Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The long-term goal of this research is to understand how fluid shifts both into and out of muscle tissue impacts the regulation of protein metabolism in this tissue. We also plan to develop effective strategies to exploit such changes within this tissue, as muscle is the largest fluid reservoir in the body. Over the short term the experiments will establish a timeline of the influence of fluid shifts on protein metabolism in muscle. Furthermore we will also determine if there is an interaction between fluid shifts and muscle contraction (exercise) induced changes in protein metabolism. We will also look at how muscle takes up amino acids (building blocks of proteins) to see if these processes are changed with these fluid shifts. Finally, we will also determine if such fluid shifts can counter or lessen the effect of drugs that cause muscle wasting. Overall, this research will contribute to a greater understanding of the role of fluid shifts in the regulation of protein metabolism. Thus, findings from this research will provide biological and evidence-based rationale for developing fluid-based strategies to manipulate skeletal muscle protein metabolism in circumstances where fluid balance is altered. Furthermore, this work will contribute to the development of pharmaceutical strategies and products that could reduce muscle wasting.