Karyn Esser, PhD
Professor and Chair
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About Karyn Esser
Biomedical research has brought focus on circadian clock biology as a key homeostatic regulator of health and resilience. Circadian clocks are found within virtually all cells in the body and disruption of circadian clock function is associated with poorer outcomes in aging and many chronic diseases. These studies highlight the importance of the circadian clock mechanism and raise potential for targeting the tissue specific or systemic clock function to support human health.
My lab has pioneered research on the role of circadian rhythms and the circadian clock mechanism in skeletal muscle homeostasis and systemic health. We have defined that the muscle clock is necessary for maintenance of muscle function (i.e. strength) and metabolic flexibility with a key role regulating glucose metabolism. Our current research directions include questions about the role of the muscle clock in aging and chronic diseases and the potential for targeting the muscle clock through chronotherapeutic approaches to improve muscle and system health. Our therapeutic approaches include use of scheduled exercise to enhance muscle clock function with aging and disease as well as use of AAV vectors to deliver genes that support clock function in models of chronic disease.
Teaching Profile
Courses Taught
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GMS6476 – Fundamentals of Skeletal Muscle
College of Medicine
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GMS6473 – Fundamentals of Physiology and Functional Genomics III
College of Medicine
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GMS7593 – Topics in Pharmacology and Toxicology
College of Medicine
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GMS7979 – Advanced Research
College of Medicine
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GMS7980 – Research for Doctoral Dissertation
College of Medicine
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GMS7794 – Neuroscience Seminar
College of Medicine
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BMS3521 – Human Physiology in Translation
College of Medicine
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GMS6495 – Seminar in Physiology
College of Medicine
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GMS6471 – Core Principles of Physiology
College of Medicine
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GMS6472 – Fundamentals of Physiology and Functional Genomics II
College of Medicine
Research Profile
There are a number of research projects ongoing in the lab. 1. Studies focused on the fundamental role of the circadian clock mechanism in muscle for healthy aging and in diseases including muscular dystrophy, cancer cachexia and others. 2. Studies on the mechanisms through which the circadian clock mechanism in muscle is a necessary mechanism for healthy exercise adaptations. Additionally, identify how the muscle clock contributes to time of day exercise performance. 3. The SOMMA aging study: use different -omics platforms to define molecular and metabolic changes in muscle in human aging. One goal is to identify molecular signatures that track with functional decline to enhance our understanding and potentially provide new therapeutic targets.
Publications
Academic Articles
Grants
Education
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PhD
University of Michigan
Contact Details
- Business:
- (352) 273-5728
- Business:
- kaesser@ufl.edu
- Business Mailing:
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M544
PO BOX 100274
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND AGING
GAINESVILLE FL 326100274 - Business Street:
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PHYSIOLOGY AND AGING
M-544
GAINESVILLE FL 326100274