Great Lakes Muscle Symposium Set for June 15

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Recent scientific developments in muscle physiology and plasticity will be presented at the Great Lakes Muscle Symposium to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 15 in the University Inn and Conference Center, 2401 N. Forest Road, Amherst.

It will be sponsored by the Department of Physical Therapy, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences in the University at Buffalo School of Health Related Professions.

The symposium is dedicated to the memory of S. Mouchly Small, internationally known psychiatrist, educator and former chair of the Department of Psychiatry in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. A founder and long-time president of the national Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), he died in 1996.

Faculty members in the Department of Biological Sciences in the UB College of Arts and Sciences who will speak are Richard Almon, professor, who will discuss "Skeletal Muscle: Metabolism vs. Mechanics," and Joseph Granchelli, research assistant professor, whose topic will be "Drug Discovery in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy."

Luc Gosselin, assistant professor in the UB Department of Physical Therapy, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, will discuss "Diaphragm Muscle Dysfunction and Fibrosis in the MDX Mouse." Kathleen McCormick, an assistant professor in the department, will discuss "Myocardial Growth in IGF2/M6P Receptor-null Mice."

Also on the program will be Eric Hoffman, George Washington University Children's Hospital, "Expression Profiling in Muscle: Novel Patho-Physiological Pathways in the Dystrophies;" James Tidball, University of California at Los Angeles, "Immune Cell Function in Regulating Muscle Injury, Repair and Regeneration;" Jon Watchko, University of Pittsburgh, "Age-Related Differences in Muscle Injury After Lengthening Activations," and Dave Proctor, Pennsylvania State University, "Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow in the Older Adult."

A poster session will be held from 3:20-5p.m.

The registration fee is $50 for professionals and $40 for graduate students. The registration deadline is June 1. For more information or to register, call 716-829-2941, Ext. 267 or email gosselin@acsu.buffalo.edu