Research Laboratories

The Human Performance Laboratory (HPL)
Edward F.Coyle, PhD; Director

Location: Bellmont Hall, Room 820.

Equipment: This is a four room facility occupying approximately 1,500 sq ft. Adjoining the HPL, is a 600 sq ft biochemistry laboratory as well as a subject locker room. The HPL is equipped with numerous cycle ergometers (i.e.; LODE, Velodynes, Monarchs) and a Quinton treadmill built into the floor. Oxygen consumption and cardiac output in humans is measured with metabolic carts (2X). Studies requiring intravenous stable isotope infusion are performed using Harvard syringe pumps (5X) and isotope analysis is performed using a GC mass spectrometer on campus. Cardiovascular function can be assessed using impedance cardiography and electrocardiography. The biochemistry laboratory is equipped with a spectrophotometer (2X), fluorometer, microtome cryostat, gamma counter, liquid scintillation counter, HPLC system with UV/vis detector, co-oximeter, osmometer, electrolyte analyzer, centrifuges, balances, freezers, fume hood, and water purification system. View photos of this lab.

Cardiac Metabolism Laboratory
Joseph W. Starnes, PhD; Director

Location: Bellmont Hall, Room 822A. The lab is approximately 800 sq ft. and contains the heart perfusion system, three sinks, adequate bench and storage space, and a dark room. Two other adjacent labs (approx. 1,500 sq ft.) are "common labs" shared by other faculty members in the department.

Equipment: Dr. Starnes' laboratory includes: heart perfusion apparatus, which includes pressure transducers interfaced with a Gould model 2200S physiological recorder, an EKG monitoring system, oxygen amplifier and electrode for measuring myocardial oxygen consumption, and circulating water bath; IEC preparative refrigerated centrifuge; oxygen electrode and amplifier for measuring mitochondrial function; Bio-Rad gel electrophoresis system; Bio-Rad trans Blot Semi Dry transfercell, Ultr Lum Ultraviolet transilluminator, Bio-Rad Gene Cycler, Beckman gradient HPLC system with variable wavelength UV/vis detector; liquid nitrogen storage tank; tabletop clinical centrifuge (2); Beckman pH/temperature meter; electronic balances (3); motorized, 12-lane, rat treadmill; Ultracold freezer (-120°C).

Exercise Physiology and Metabolism Laboratory
John L. Ivy, PhD; Director

Location: Bellmont Hall, Room 819. Space: 1,500 sq ft. The laboratory consists of an animal perfusion and experimental room, molecular biology room, biochemistry laboratory, student offices and study room.

Equipment: metabolic cart for measurement of oxygen uptake; rat hindlimb perfusion chamber for determination of muscle metabolism in situ, Bio Rad gel electrophoresis equipment (2), polargraphic oxygen analysis system for determination of muscle respiratory capacity, Grass electrical stimulator, balance, pH meter, shaking water bath (2), Polytron homogenizer, Macintosh computers (2), Monark electric cycle ergometer (2), in vitro muscle apparatus, force transducer for evaluation of in vitro muscle metabolism at rest and during contraction (2), refrigerators (2), -20° freezer, Rayonet RPR 100 photochemical reactor, circulating water baths (2), YSI glucose analyzer (2), Beckman Gold HPLC unit, small animal respiratory, TLC spotter, dialyzer/concentrator.

Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory
Hirofumi Tanaka, PhD; Director

Location: Bellmont Hall Room 842. Space 1,160 sq ft. Three rooms are located within the Laboratory: one laboratory for autonomic & cardiovascular measurements, one for exercise testing, and one for data storage and analyses.

Equipment: a duplex ultrasound machine; 2 arterial applanation tonometers for carotid blood pressure measurement; an automated blood pressure system; 2 Parks Doppler flowmeters for measurement of pulse wave velocity; a Data Translation frame grabber; a Dell work station computer; Hokanson venous occlusion plethysmography; a Colin SVP-200 for measurement of arterial stiffness and ankle-brachial pressure index; a Gould physiological recorder with Ponemah physiology analyses platform; a metabolic cart for measurement of oxygen consumption; a mass spectrophotometer; a Quinton treadmill; a Sensor Medics electronic cycle ergometers; a Sensor Medics ECG unit.

Website: Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory

Muscle Physiology and Plasticity Laboratory
Roger P. Farrar, PhD; Director

Location: Bellmont, Room 827.

Equipment: Dr. Farrar's laboratory includes: Fume hood; Cambridge (Aurora) muscle ergometers for 1 and 5 kg capacity (2), Sorvall preparative refrigerated centrifuge; oxygen electrode and amplifier for measuring mitochondrial function; Bio-Rad gel electrophoresis system; tabletop clinical centrifuge; Orion pH/temperature meter; electronic balances (2); motorized, 20-lane, rat treadmill & 21 lane mouse treadmill; Ultracold freezer (-90°C). photographic and digitizing system for analysis of muscle histochemistry; fume hood.

Common Biochemistry Laboratory (Exercise Physiology)

Location: Bellmont, Room 816.

Equipment: Common Biochemistry Laboratory shared by members of the Exercise Physiology faculty. Beckman UV/vis scanning spectrophotometes (3); liquid scintillation counters; ice machine; fluorometer; gel scanner; freezers (4); preparative refrigerated centrifuges (2); ultracentrifuge; fume hood; Milli-Q water purification system; microtome cryostat, gamma counter, HPLC system with UV/vis detector, co-oximeter, osmometer, electrolyte analyzer, balances, freezers, and water purification system. View photos of this lab.

Exercise Environmental Laboratory

Location: Bellmont Hall, Room 330.

Equipment: The Exercise Environmental Laboratory is a 1,300 sq. ft. facility containing three environmental chambers capable of controlling temperature in the range of –10 to 130 degrees centigrade. These chambers are equipped to measure cardiac output, skin blood flow, core temperature and numerous other physiological responses. View photos of this lab.

Graduate Exercise Physiology Student Laboratory

Location: Bellmont, Room 846. Graduate student laboratories and graduate student projects use this 1000 sq ft. facility.

Equipment: Lode Excalibur electron exercise bicycle ergometer, Monarch bicycle ergometer, Quinton treadmill, Physiodyne metabolic cart, and underwater weighing tank