College of Health and Human Services

Exercise Physiology

Biography

Research Key Words/Phrases

• Cardiac and skeletal muscle physiology and pathophysiology
• NF-kB signaling
• Neuromuscular Diseases
• Inflammation

Research Interests

Skeletal muscle weakness, injury and dysfunction are prominent in diseases such as muscular dystrophies (e.g. Duchenne muscular dystrophy) and autoimmune disorders (e.g. polymyositis, dermatomyositis, inclusion body myositis). Patients with muscular dystrophies and some autoimmune disorders also experience profound heart pathology and dysfunction. One of the common denominators in muscle disease is inflammation. In skeletal muscle there is extensive infiltration of immune cells; whereas in cardiac muscle immune cell infiltration is often less apparent but inflammatory signals are nonetheless abundant. Dr. Peterson has extensively studied inflammatory pathways that drive this inflammation (NF-kB signaling). Her lab focuses on uncovering the inflammatory mechanisms that cause and contribute to pathology in muscle diseases with the overarching goal of developing therapeutics to help patients. Specifically, the Peterson lab studies how inflammation causes maladaptive responses in diseased muscle and how exercise promotes beneficial adaptations both in healthy and diseased muscle. Her lab uses in vitro and in vivo approaches, measures physiological function, and uses biochemical and molecular biology tools to address their hypotheses.

Faculty Appointments

• 2020-Present Assistant Professor, School of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
• 2019-Present Affiliated Faculty Member, Masonic Medical Research Institute, Utica, NY
• 2017-2019 Lecturer, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SUNY Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY

Honors, Awards, Fellowships

• 2011-2013 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award F32 Fellowship NIH/NHLBI
• 2011 Muscular Dystrophy Association Poster Award, MDA National Scientific Conference
• 2010 Muscular Dystrophy Association Development Grant
• 2005-2007 American College of Sports Medicine Foundation Research Grant
• 2005 American College of Sports Medicine National Student Research Award Honorable Recognition
• 2004 The University of Toledo, Department of Kinesiology Student Research Award
• 2003-2005 American Heart Association, Ohio Valley Affiliate Predoctoral Fellowship
• 2003-2004 American College of Sports Medicine Foundation Research Grant

Education and Training

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
• Ph.D., Exercise Science, The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio
• M.S., Exercise Science, The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio
• B.S., Exercise Physiology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio

Additional Information

• Google Scholar
• ResearchGate