Research Interests
My early research focused on the beneficial effects of adjuvant therapies for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease in clinical and pre-clinical populations concentrating on endothelial function/dysfunction and arterial stiffness on blood flow mechanics, myocardial oxygen demand, and left-ventricular wasted energy. To expand my research in aging and cardiovascular disease, I then focused on the differential effects of androgens and estrogens, specifically, testosterone replacement therapy in older hypogonadal males and the progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia, bone metabolism, and risk for developing cardiovascular disease.
Currently, my research focuses on the role of hormone dysregulation and the development of cognitive decline associated with aging and the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), related pathology and novel adjuvant therapies to prevent the progression of vascular disease associated with aging and the development of AD. Current projects include, ‘Regulation of Luteinizing Hormone to Prevent Cognitive Decline of Reproductive Senescence and Alzheimer’s Disease’, ‘Neurophysiological effects of whole coffee fruit concentrate in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A fMRI Investigation’ and ‘Extra-virgin olive oil prevents MCI conversion to Alzheimer’s disease’. In addition, I continue to investigate the molecular environment of the prostate and the development of cancers. To this end, current collaborative projects include, ‘High-density lipoprotein cholesterol nanoparticle mimic for the early detection and treatment of prostate cancer’, ‘Novel engineered nanoparticle based drug delivery and biosensing assay system for in vivo prostate cancer treatment and monitoring’, and ‘Iatrogenic cardiac and skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy and radiation treatment’
Selected Publications
| Year | Faculty | Citation | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Darren Beck | Mcintosh MC, Anglin DA, Robinson AT, Beck DT, Roberts MD. Making the case for resistance training in improving vascular function and skeletal muscle capillarization. Front Physiol. 2024 Feb 9:15:1338507. PMID: 38405119 |
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| 2023 | Darren Beck, Jillian McCullough | Yarrow JF, Wnek RD, Conover CF, Reynolds MC, Buckley KH, Kura JR, Sutor TW, Otzel DM, Mattingly AJ, Borst SE, Aguirre JI, Beck DT, McCullough DJ. Passive cycle training promotes bone recovery after spinal cord injury without altering resting-state bone perfusion. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2023 May 1;55(5):813-823. PMID: 36728986. |
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| 2023 | Darren Beck | Blaine SK, Ridner CM, Campbell BR, Crone L, Claus ED, Wilson JR, West SN, McClanahan AJ, Siddiq AS, Layman IMP, Macatee R, Ansell EB, Robinson JL, Beck DT. IL-6, but not TNF-α, response to alcohol cues and acute consumption associated with neural cue reactivity, craving, and future drinking in binge drinkers. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2023 Jun 11;31:100645. PMID: 37484196; PMCID: PMC10362517. |
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| 2022 | Darren Beck, David Redden, Anna Kirby | Kaddoumi A, Denney TS, Deshpande G, Robinson JL, Beyers RJ, Redden DT, Pratico D, Kyriakides TC, Lu B, Kirby A, Beck DT, Merner ND. Extra-virgin olive oil enhances the blood-brain barrier function mild in cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 14(23), 5102, 2022. PMID: 36501136. |
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| 2022 | Darren Beck | McAdam JS, Lyons KD, Beck DT, Haun CT, Romero MA, Mumford PW, Roberson PA, Young KC, Lohse KR, Roberts MD, Sefton JM. Whey protein supplementation effects on body composition, performance, and blood biomarkers during Army Initial Entry Training. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2022 Mar 7;9:807928. PMID: 35330708. |
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| 2022 | Darren Beck | Vann CG, Sexton CL, Osburn SC, Smith MA, Haun CT, Rumbley MN, Mumford PW, Ferguson BK, Montgomery NT, Moore JH, Fox CD, Ruple BA, McKendry J, Mcleod J, Bashir A, Beyers RJ, Brook MS, Smith K, Atherton PJ, Beck DT, McDonald JR, Gladden BL, Young KC, Phillips SM, Roberts MD. Effects of High-Volume Versus High-Load Resistance Training on Skeletal Muscle Growth and Molecular Adaptations. Frontiers in Physiology. 2022 Mar 11;13:857555. PMID: 35360253. |
