UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Gustavo Nader, professor of kinesiology and physiology in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development, has been named the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Loyd Huck Chair in Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.
“Muscle is what changes our thoughts into action, and loss of muscle due to sickness or aging can be catastrophic for our well-being,” said Patrick Drew, interim director of the Huck Institutes and professor of engineering science and mechanics, of neurosurgery, of biology, and of biomedical engineering. “Dr. Nader’s work on the molecular mechanisms of muscle health is an excellent example of fundamental research that has an impact on many different fields. Huck is delighted to support Dr. Nader’s important research through this chair, which we hope will lead interventions to improve our health spans.”
Nader researches the molecular processes underpinning muscle preservation and growth. He’s currently working on a project funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and National Institutes of Health, focused on muscle growth and maintenance and how loss of such muscle mass can have long-lasting effects. Nader is specifically looking at how ribosomes — the cellular machines that make protein, control how muscles change in size. The goal is to stimulate the synthesis of ribosomes to enable muscle preservation and growth.
“In humans, we want to prevent people from losing muscle,” Nader said. “As we age, we lose muscle. When we get sick, we lose muscle. The faster and the more we lose, the more chances we have of wasting, having a lower quality of life and dying prematurely. It is most prevalent in conditions such aging, cancer, neurological and metabolic diseases and once it has started, it’s harder to recover. Everyone will lose muscle in one way or another. Muscle loss is a true silent killer.”
This research can be applied to more than just humans and health care, Nader said, pointing to potential impacts on agriculture productivity and animal health.
During his term as a Huck chair, Nader aims to continue developing more interdisciplinary research connections across diverse disciplines.
“I hope to come up with new, exciting research questions and solutions to complex problems,” Nader said. “Huck is the beating heart of the life sciences at Penn State, and it provides a fertile environment for discovery in so many different directions. This recognition means we are doing the right thing and thinking right about sciences. It means a lot to me.”
"We are thrilled to recognize Dr. Nader with the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair for his contributions to interdisciplinary research,” said Camelia Kantor, associate director of strategic initiatives of the Huck Institutes and associate research professor. “His innovative work on ribosome biogenesis and its role in muscle growth, as well as his exploration of biomimicry in skeletal muscle preservation, exemplifies the kind of high-risk, high-reward science that the Huck Chair is designed to support. This new role will further empower Dr. Nader to collaborate across departments, drive excellence, and inspire cutting-edge research that transcends traditional boundaries. We look forward to seeing the remarkable impact he will continue to make."
Nader earned his doctorate in kinesiology with a focus on muscle biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, completed his postdoctoral training in molecular genetics at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and served as an associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden prior to coming to Penn State in 2014.