27 July 2005
Award to Investigate Muscle Growth without Exercise
A new study has been launched at the University of Dundee to investigate the
possibility of building muscle without the need for high resistance exercise
- a process which could have a profound impact on the elderly and sufferers
of chronic diseases.
Dr Keith Baar, Principal Investigator in the Division of Molecular
Physiology at the School of Life Sciences, has received a £247,000 grant
from the Wellcome Trust to identify genes responsible for muscle growth.
Individuals suffering from chronic diseases, such as AIDS and cancer, and
those of the ageing population lose muscle mass and function (termed
sarcopenia in the elderly and cachexia in chronic disease) and are often
unable to exercise to retain muscle mass and strength. This can have a
profound effect on their lives, possibly leading to institutionalisation and
premature death.
"If we can find a way to build or maintain muscle without the need for
exercise it could obviously make a major difference for people suffering
from these kind of chronic diseases which not only can cause the loss of
muscle mass and function, but also severely effect quality of life," said Dr
Baar.
In his research, Dr Baar will focus on a number of proteins believed to play
a role in the ability of muscle to respond to resistance exercise. Using
unique genetic tools, Dr Baar will investigate the molecular events required
for the development of skeletal muscle hypertrophy, and aims to identify the
specific proteins that are essential to "turn on" the muscle growth factor.
It is hoped that this knowledge could assist the development of drugs for
sarcopenia and cachexia.
Dr Baar's work could also impact on athletes and other people working on
intense physical conditioning.
Students on the University's Sports Biomedicine Course, on which Dr Baar
lectures, will benefit from this research as they are taught about sports
and exercise with an emphasis on the underlying scientific principles.
In knowing how the body works at a molecular level as well as through
training, the students are provided with the tools to help athletes enhance
their performance to their maximum potential as well as helping those with
chronic diseases improve their quality of life.
Notes to Editors
The Wellcome Trust is an independent research funding charity established in 1936 under the
will of the tropical medicine pioneer Sir Henry Wellcome. The Trust's mission is to foster and
promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health and it currently spends over
£400 million per annum.
By Roddy Isles, Head of Press 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, r.isles@dundee.ac.uk | 