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| 2021 | Darren Beck | Robinson JL, Yanes JA, Reid MA, Murphy JE, Busler JN, Mumford PW, Young KC, Pietrzkowski ZB, Hunter JH, Beck DT. Neurophysiological effects of whole coffee cherry extract in older adults with subjective cognitive impairment: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over pilot study. Antioxidants. 2021 Jan 20;10(2):144. PMID: 33498314. |
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| 2020 | Darren Beck | Fox CD, Garner CT, Mumford PW, Beck DT, Roberts MD. Higher Doses of a Green Tea-Based Supplement Increase Post-Exercise Blood Flow Following an Acute Resistance Exercise Bout in Recreationally Resistance-Trained College-Aged Men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2020 May 27;17(1):27. PMID: 32460790. |
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| 2020 | Darren Beck | Roberts MD, Young KC, Fox CD, Vann CG, Roberson PA, Osburn SC, Moore JH, Mumford PW, Romero MA, Beck DT, Haun CT, Badisa VLD, Mwashote BM, Ibeanusi V, Kavazis AN. An optimized procedure for isolation of rodent and human skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins. J Biol Methods. 2020 Feb 24;7(1):e127. PMID: 32201709. |
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| 2020 | Darren Beck | Sefton J, Lyons K, Beck D, Haun C, Romero M, Mumford P, Roberson P, Young K, Roberts M, McAdam J. Markers of bone health and impact of whey protein supplementation in Army Initial Entry Training Soldiers. Nutrients/ 2020 Jul 26;12(8):2225. PMID: 32722609. |
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| 2020 | Darren Beck | Vann CG, Roberson PA, Osburn SC, Mumford PW, Romero MA, Fox CD, Moore JH, Haun CT, Beck DT, Moon JR, Kavazis AN, Young KC, Badisa VLD, Mwashote BM, Ibeanusi V, Singh RK, Roberts MD. Skeletal Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Abundance Is Higher in Resistance-Trained Men, and Aging in the Absence of Training May Have an Opposite Effect. Sports (Basel). 2020 Jan 10;8(1). pii: E7. PMID: 31936810. |
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| 2020 | Darren Beck | Vann CG, Osburn SC, Mumford PW, Roberson PA, Fox CD, Sexton CL, Johnson MR, Johnson JS, Shake J, Moore JH, Millevoi K, Beck DT, Badisa VLD, Mwashote BM, Ibeanusi V, Singh RK, Roberts MD. Skeletal Muscle Protein Composition Adaptations to 10 Weeks of High-Load Resistance Training in Previously-Trained Males. Front Physiol. 2020 Mar 26;11:259. PMID: 32292355. |
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| 2019 | Darren Beck, Jillian McCullough | Yarrow JF, Wnek RD, Conover CF, Reynolds MC, Buckley KH, Kura JR, Sutor T, Otzel DM, Mattingly AJ, Aguirre JI, Beck DT, McCullough DJ. Bone loss after severe spinal cord injury coincides with reduced bone formation and precedes bone blood flow deficits. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2021 Oct 1;131(4), 1288-1299. PMID: 34473574. |
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| 2018 | Darren Beck | McAdam JS, McGinnis KD, Beck DT, Haun CT, Romero MA, Mumford PW, Roberson PA, Young KC, Lohse K, Lockwood CM, Roberts MD, Sefton JM. Effect of whey protein supplementation on physical performance and body composition in Army initial entry training soldiers. Nutrients. 2018 Sep 6;10(9): 1248. PMID: 30200582. |
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| 2018 | Darren Beck | Mumford PW, Kephart WC, Romero MA, Haun CT, Mobley CB, Osburn SC, Anderson RG, Patel RK, Healy JC, Moore A, Pascoe DC, Ruffin WC, Beck DT, Martin JS, Roberts MD, Young KC. Effects of 1-week betalain-rich beetroot concentrate supplementation on cycling performance and select physiological parameters. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2018 Nov;118(11):2465-2476. PMID: 30155761. |
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| 2018 | Darren Beck | Haun CT, Mobley CB, Vann CG, Romero MA, Roberson PA, Mumford PW, Kephart WC, Healy JC, Romil KP, Osburn SC, Beck DT, Arnold RD, Nie BZ, Lockwood CM, Roberts MD. Soy protein supplementation is not adipogenic or estrogenic in college-aged men when combined with resistance training. Scientific Reports. 2018 Jul 24;8(1):11151. PMID: 30042516. |
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| 2018 | Darren Beck | Mumford PW, Romero MA, Mao X, Mobley CB, Kephart WC, Haun CT, Roberson PA, Young KC, Martin JS, Beck DT, Roberts MD. Cross-talk between androgen and Wnt signaling potentially contributes to age-related skeletal muscle atrophy in rats. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2018 Aug 1;125(2):486-494. PMID: 29722624. |
