Physical Health of Older Adults
Dr. Matthew Delmonico‘s research focuses on the effects of exercise training on physical function and body composition in older adults. Specifically, Dr. Delmonico investigates how resistance and Tai Chi training along with dietary changes affect muscle strength and global physical functioning in community-dwelling older adults. Dr. Delmonico also examines how common gene variations influence strength training outcomes in older adults, and is a member of a transdisciplinary team that is currently examining the effects of combined weight loss and exercise training on physical performance and functioning in overweight older adults.
Dr. Tom Manfredi‘s research focus is on the effects of exercise and nutrition on skeletal muscle of aging healthy adults with CVD and other metabolic related diseases. Most recent research focuses on an animal aging model that looks at heart and skeletal muscle mitochondria as a central focus of the aging heart.
Dr. Emily Clapham is interested in the effects of using technology in physical education settings. Her dissertation focused on utilizing heart rate monitors and pedometers with fourth and fifth grade students. She created supportive curricula to create a conceptual framework for implementing the devices successfully. Dr. Clapham’s other research interests include: the “new” physical education, girls’ sport and physical activity participation and motivation and physical activity for upper elementary and secondary students.
Dr. Furong Xu’s research focuses on physical activity (PA) participation and ways and strategies that lead to an increased PA participation in different age groups. Her research encompasses the fields of curriculum and instruction, physical activity assessment and lifetime physical activity. Dr. Xu is particularly interested in determining the impact of Taichi in older adults with respect to physical and mental characteristics, such as balance, flexibility and depression occurrence. Dr. Xu also studied the factors associated with student PA opportunities and behavioral choices of PA at the middle school level.
Behavior and Culture
Dr. Bryan Blissmer’s research focuses on delivering interventions to promote a healthy lifestyle as well as analysis of the psychosocial outcomes of those interventions. This research involves collaboration with faculty in Psychology and Nutrition and has included populations ranging from adolescents to older adults. His current funding by the American Cancer Society is to examine the best way to get individuals with multiple risk factors (smoking, sedentary, poor diet) to change their behaviors to promote health and reduce their risk of developing cancer.
Dr. Kyle Kusz’s research focuses on the cultural politics of sport and physical activity. He examines the role that various formations of sport and physical culture play in the politics of race, class, gender, generation, and nation mainly in an American context. Informed by qualitative and cultural studies methods as well as critical race, feminist, poststructuralist, and Marxist theories, his work has illuminated how sport formations like extreme sports and NASCAR; sporting celebrities like Pat Tillman, Freddy Adu, and Lance Armstrong; and sport films like Dogtown and Z Boys, Jerry Maguire, and Fight Club, among others both reflect and participate in larger social struggles over the meanings articulated with race, gender, class and American national identity at particular times in American history.
Promoting Physical Activity
Dr. Deborah Riebe’s research focuses on promoting exercise and physical activity in various populations, including older adults, individuals who are overweight or obese, and college students. She is part of the SENIOR project (Study of Exercise and Nutrition in Older Rhode Islanders) which helps adults over the age of 65 remain active and eat a healthy diet. Dr. Riebe also develops and investigates interventions designed to prevent weight gain, lose weight, and maintain weight loss.
Cardiovascular Disease and Rehabilitation
Dr. Linda Lamont has 25 years of experience in cardiovascular rehabilitation programming. Her research interests include amino acid/protein metabolism and clinical exercise physiology. Her research has been funded by grants from the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, Institute of General Medical Sciences, and the Ohio Board of Regents.
Sport Performance and Supplementation
Dr. Disa Hatfield’s research interests include the hormonal responses to resistance exercise, particularly the responses of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I and Growth Hormone. Dr. Hatfield also has research experience investigating the role of supplementation and resistance exercise, children and exercise, and the weight-loss and health benefits of differing diets in combination with resistance training. She’s also conducted a recent study to evaluate how playing surfaces affect athletic performance and injury potential.