Cardiovascular and Exercise Science
Cardiovascular disease is widely recognized as the leading cause of death worldwide. Coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects blood flow to the heart, is the most common among several types of heart conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites the practice of healthy living habits, chiefly physical activity, as the primary mode of preventing heart disease.
In line with CDC recommendations, the American College of Sports Medicine has created the Exercise is Medicine global health initiative, which encourages primary care physicians and other healthcare providers to include physical activity as part of treatment plans for CAD and other chronic health conditions, and to refer patients to qualified exercise professionals who can oversee treatment.
Faculty researchers in the College of Health Sciences investigating cardiovascular disease and exercise science are contributing to the body of knowledge within these fields, and have many specializations including resistance training and effects on body composition; cardiovascular health and rehabilitation; impact of physical activity on blood flow; and the effects of physical activity on special populations, including cancer patients and cancer survivors.
Faculty in the Cardiovascular and Exercise Science research cluster are also members of the following communities of practice: Aging, Community of Engaged Scholars, TTUHSC-EL PASO/UTEP Collaborative Research Community, and UTEP Community Engagement and Research in COVID-19.
CHS Leaders in Cardiovascular Disease and Exercise Science
Dr. Sudip Bajpeyi
Associate Professor of Kinesiology
Director, MiNER Laboratory
sbajpeyi@utep.edu
Specialization: Exercise and nutrition interventions to cure/improve insulin resistance; mitochondrial bioenergetics and fat oxidation
Communities of Practice: Aging, TTUHSC-EL PASO/UTEP Collaborative Research Community, UTEP Community Engagement and Research in COVID-19
Dr. Alvaro Gurovich, PT, PhD, FACSM
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy
Director, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Director, Clinical Applied Physiology Lab
agurovich@utep.edu
Specialization: Clinical applied physiology; cardiovascular health and rehabilitation; vascular response to external stimuli; exercise-induced blood flow patterns
Communities of Practice: Health-Focused Interprofessional Education, UTEP Community Engagement and Research in COVID-19
Dr. Kisuk Min
Assistant Professor of Kinesiology
Director, Muscle Molecular Physiology Laboratory
kmin@utep.edu
Specialization: Effects of exercise training on chemotherapy-induced muscle dysfunction; identification of the molecular mechanisms that protect cardiac and skeletal muscle against myopathy
Dr. Camila Torriani-Pasin
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy
ctorrianip@utep.edu
Specialization: Physical activity and sedentary behavior in neurological populations
Dr. Cynthia Wittenburg
Asst. Professor of Instruction, Public Health Sciences
cwittenburg@utep.edu
Specialization: Exercise regimes during and after cancer treatment; exercise and neuropathy
