Texas Tech University

Faculty Grants in 2020

San Antonio Nathan Shock Center Pilot Award Grant ($30,000; July 2019-2020) Dr. Heather Vellers received this funding for her project titled, "Role of Genetic Background on Age-Related Changes in Mitochondrial Genome Dynamics: Influence of Aerobic Exercise." The purpose of this work is to uncover how aerobic exercise and genetics associate and interact to influence the aging process.

American Heart Association grant (Innovative Project Award ($197,451: 2019-2021) Dr. Joaquin Gonzales received this funding for his research on the "Effect of Pulsatile Pressure and Long Sleep Duration on Cerebral Vascular Function." This research aims to understand the impact of aortic blood pressure changes during sleep on function of blood vessels in the brain. In particular, we are assessing the effect of pulsatile blood pressure patterns combined with long sleep duration on the reactivity of the blood vessels in the brain. This information would help us understand the reason why long sleep duration increases the risk for heart attack and stroke in older adults.

Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ($20,000; 2020)
Dr. Grant Tinsley received this funding for his research on "Effects of a Caffeine- and Protein-Containing Coffee Beverage on Metabolism and Muscular Performance." The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a novel caffeine- and protein-containing coffee beverage on resting and post-exercise metabolism, as well as muscular performance during lower body resistance exercise.

Legion Athletics, Inc. ($32,271; 2020)
Dr. Grant Tinsley received this funding for his research on "The Influence of Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation on Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone, and Hair Loss." This study is a 6-month trial that will examine whether daily supplementation with one of the most popular sports supplement ingredients, creatine monohydrate, causes hair loss or hormonal changes associated with hair loss.

Kyowa Hakko Bio Co., LTD ($149,932; April 1, 2020-March 31, 2021)
Dr. Arturo Figueroa received this funding for his research project entitled "Effects of Four Weeks Supplementation with L-Citrulline and Glutathione on Arterial Function and Cardiovascular Responses in Postmenopausal Healthy Women: A Pilot Study". The age-related endothelial dysfunction is characterized by reduced production of nitric oxide in the endothelial cell of blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is in part attributed to reduced L-arginine (the substrate for nitric oxide production) bioavailability and increased oxidative stress. Oral L-citrulline supplementation has shown to increase L-arginine levels in blood and antioxidant capacity. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects L-Citrulline alone at normal dose (6 g daily) or L-citrulline at low-dose (2 g daily) combined with the antioxidant glutathione (200 mg daily) for four weeks on vascular function and oxidative stress in postmenopausal women with normal to elevated blood pressure. We will test the hypothesis that low-dose of L-Citrulline combined with glutathione would have similar vascular benefits than high-dose of L-Citrulline compared to placebo in postmenopausal women. Dr. Heather Vellers will collaborate in this project with the assessment of oxidative stress and glucose control.

North American Society for Sport Management ($3,476; 2019-2020)
Dr. Akira Asada received this funding from one of his professional organizations to examine "Team Representativeness: Scale Development and Model Testing." In this research, he proposes a new concept, team representation, which refers to the extent to which people perceive local sports teams as representing their communities. The purpose of the research is to examine the structure of team representation, develop its measurement instruments, and explore its antecedents and outcomes.

United States Department of Education ($170,509; 2019-2020)
Dr. Marc Lochbaum continued his work with the after-school physical activity program through the Lubbock Partnership Network. He structures high quality after-school physical activity programs for children and youth in a poverty and educational stricken area of Lubbock.

Ector College Prep Success Academy Physical Activity Programming ($39,500; 2019-2020) Dr. Marc Lochbaum trains and works with the physical education teachers to maximize moderate to vigorous physical activity minutes during physical education classes through this funded contract, "Maximizing Physical Education-MVPA Minutes" The overall purpose of this program is to improve daily physical activity programming across Ector College Prep Success Academy and more specifically with students in 6th and 7th grades.

Lubbock Partnership Network ($84,342; 2019-2020)
Dr. Marc Lochbaum is conducting an after-school physical activity program through this funded contract to provide an "After School Physical Activity Program" at Ervin and Alderson elementary schools and Dunbar College Preparatory Academy. He and 18 TTU students provide after-school physical activity programs for children and youth in these three schools.

Erasmus+ Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices KA201 - Strategic Partnerships for School Education ($243,388; 2019-2022)
Dr. Marc Lochbaum as co-principal investigator with Jarek Mäestu at the University of Tartu received this funding for "Supporting Teachers to Maximize Enjoyable MVPA Minutes in Children and Youth: Project Enjoyable MVPA – Project JoyMVPA." Dr. Lochbaum is working with partners in Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, and Slovenia. The project aims to support teachers with games with children's input in both written and video format across the countries mentioned. The intent is the games with have a high amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity and enjoyment suitable for recess, physical education, and sport clubs.

Erasmus+ Support for Collaborative Partnerships in the Field of Sport ($14,111; 2019-2020) Dr. Marc Lochbaum along with Dr. Aušra Lisinskienė at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania won a grant to work with a number of European countries on a project titled "European Union Physical Activity and Sport Monitoring System." The project's goal is determining the best set of self-report physical activity questions with the hope of unifying a number of commonly used physical activity questionnaires used across Europe into one simple self-report measure.

 

Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management

  • Address

    Box 43011, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79409
  • Phone

    806.742.3371