Stephen M. Roth, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Exercise Physiology, Aging and Genetics

Areas of Interest:

Skeletal muscle mass and strength are strongly heritable phenotypes, meaning that they are significantly influenced by genetic factors. Moreover, the loss of muscle strength with advancing age is also heritable. While genetic factors are important for muscle strength and mass, few specific genes have been identified.

The primary focus of our laboratory is identifying the specific genetic variation that contributes to skeletal muscle mass and strength, specifically within the contexts of aging and exercise training. The ultimate goal of this work is the identification of "susceptibility genes" that can be used clinically to identify individuals at risk for early age-related losses of muscle mass and strength (i.e., sarcopenia). More generally, the work of the lab is focused on understanding the role of genetic variation (and environmental interaction) in determining inter-individual differences in exercise responses and other health-related phenotypes.

More recently, we've begun to study how physical activity can influence our DNA, including recently completed studies in telomere biology. Watch for more as we develop our research activities in this area.

Visit the Functional Genomics Laboratory website to learn more.

"And so, the question is, 'Is it your parents or your genes?'" - James Watson, Pittsburgh, 2002, on the nature vs. nurture controversy.