“Understanding
the cellular mechanisms that contribute to aging-related muscle weakness is
essential for the development of effective treatments and improved care for
the elderly.”
Marco Brotto
MUBIG Program Coordinator
News and media
Brotto Skeletal Muscle Physiology Lab Helps to Immerse Local High School Students in Science Power Day
Members of the Brotto Skeletal Muscle Phyisology lab, one of the primary MUBIG labs operated by Dr. Marco Brotto BSN, Ph.D, and managed by Dr. Leticia Brotto, M.D., recently played a key role
in Science Power Day, sponsored by the University of Missouri - Kansas City.
The event which took place on Saturday, October 9th, 2010, was coordinated by the UMKC Division of Diversity Access and Equity under the direction of Marji Datwyler. The day long event is one in a series of 6 events scheduled throughout the year that invites urban sophomore, junior, and senior high school students to UMKC for fun, hands-on activities designed to spark interest in sciences.
Through the efforts of the Brotto Lab, over 100 participating students were given the opportunity to see, first hand, concepts in research ranging from micro-dissections to micro-measurements to fluorescent cell imaging. In addition, students had the opportunity to perform hands on measurements using very precise, cutting edge technologies.
Muscle Biology Group Welcomes Dr. Eduardo Abreu
The UMKC Muscle Biology Group is honored to announce the arrival of Dr.
Eduardo Abreu, M.D., D.Eng. Dr. Abreu brings to the group expertise in
both tendons and ligaments, providing a vital link in our research. Dr.
Abreu began his journey to UMKC by recieving his B.S. in physics from
the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. Abreu then, in
1986, was awarded his M.D. from the State University of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. Dr. Abreu went on to recieve his Masters of Science in
biomedical engineering from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
in 1991. In 1994, Dr. Abreu served as a Research Fellow in the
Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation
where he maintained his role through 2005, at which time he was awarded
his Doctorate of Engineering in Applied Biomedical Engineering from
Cleveland State University. From 2005 thru 2009 Dr. Abreu served as a
post-doctoral Research Fellow in the Sports Medicine Lab at Children's
Hospital of Boston. Most recently Dr. Abreu served as a Fellow in the
Orthopedic Nanotechnology Lab at Bringham and Women's Hospital. Please
join us in welcoming Dr. Eduardo Abreu to the UMKC Muscle Biology Group.
Muscle Biology Group
Announces The Retirement of Dr. Tina Hines
On August 31st, 2010, Dr. Tina Hines, R.N., Ph.D., of the Muscle Biology
Group will retire. Dr. Hines is a founding member and valued researcher
who has served as Professor and Course Director of Anatomy and
Physiology for undergraduates, Associate Dean for Research, and the UMKC
School of Nursing Dale and Dorothy Thompson/Missouri Endowed Professor
for Research. Dr. Tina Hines's retirement plans include relocation to
the Dallas, Texas area where she will enjoy her retirement in the
company of her extended family. Dr. Hines's hard work and dedication
have made a definite impact upon us all and will forever be reflected in
the work of the UMKC Muscle Biology Group.
Bone biology and
muscle biology researchers awarded $1.1 million ‘Grand Opportunity’
grant
The
National Institute of Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases recently
announced the awarding of a “Grand Opportunity” grant to the Bone
Biology and Muscle Biology Groups at UMKC through the Center of
Excellence in the Study of Dental and Musculoskeletal Tissues.
This $1.1 million award, titled Muscle-Bone Endocrine Axis, is the
collaborative effort of Drs. Lynda Bonewald and Mark Johnson in the Bone
Biology Group at the School of Dentistry and Drs. Marco Brotto, Michael
Wacker and Jon Andresen in the Muscle Biology Group, Schools of Nursing
and Medicine, and will focus on endocrine crosstalk between muscles and
bones in health and disease.
Musculoskeletal conditions, such as sarcopenia
and osteoporosis are serious health threats among the elderly and are
the major causes for debilitating injuries, loss of independence, and
reduced quality of life, accounting for premature death in the elderly
and an exorbitant socio-economical burden to society. The potential
reciprocal consequences of these muscle and bone diseases are not known.
Current dogma assumes that the muscle-bone
relationship is driven by mechanical factors, but the investigators
propose that bone can act as an endocrine organ to control muscle
physiology and disease. A reciprocal relationship may also exist between
muscle and bone. Therefore disease in either organ may have negative
repercussions on the reciprocal organ through systemic endocrine
factors.
