PEOPLE

ABOUT PEOPLE

Major in Sport Culture

Position
Assistant Professor
Major
Exercise Physiology
E-mail
dmkwak@hanyang.ac.kr
Laboratory
Gymnasium No. 212
Tel
031-400-5739
Profile
I have been involved in aging research associated with aging throughout my entire scientific career. Prior to becoming exercise/muscle physiologist, I have been interested in muscle research since I worked as a research assistant in an Exercise Physiology laboratory in 2004. During that time period, my research was focused on the role of ACE and ACTN-3 genotypes as genetic markers of aerobic and anaerobic performance. I joined the graduate school at University of Minnesota as Ph. D. student. The central aim of my project was to identify novel molecular mechanisms by which dimethlarginie dimethylamonohydrolase 1 (DDAH1) dysfunction contributes to the development of Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In addition, I also performed heart and lung functional assessment in mice and rats using various experimental approaches. The mechanisms involved in cardiovascular disease is often shared among aging muscle disease, and as a postdoctoral researcher, I wanted to expand my knowledge in different aging mechanisms. Since 2015, I have been working with Skeletal Muscle Physiology laboratory in the department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training at Boston University. During this time, we developed the first mouse frailty phenotype, which is modeled from the Fried’s human frailty phenotype. This mouse frailty phenotype will be the basis for investigating underlying mechanisms of frailty and identifying interventions. My studies contributed to more than 20 articles in premier journals such as Aging, Physiology, and Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences A. Currently, I am an assistant professor in the Division of Sport Science at Hanyang University. My area of research is truly translational, bringing community to the bedside to the bench and back.
Education
Ph.D. University of Minnesota, 2015 (Exercise Physiology)
M.S. Sungkyunkwan University, 2006 (Sport Science)
B.S. Sungkyunkwan University, 2002 (Sport Science)
Research
interest
My research interests are to understand the molecular pathways aging diseases such as sarcopenia, frailty, and aging associated with muscle dystrophy using various approaches such as skeletal muscle physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, proteomics, and behavioral testing.
Recent
Publications
Selected Journal Papers
  • Kwak, D., & Thompson L.V. (2020). Frailty: Past, present, and future? Sports Medicine and Health Science. (In Press)
  • Baumann, C. W.*, Kwak, D*., & Thompson, L. V. (2020). Phenotypic Frailty Assessment in Mice: Development, Discoveries & Considerations. Physiology. 35, 405-411.
  • Kwak, D., Wei, G., Thompson, L. V., & Kim, J. (2020). Short-term ONX-0914 administration: Performance and Muscle Phenotype in Mdx mice. int J Environ Res Public Health. 17(14), 5211.
  • Kwak, D.*, Baumann, C. W.*, & Thompson, L. V. (2020). Identifying Characteristics of Frailty in Female Mice Using a Phenotype Assessment Tool. Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences A. 75(4), 640-646..
  • Baumann, C. W.*, Kwak, D*., & Thompson, L. V. (2019). Sex-specific components of frailty in C57BL/6 mice. Aging. 11(14), 5206-5214.
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