معرفی
Douglas Swank is a Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, affiliated with the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He has been part of RPI's faculty since 2005, advancing from Assistant Professor to full Professor in Biological Sciences.
- Education: PhD in Physiology from University of Pennsylvania (1995), BA in Biology from University of Rochester (1990).
His research focuses on muscle physiology, leveraging Drosophila genetics to explore stretch activation mechanisms and genetic mutations causing heart and muscle diseases like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The lab integrates molecular biology with whole-organism studies, emphasizing myosin's role in muscle kinetics and disease modeling.
Publications demonstrate expertise in myosin-based pathologies, muscle mechanics, and cross-bridge dynamics. Recent works analyze cardiac myosin's impact on stretch activation, fatigue mechanics, and regulatory components of muscle contraction across species.
Dr. Swank leads an interdisciplinary team using Drosophila and mammalian models to dissect molecular causes of muscle diseases. He receives NIH funding for his Drosophila-based heart muscle research.