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| 2018 | Darren Beck | Mobley CB, Haun CT, Roberson PA, Mumford PW, Kephart WC, Romero MA, Osburn SC, Vann CG, Young KC, Beck DT, Martin JS, Lockwood CM, Roberts MD. Biomarkers associated with low, moderate, and high vastus lateralis muscle hypertrophy following 12 weeks of resistance training. PlosOne. 2018 Apr 5;13(4):e0195203. PMID: 29621305. |
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| 2018 | Darren Beck | Phillips EG, Beggs LA, Ye F, Conover CF, Beck DT, Otzel DT, Ghosh P, Bassit AF, Borst SE, Yarrow JF. Effects of pharmacologic sclerostin inhibition or testosterone administration on soleus muscle atrophy in rodents after spinal cord injury. PlosOne. 2018 Mar 6;13(3):e0194440. PMID: 29579075. |
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| 2018 | Darren Beck | Romero MA, Mobley CB, Roberson PA, Haun CT, Kephart WC, Mumford PW, Healy JC, Beck DT, Young KC, Martin JS, Lockwood C, Roberts MD. Acute and chronic resistance training downregulates select LINE-1 retrotransposon activity markers in human skeletal muscle. American Journal of Physiology Cell Physiology. 2018 Mar 1;314(3):C379-C388. PMID: 29351416. |
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| 2017 | Darren Beck | Dalbo VJ, Roberts MD, Mobley CB, Ballmann C, Kephart WC, Fox CD, Santucci VA, Conover CF, Beggs LA, Balaez A, Hoerr FJ, Yarrow JF, Borst SE, Beck DT. Testosterone and trenbolone enanthate increase mature myostatin protein expression despite increasing skeletal muscle hypertrophy and satellite cells number in rodent model. Andrologia. 2017 Apr;49(3):e12622. PMID: 27246614. |
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| 2017 | Darren Beck | Mobley CB, Mumford PW, McCarthy JJ, Miller ME, Young KC, Martin JS, Beck DT, Lockwood CM, Roberts MD. Whey protein-derived exosomes increase protein synthesis in C2C12 myotubes. J Dairy Sci. 2017 Jan;100(1):48-64. PMID: 28341051. |
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| 2017 | Darren Beck | Beck DT. Appendix C: Electrocardiogram Interpretation. In: American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (10th Edition). Riebe D, Ehrman J, Magal M, Liguori G (Eds.). Lippincott Williams; 2017 Feb 10: p. 405-32. |
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| 2017 | Darren Beck | Beck DT. Appendix A: Common Medications. In: American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (10th Edition). Riebe D, Ehrman J, Magal M, Liguori G (Eds.). Lippincott Williams; 2017 Feb 10: p. 405-32. |
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| 2017 | Darren Beck, Elizabeth McClanahan | Kephart WC, Mumford PW, Mao X, Romero MA, Hyatt HH, Zhang Y, Mobley CB, Quindry JC, Young KC, Beck DT, Martin JS, McCullough JD, D’Agostino D, Lowery RP, Wilson JM, Kavazis AN, Roberts MD. The 1-week and 8-month effects of a ketogenic diet or ketone salt supplementation on multi-organ markers of oxidative stress and mitochondrial function in rats. Nutrients. 2017 Sep 15; 9(9):1019. PMID: 28914762. |
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| 2017 | Darren Beck | Mobley CB, Mumford PW, Kephart WC, Haun CT, Holland AM, Beck DT, Martin JS, Young KC, Anderson RG, Patel RK, Langston GL, Lowery RP, Wilson JM, Roberts MD. Aging in rats differentially affects markers of transcriptional and translational capacity in soleus and plantaris muscle. Frontiers in Physiology. 2017 Jul 20;8:518. PMID: 28775694. |
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| 2017 | Darren Beck | Kendall KL, Hyde PN, Fairman CM, Hollaway KM, Mumford PW, Tribby AC, Falcone PH, Kimber D, Moon J, Beck DT, Roberts MD, Young KC. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness and safety of a thermogenic supplement in addition to an energy-restricted diet in apparently healthy females. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2017 Nov 2;14(6):653-666. PMID: 28388294. |
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| 2016 | Darren Beck | Holland AM, Roberts MD, Mumford PW, Mobley CB, Kephart WC, Conover CF, Beggs LA, Balaez A, Otzel DM, Yarrow JF, Borst SE, Beck DT. Testosterone inhibits expression of lipogenic genes in visceral fat by an estrogen-dependent mechanism. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2016 Sep 1;121(3):792-805. PMID: 27539493. |
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| 2016 | Darren Beck | Mobley CB, Kephart WC, Fox CD, Conover CF, Beggs LA, Otzel DM, Balaez A, Yarrow JF, Borst SE, Beck DT, Roberts MD. Effects of testosterone on markers of skeletal muscle ribosome biogenesis. Andrologia. 2016 Jan 19. |
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| 2015 | Darren Beck | Martin JS, Borges AR, Beck DT. Peripheral conduit and resistance artery function are improved following a single, 1-hour bout of peristaltic pneumatic compression. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2015 Sep;115(9):2019-2029. PMID: 25981709. |
