dr. Zhiying Shan along with their graduate students were in attendance and presented posters.

The list of KIP/Biological Sciences graduate students includes; Andrew Chapp (PhD), Ida Fonkoue (PhD), Michael Huber (MS) and Robert Larson (PhD). Andrew Chapp and Michael Huber were also awarded the 2016 Caroline tum Suden/Frances Hellebrandt Award from the American Physiological Society. KIP Visiting Scholar, Fengli Zhu also had a poster presented by Robert Larson and Dr. Zhiying Shan.

Abstract Title: Intraneuronal Acidification with Acetic Acid, an Ethanol Metabolite, Increases Excitability of Central Nucleus of Amygdala Neurons with Axon Projecting to Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla (CeA-RVLM).
Andrew D. Chapp, Kyle M. Driscoll, Zhiying Shan, Jason R. Carter, Qing-Hui Chen

Abstract Title: Acute alcohol consumption blunts the muscle sympathetic nerve activity response to mental stress in humans.
Ida T. Fonkoue, Brett Gervais, Qing-Hui Chen, and Jason R. Carter

Abstract Title: Upregulation of Orexin in the Paraventricular Nucleus Contributes to Salt Sensitive Hypertension
Authors: Michael J. Huber, Fengli Zhu, Robert A. Larson, Ningjun Li, Qing-Hui Chen, and Zhiying Shan

Abstract Title: Diminished Intracellular Calcium in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Augments Neuronal Excitability and Sympathetic Nerve Activity
Robert A. Larson, Andrew D. Chapp, Zixi Cheng, Zhiying Shan, Qing-Hui Chen

Abstract Title: High Salt Challenge Augments Expression of Proinflammatory Cytokines and Contributes to Elevated Neuronal Activity in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus
Authors: Fengli Zhu, Robert A. Larson, Peng Shi, Ningjun Li, Qing-Hui Chen, and Zhiying Shan

Gervais Awarded GLIAC Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship

Published April 28, 2016

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Fall 2015 KIP graduate and Michigan Tech football defensive back, Brett Gervais was recently awarded the GLIAC Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship. Brett graduated from KIP with a bachelor of exercise science degree and plans to become a physical therapist. He was accepted into CMU’s doctorate of physical therapy program and will continue his studies here in Houghton at CMU’s satellite location through the Michigan Tech partnership established in 2014.

The full story on the GLIAC award was posted in Tech Today.

Dr. Elmer Receives American College of Sports Medicine Research Endowment Grant

Published April 12, 2016

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Dr. Elmer was selected as a recipient of a $10,000 American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Research Endowment Grant. His project is entitled “RENEW-U! A New Exercise for Individuals with Spinal cord Injury”. Dr. Elmer’s team of mechanical engineering, kinesiology and physical therapy students are collaborating to develop and implement a new exercise modality for manual wheelchair users. This project will help serve as an important stepping stone for a larger study aimed at restoring function and improving health in individuals with spinal cord injury.

The full RENEW-U article can be found here.