Dr. Robert Hickner

Interests

I am interested in providing the resources and environment that allow students, faculty and staff to succeed according to their goals and interests. My research interests are broad, but involve investigating how exercise and nutrition impact on the regulation of blood flow and metabolism in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue to improve cardiometabolic disease risk across the lifespan.

Education

• B.S. Biology (Indiana University, Bloomington, IN)
• M.S. Biology/Exercise Physiology (Ball State University, Muncie, IN)
• Ph.D. Physiology (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden)
• Postdoctoral fellowship (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO)

Publications and Other Scholarly Activities

Yan, H., J.R. Pierce, K.B. Myers, K.D. DuBose, G.S. Dubis, C. D. Tanner, and R.C. Hickner. Exercise effects on adipose tissue postprandial lipolysis and blood flow in children. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018 Jun;50(6):1249-1257. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001566. [Epub ahead of print. PMID:29381651

La Favor, J.D., G. Dubis, H. Yan, J.D. White, E.J. Anderson, and R.C. Hickner. Microvascular endothelial dysfunction in sedentary, obese humans is mediated by NADPH Oxidase; influence of exercise training. Arterioscler Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2016. Dec;36(12):2412-2420.

Kinsey, A.W., S.R. Cappadona, L.B. Panton, B.R. Allman, R.J. Contreras, R.C. Hickner, and M.J. Ormsbee. The effect of casein protein prior to sleep on fat metabolism in obese men. Nutrients. 2016. July 27;8(8).

Gavin TP, R.M. Kraus, J.A. Carrithers, J.P. Garry, and R.C. Hickner. Aging and the skeletal muscle angiogenic response to exercise in women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015 Oct;70(10):1189-97.

Pierce, J. R., J. M. Maples and R.C. Hickner. IL-15 concentrations in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue in lean and obese humans: local effects of IL-15 on adipose tissue lipolysis. Am. J. Physiol.-Endo. and Metab. Jun 15;308(12):E1131-9. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00575.2014. Epub 2015 Apr 28.

La Favor, J.D., E.J. Anderson, and R.C. Hickner. Novel method for detection of reactive oxygen species in vivo in human skeletal muscle. Physiol Res. 2014 Jul 16;63(3):387-92. Epub 2014 Feb 24. PMID: 24564604.

Gavin, K.M., E.E. Cooper, D.K. Raymer, R.C. Hickner. Estradiol effects on subcutaneous adipose tissue lipolysis in premenopausal women are adipose tissue depot specific and treatment dependent. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Jun 1;304(11):E1167-74.

Accomplishments

• 20 years of funding, primarily from the National Institutes of Health.
• Published over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals
• Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine
• Helped develop the microdialysis methodology, in particular as used to monitor blood flow and oxidative stress in skeletal muscle.
• Conducted summer study abroad classes in Australia, Ecuador, South Africa, and Sweden
• Completed the 1987 Hawaii Ironman in 10:32