Knowledge gained from this award should lead to
preventative and therapeutic intervention and treatment for
musculoskeletal disease.
Click
here to read the UMKC news release.
2nd Annual Muscle
Biology Group Symposium, August 2009
The UMKC Muscle Biology Group held its 2nd
annual Muscle Biology Group Symposium on August 26, 2009, at the
Diastole/Mary Clark and E. Grey Dimond Scholars' Center adjacent to the
UMKC Hospital Hill campus in Kansas City. Sponsored by Fisher Scientific
and hosted by MUBIG and the UMKC Schools of Nursing and Medicine, the
symposium included a trade show and poster session. A highlight of the
event was the keynote address, delivered by Ronald Terjung, PhD,
Associate Dean of Research and Professor, Department of Biomedical
Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia. The topic of Dr. Terjung's
address was " Skeletal Muscle: Design/Function Relationships."
UMKC research group’s new super mouse won’t fight crime or injustice,
but it will help combat diseases. Mighty mouse is a new animal model for
muscle and metabolism research, and was recently developed by Richard
Hanson and his colleagues at Case Western Reserve University. A
collaborative team of researchers from the schools of Nursing and
Medicine will be breeding and studying these mice at UMKC.
Open House, 2007-08 UMKC School of Nursing
Annual Report
Mighty mouse is one of many new powerful mouse models being developed
by the Muscle Biology Research Group (MUBIG), whose members envision
important new discoveries of signaling pathways linked to decline in
muscle function with aging, fatigue, obesity, diabetes, muscular
dystrophies and cardiovascular diseases.
UM System video on Dr. Marco
Brotto and MUBIG research.
Contact us
Marco Brotto, B.S.N., M.S., Ph.D.
MUBIG Program Director
UMKC School of Nursing
Health Science Building
2464 Charlotte Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: 816-235-1959
Fax: 816-235-5515
E-mail: brottom@umkc.edu
Members of the Brotto Skeletal Muscle Phyisology lab, one of the primary MUBIG labs operated by Dr. Marco Brotto BSN, Ph.D, and managed by Dr. Leticia Brotto, M.D., recently played a key role
in Science Power Day, sponsored by the University of Missouri - Kansas City.
The UMKC Muscle Biology Group is honored to announce the arrival of Dr.
Eduardo Abreu, M.D., D.Eng. Dr. Abreu brings to the group expertise in
both tendons and ligaments, providing a vital link in our research. Dr.
Abreu began his journey to UMKC by recieving his B.S. in physics from
the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. Abreu then, in
1986, was awarded his M.D. from the State University of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. Dr. Abreu went on to recieve his Masters of Science in
biomedical engineering from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
in 1991. In 1994, Dr. Abreu served as a Research Fellow in the
Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation
where he maintained his role through 2005, at which time he was awarded
his Doctorate of Engineering in Applied Biomedical Engineering from
Cleveland State University. From 2005 thru 2009 Dr. Abreu served as a
post-doctoral Research Fellow in the Sports Medicine Lab at Children's
Hospital of Boston. Most recently Dr. Abreu served as a Fellow in the
Orthopedic Nanotechnology Lab at Bringham and Women's Hospital. Please
join us in welcoming Dr. Eduardo Abreu to the UMKC Muscle Biology Group.
On August 31st, 2010, Dr. Tina Hines, R.N., Ph.D., of the Muscle Biology
Group will retire. Dr. Hines is a founding member and valued researcher
who has served as Professor and Course Director of Anatomy and
Physiology for undergraduates, Associate Dean for Research, and the UMKC
School of Nursing Dale and Dorothy Thompson/Missouri Endowed Professor
for Research. Dr. Tina Hines's retirement plans include relocation to
the Dallas, Texas area where she will enjoy her retirement in the
company of her extended family. Dr. Hines's hard work and dedication
have made a definite impact upon us all and will forever be reflected in
the work of the UMKC Muscle Biology Group.
The
National Institute of Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases recently
announced the awarding of a “Grand Opportunity” grant to the Bone
Biology and Muscle Biology Groups at UMKC through the Center of
Excellence in the Study of Dental and Musculoskeletal Tissues.
