The Integrative Muscle Physiology Lab is composed of a team of faculty, staff, and trainees.
Charles is currently an Associate Professor of Physiology at Wayne State University (Institutional Profile).
He received a PhD under the mentorship of Sandor J Kovacs, PhD, MD, in the application of physical models on clinical cardiac function from the Department of Physics at Washington University in 2007.
He went on to a postdoc to learn and perform biomechanical and biochemical studies in pre-clinical models of cardiac disease, focused on the giant protein titin, under the mentorship of Henk L Granzier, PhD, at the University of Arizona.
Subsequently, he went on to a second postdoc learning translational biomechanics with Kenneth S Campbell, PhD, at the University of Kentucky, after which moved to his current faculty position at Wayne State.
Lab Team (Staff and Trainees)
Po-Jen ‘Paul’ Chiang, BS
Research Assistant and Lab Manager (2020- )
Responsibilities: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Ultrasound, Colony Management.
Lindsay A Pittman, BA
Master’s Student (2019-2021)
Research Assistant (2022- )
Responsibilities: Ultrasound and Cardiac Structure/Fibrosis; Cardiac Biomechanics.
Benjamin M Cavanaugh, BS
Medical Student Research Assistant (2021- )
Responsibilities: Cardiac Relaxation (muscle mechanics)
Arjun Chadha, MD
Medical Student Research Assistant (2022- )
Returning Trainee
Responsibilities: Ultrasound and Cardiac Structure/Fibrosis
Anita Abbo
Undergraduate Research Asistant (2022- )
Responsibilities: Cardiac Biomechanics
Martina Jwaida
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2022- )
Responsibilities: Ultrasound and Cardiac Structure/Fibrosis
Lab Alumnae
Sydney Spiller
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016)
Responsibilities: Biomechanics of Cardiac Trabeculae.
Arjun Chadha
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016-2017)
Responsibilities: Biochemistry
Publications: Impact of Exercise on Titin 2020
Awards: WSU Biology Honors Thesis
Thamer Alkhazal
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016-2017)
Responsibilities: Cardiac Structure via Ultrasound.
Lab Publications: Ultrasound analysis of cardiac structure 2019
Osama Alian
Masters Candidate (2016-2017)
Responsibilities: Cardiomyocyte Biomechanics System Development.
Sazid Hasan
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2017)
Responsibilities: PID Control Development.
Kristin Richardson
PhD Applicant Rotation (FL 2017)
Responsibilities: Biomechanics of Cardiac Trabeculae, Ultrasound Analysis of Intact Muscle
Brianna M Schick
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016-2018)
Research Assistant (2018-2019)
2017 Wayne SOM Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
Responsibilities: Biomechanics of Cardiac Trabeculae, Echocardiography, Cardiac Catheterization.
Awards: First Place Oral Presentation (WSU SoM SURE Presentation 2017)
Lab Publications: Ultrasound analysis of cardiac structure 2019
Jon R Groening
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2018,2019)
2018 Alma-Wayne Summer Program
2019 Wayne PSL-Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship & Wayne SOM Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
Responsibilities: Protein Biochemistry
Mark A Hiske, BS
Research Assistant and Lab Manager (2015-2019)
Responsibilities: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Ultrasound, Colony Management.
Lab Publications: SMYD2 glutathionylation and Titin Degradation 2018
Impact of Exercise on Titin 2020
Lab Publication Acknowledgments: Ultrasound analysis of cardiac structure 2019
Erik Arden
Research Assistant (2020)
Responsibilities: Protein Biochemistry
Madison P Wang
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2017-2020 )
Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity
Responsibilities: Cardiomyocyte Isolation and Biomechanics
Publications: Improving Myocyte Yield 2020
Alexandra R Matus
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2018-2020)
Responsibilities: Biomechanics of Cardiac Trabeculae
Awards: 3rd Place Poster Presentation (2019 Michigan Physiological Society Meeting)
Local Undergraduate Research Award in Physiology (2019 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium)
Publications: Preload dependence of Mechanical Control of Relaxation 2021
Hunter Dlugas
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2019-2020)
Richard Barber Interdisciplinary Research Program (FL2019, W2020)
Responsibilities: Modeling Intact Muscle Mechanics
Publications: Preload dependence of Mechanical Control of Relaxation 2021
Teresa L Czeiszperger
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2018-2021)
2018 Wayne PSL-Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship & Wayne SOM Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
2019 Wayne PSL-Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship & Wayne SOM Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
Responsibilities: Cardiomyocyte Isolation and Biomechanics
Publications: Improving Myocyte Yield 2020
Melissa J Bukowski, MS
Research Assistant (2019)
Graduate Student (2019-2021)
Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Fellowship
Responsibilities: Biomechanics of Cardiac Trabeculae, Diabetic Models.
Publications: Preload dependence of Mechanical Control of Relaxation 2021
Lab Publication Acknowledgements: Ultrasound analysis of cardiac structure 2019
Henry Stalanker
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2021)
2021 Wayne PSL Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Responsibilities: Protein Biochemistry
Mario Goro
Postbaccalaureate (2021)
Responsibilities: Intact Cardiac Trabecula Mechanics