Kenneth J. Rodnick

Dr. Kenneth J. Rodnick is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Physiology at Idaho State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Physiology from Stanford University (1989), with prior degrees from Oregon State University and the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on comparative physiology, particularly the biochemical and cellular adaptations of cardiac and skeletal muscle in fish under environmental stressors like temperature, hypoxia, and diet. He investigates how these factors influence cardiovascular performance, energy metabolism, and aquaculture nutrition. His work spans molecular techniques to whole-animal studies, including echocardiography, respirometry, and biochemical assays. Dr. Rodnick collaborates with aquaculture industries to optimize fish diets and improve growth efficiency. His studies also explore sex differences in cardiac energetics and steroid hormone effects.

Education:

• Ph.D. Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, 1989
• M.A. Exercise Science and Nutrition, Oregon State University, 1984
• M.S. Fisheries Science, Oregon State University, 1982
• B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, University of California, Davis, 1979

Research Interests:

• Environmental physiology of fish, especially temperature and hypoxia effects
• Cardiovascular adaptations in salmonids and other teleosts
• Non-enzymatic glycation processes in hemoglobin
• Metabolic plasticity in muscle tissues
• Sexual dimorphism in cardiac function
• Aquaculture diet optimization

Advising & Grants: Dr. Rodnick has advised numerous graduate students (not listed here) and secured grants for projects on fish metabolism, cardiac energetics, and aquaculture. His laboratory employs interdisciplinary approaches, combining field studies with advanced molecular and imaging techniques.

Labs & Teams: His research group collaborates with aquaculture facilities and employs techniques like echocardiography, in vitro cardiac tissue studies, and transcriptomic analyses.