SUMMARY
Jason D. Doles, Ph.D., and researchers in his Skeletal Muscle Wasting and Progenitor Cell Biology Lab at Mayo Clinic study muscle regeneration, wasting disorders and stem cell activation using diverse experimental model systems and cutting-edge cell and molecular biology tools and technologies.
Focus areas
- Cachexia. Dr. Doles' team aims to understand the molecular basis of cancer-associated muscle and fat wasting.
- Sepsis. Sepsis survivors often experience long-lasting complications including cognitive impairment, muscle weakness and respiratory deficits. Dr. Doles' lab studies how stem cell defects contribute to tissue late effects.
- Aging. Collaborative work with members of the Mayo Clinic Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging aims to understand how metabolic alterations in the aging muscle microenvironment affect muscle stem cell function.
- Muscular dystrophy. Stem cell defects underlie many forms of muscular dystrophy. Dr. Doles is interested in the metabolic basis of muscle stem cell dysfunction and how these alterations contribute to disease etiology.
Significance to patient care
Current clinical interventions for muscle wasting are inadequate. Dr. Doles believes that a better understanding of muscle stem cell behavior and function will lead to novel and innovative therapies that boost the endogenous regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle and improve patient quality of life.
Professional highlights
- Recipient, Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (R35), National Institutes of Health, 2018-2023
- Recipient, Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), National Institutes of Health, 2015-2020
- Recipient, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network/American Association of Cancer Research Career Development Award, 2017-2019
- Long-term fellow, European Molecular Biology Organization, 2011-2013