Research Laboratories

Neuromuscular Research/Motor Control Laboratory

Richard K. Shields, PT, Ph.D., Director

Locations

0716B University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics
(319) 356-8203
1-151 Medical Education Building
(319) 335-9808

Personnel

  • Director: Richard K. Shields, PT, PhD
  • Assistant Research Scientists: Shauna Dudley-Javoroski, MPT, PhD; Shih-Chiao Tseng, MS, PT, PhD
  • Research Assistants: Brandon Campbell; Elizabeth Faidley, BA, BS
  • Engineer: Jason Wu, BS, MS
  • PhD Students: Amy Kimball, MPT, ATC; Andrew Littmann, MA, PT, NCS; Colleen McHenry, BS, MS; Michael Petrie, BS, DC; Michael Shaffer, MPT, OCS, ATC
  • Work Study Students:  Alice Hwan, BA; Natalia Lawson, BA

Front Row: Jason Wu, Engineer; Shih-Chiao Tseng, Assistant Research Scientist; Shauna Dudley-Javoroski, Assistant Research Scientist; Amy Kimball, PhD Student; Colleen McHenry, PhD Student

Back Row: Richard Shields, Director; Brandon Campbell, Research Assistant; Andrew Littmann, PhD Student; Elizabeth Faidley, Research Assistant; Michael Petrie, PhD Student

Recent Graduates

  • Nora Riley (Ph.D., 2010; St. Ambrose University)
  • Masaki Iguchi (Ph.D., 2009; Tsukuba University, Japan)
  • Shauna Dudley-Javoroski (Ph.D., 2009; University of Iowa)
  • Kim Eppen (Ph.D., 2007; University of Iowa)
  • Sangeetha Madhavan (Ph.D., 2007; University of Illinois-Chicago)
  • Preeti Deshpande (Ph.D., 2007; University of California)
  • Bryon Ballantyne (Ph.D., 2006; St. Ambrose University)
  • Laura Frey Law (Ph.D., 2004; University of Iowa)
  • Sheila Schindler-Ivens (Ph.D., 2001; Northwestern University)
  • Ya-Ju Chang (Ph.D., 1999; Chang Gung University)
  • Andy Messaros (Ph.D., 1998; Medical College of Ohio)
  • Debbie Heiss (Ph.D., 1997; Ohio State University)
  • Sangeetha Madhavan (M.A., 2003)
  • Andy Littmann (M.A., 1998)
  • Lori Enloe (M.A., 1996)
  • Janet Ruhland (M.A., 1996)
  • Ya-Ju Chang (M.A., 1995)

Current Research Projects

  • Neuromusculoskeletal Plasticity following Spinal Cord Injury: The effects of disuse from spinal cord injury are studied with respect to skeletal changes (bone density), muscular adaptations, fatigue, contractile properties (fiber type), and reflex excitability (H-reflex, withdrawal reflex). The extent to which these adaptations are influenced by training under acute and chronic conditions are examined during longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.
  • Electrical and Mechanical Stress on Post-SCI Muscle and Bone. The objective of this project is to determine whether mechanical loads induced via electrical stimulation, mechanical oscillation, or the combination thereof can trigger genetic changes and preservation of bone mineral density after SCI.  The study examines both the short term (1 bout) and long term (6 months) effects of these types of training.
  • Novel Intervention to Influence Muscle Plasticity in Veterans with SCI: The long-term goal of this project is to establish the optimal dose of muscle and bone stress during functional exercise in order to improve the health of veterans with complete paralysis.  Outcomes include muscle physiologic performance, adaptations of genes that regulate atrophy and muscle fiber type, systemic markers of inflammation and insulin regulation.
  • Mechanical Stress and Skeletal Plasticity after Spinal Cord Injury in Humans.  The objective of this project is to determine whether mechanically induced stress, via compression of vibration, in the absence of electrically-evoked muscle contractions, can maintain bone integrity longitudinally after SCI.  The long term aim is to develop therapies to enhance bone integrity in subacute and chronic SCI, including individuals who cannot electrically activate their musculature .
  • Cortical Excitability and Motor Learning: The objective is to t3est if novel movement tasks, with unexpected perturbations, enhance motor learning in individuals with compromised human performance (aging, athletes due to injury, CNS disorders, fatigue).
  • Heat Stress and Protective Extracellular Chaperones:  The goal of this project is to examine if passive heat stress, with and without various doses of exercise, may enhance protective proteins associated with cell health.  We are examining if these interventions impact insulin sensitivity in humans who are sedentary.

Current Funding

  • NIH R01 NR-010285
  • NIH R01 HD-062507
  • Craig H. Neilsen Foundation
  • VA Merit Grant

 

Recent Publications

  • Iguchi M, Shields RK. Cortical and segmental excitability during fatiguing contractions of the soleus muscle in humans. Clin Neurophysiol 2011 Jul 29.
  • Chang SH, Dudley-Javoroski S, Shields RK. Gravitational force modulates muscle activity during mechanical oscillation of the tibia in humans. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2011; 21(5):847-53.
  • Iguchi M, Shields RK. Prior heat stress effects fatigue recovery of the elbow flexor muscles. Muscle Nerve 2011; 44(1):115-25.
  • Goldstein MS, Scalzitti DA, Bohmert JA, Brennan GP, Craik RL, Delitto A, Field-Fote EC, Magistro CM, Powers CM, Shields RK. Vitalizing practice through research and research through practice: the outcomes of a conference to enhance the deliverty of care. Phys Ther 2011; 91(8):1275-84.
  • Kunkel SD, Suneja M, Ebert SM, Bongers KS, Fox DK, Malmberg SE, Alipour F, Shields RK, Adams CM. mRNA expression signatures of human skeletal muscle atrophy identify a natural compound that increases muscle mass. Cell Metab 2011; 13(6):627-38.
  • Shields RK,Dudley-Javoroski S, Oza PD. Low-frequency H-reflex depression in trained human soleus after spinal cord injury. Neurosci Lett 2011; 499(2):88-92.
  • Chang YJ, Shields RK. Doublet electrical stimulation enhances torque production in people with spinal cord injry. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2011; 25(5):423-32.
  • Dudley-Javoroski S, Littmann AE, Chang SH, McHenry CL, Shields RK. Enhancing muscle force and femur compressive loads via feedback-controlled stimulation of paralyzed quadriceps in humans. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2011; 92(2):242-9.
  • Adams CM, Suneja M, Dudley-Javoroski S, Shields RK.  Altered mRNA expression after long-term soleus electricals timulation training in humans with paralysis. Muscle Nerve 2011; 43(1):65-75.
  • Goldstein MS, Scalzitti DA, Craik RL, Dunn SL, Irion JM, Irrgang J, Kolobe TH, McDonough CM, Shields RK. Phys Ther 2011; 91(2):165-74.