Members

Principal Investigator

Brian C. Clark, Ph.D.

Dr. Clark is a Profesor of Physiology and Neuroscience in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Ohio University where he also serves as the Executive Director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI) and is the Harold E. Clybourne, DO Endowed Research Chair. He has formal training in biology, exercise physiology, gerontology, and neuromuscular physiology (PhD from Syracuse University). As a translational physiologist his research is focused on 1) the neuromuscular mechanisms of muscle weakness, fatigue-resistance, and age-related mobility limitations, 2) interventional strategies to enhance physical function and independence in older adults, 3) screening, diagnosis, and management of sarcopenia & dynapenia, 4) rehabilitation strategies to promote recovery from musculoskeletal pain and injury, and 5) development of cortical bone mechanics technology for assessing skeletal health in humans. He has published over 160 articles and chapters, and has been continuously funded throughout his career (>$20M in research grant funding).

Brian Clark Google Scholar

MyNCBI

Current Members

Leatha A. Clark, DPT, MS

Dr. Clark is a senior clinical research scientist and a research physical therapist in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and has affiliations with the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), as well as, the Department of Family Medicine at Ohio University.  She has an academic and research background in engineering mechanics (BS, University of Illinois and MS SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry) and is a licensed doctor of physical therapy in the state of Ohio (DPT, SUNY Upstate Medical University). As a practicing physical therapist, Dr. Clark specializes in geriatric and pediatric rehabilitation. Her research interests relate to understanding the neuromuscular mechanisms of age-related weakness as well as the physiological determinants of the heterogeneity of response to exercise interventions in older adults.

Leatha Clark Google Scholars

Nathan Wages, Ph.D.

Dr. Wages is a NIH NRSA post-doctoral fellow. He has formal training in human physiology, exercise physiology, and neuromuscular physiology from the University of Oklahoma. His work is centrally focused on developing a better understanding of the neurological and muscular mechanisms accounting for reduced muscle performance associated with aging and disuse. His NIH F32 grant is focused on understanding the contribution of intrinsic alpha-motoneuron excitability (assessed using the paired motor unit analysis technique) to disuse-induced muscle weakness.

Nathan Wages Google Scholar

Brooke Vaughan, DPT

Dr. Vaughan is a Ph.D. student in the Translational Biomedical Sciences graduate program as well as a clinical faculty member in the Division of Physical Therapy. Dr. Vaughan received her BS in exercise physiology and Doctor of Physical Therapy from Ohio University. She also completed a neurorehabilitation residency program at Ohio State and has more than a decade of clinical experience. Her research interests relate to understanding the role of biological brain aging in mediating the relationship between muscle strength and mobility in older adults as well as the role of cognitive-motor interactions in regulating motor function in older adults.

Simon Moskowitz, B.S.

Mr. Moskowitz is a fourth-year medical student from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He completed his undergraduate degree from Ohio University (2018) in Physiology of Exercise, before continuing his education at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. His interests include exercise physiology, human anatomy, neuromuscular physiology, healthy aging and osteopathic manipulative medicine. He plans to specialize in Sports Medicine in the future.