Russell Tupling

A. Russell Tupling is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on the role of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) pump in muscle physiology, particularly its impact on calcium handling defects linked to fatigue, weakness, and diseases like obesity and type II diabetes. He investigates how SERCA's efficiency influences metabolic rate and susceptibility to metabolic disorders.

Dr. Tupling holds a PhD from the University of Waterloo. His work integrates cellular, molecular, and systems-level approaches to understand muscle function and dysfunction. He teaches courses such as KIN 404 (Physiological Basis of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes) and KIN 601 (Muscle Physiology).

His research lab explores topics including mitochondrial dynamics, autophagy, and the interplay between muscle and metabolic pathways. Current projects examine the role of sarcolipin in adaptive thermogenesis and the therapeutic potential of modulating calcium cycling proteins in muscle diseases.

Dr. Tupling actively supervises graduate students (MSc, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellows) and offers undergraduate thesis opportunities. He collaborates on studies involving exercise physiology, muscle regeneration, and metabolic disorders. His lab utilizes advanced techniques such as molecular biology, biochemistry, and in vivo/in vitro muscle function analysis.