The Barton lab focuses on the mechanisms that underly skeletal muscle regeneration, and strategies to enhance resolution of muscle damage. We utilize cell, tissue, and whole animal models to dissect the molecular processes that are central to muscle repair, and routinely alter gene expression in target pathways through viral mediated gene transfer and transgenic mice. Our work has potential therapeutic applications in accelerating repair following acute muscle injury experienced by healthy individuals, ameliorating chronic muscle damage associated with neuromuscular disease, and slowing the progressive decline in the ability to repair muscle that occurs with age.
Research Interests
- Use of insulin-like growth factor I to promote muscle growth and repair
- Role of muscle insulin-like growth factor I in regulation of glucose homeostasis
- Mechanical signal transduction and load-sensing in muscle
- Role of extracellular matrix in skeletal muscle health and disease
- Development of assays to define mechanical properties of muscle