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| 2015 | Darren Beck | Martin JS, Borges AR, Christy JB, Beck DT. Considerations for Sphygmocor radial artery pulse wave analysis measurement: Side selection and peripheral arterial blood pressure calibration. Hypertension Research. 2015 Oct;38(10):675-683. PMID: 25787040. |
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| 2015 | Darren Beck | Delmonico MJ, Beck DT. The current understanding of sarcopenia: emerging tools and interventional possibilities. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2017; 11(2):167-181. PMID: 30202329. |
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| 2015 | Darren Beck | Beggs LA, Ye F, Ghosh P, Beck DT, Conover CF, Balaez A, Miller JR, Philips EG, Zheng N, Williams AA, Aguirre JI, Wronski TJ, Bose PK, Borst SE, Yarrow JF. Sclerostin inhibition prevents spinal cord injury induced bone loss. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 2015 Apr;30(4):681-9. |
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| 2015 | Darren Beck | Beck DT, Casey DP, Martin JS, Sardina PD, Braith RB. Enhanced external counterpulsation reduces indices of central blood pressure and myocardial oxygen demand in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Clinical and Experimental Physiology and Pharmacology. 2015; 42(4): 315-320. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Beck DT, Martin JS, Casey DP, Sardina PD, Avery JC, Braith RW. Enhanced external counterpulsation improves endothelial function and exercise capacity in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology. 2014 Sep;41(9):628-636. PMID: 24862172. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Beck DT, Yarrow JF, Beggs LA, Otzel DM, Ye F, Conover CF, Miller JR, Balaez A, Combs SM, Leeper AM, Williams AA, Lachacz SA, Zheng N, Wronski YJ, Borst SE. Influence of aromatase inhibition on the bone protective effects of testosterone. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 2014 Nov;29(11):2405-2413. PMID: 24764121. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Beggs LA, Yarrow JF, Conover CF, Meuleman JR, Beck DT, Morrow M, Zou B, Shuster JJ, Borst SE. Testosterone alters iron metabolism and stimulates red cell production independently of dihydrotestosterone. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2014 Sep 1;307(5):E456-461. PMID: 25074984. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Ye F, McCoy SC, Ross HH, Bernardo JA, Beharry AW, Senf SM, Judge AR, Beck DT, Conover CF, Cannady DF, Smith BK, Yarrow JF, Borst SE. Transcriptional regulation of myotrophic actions by testosterone and trenbolone on androgen-responsive muscle. Steroids. 2014 Sep;87:59-66. PMID: 24928725. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Beck DT, Martin JS, Gurovich AN, Nichols WW, Braith RW. Validity of a novel wristband tonometer for measuring central hemodynamics and augmentation index. American Journal of Hypertension. 2014 Jul;27(7):926-931. PMID: 24561655. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Martin JS, Beck DT, Braith RW. Peripheral resistance artery blood flow in subjects with abnormal glucose tolerance is improved following enhanced external counterpulsation therapy. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism. 2014 May;39(5):596-599. PMID: 24766247. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Borst SE, Yarrow JF, Conover CF, Nseyo U, Meuleman JR, Lipinska J, Braith RW, Beck DT, Martin JS, Morrow M, Roessner S, Beggs LA, McCoy SC, Canady DF, Shuster JJ. Musculoskeletal and prostate effects of combined testosterone and finasteride administration in older hypogonadal men: A randomized, controlled trial. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2014 Feb 15;306(4):E433-442. PMID: 24326421. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Yarrow JF, Conover CF, Beggs LA, Beck DT, Otzel DM, Baelez A, Combs SM, Miller JR, Aguirre IJ, Neuville KG, Wronski TJ, Bose PK, Borst SE. Testosterone dose-dependently prevents bone and muscle loss in rodents following spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurotrauma. 2014 May 1;31(9):834-845. PMID: 24378197. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Beck DT, Martin JS, Casey DP, Braith RW. Exercise training improves endothelial function in resistance arteries of young prehypertensives. Journal of Human Hypertension. 2014 May;28(5):303-309. PMID: 24172292. |
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| 2014 | Darren Beck | Avery JC, Beck DT, Casey DP, Sardina PD, Braith RW. Enhanced external counterpulsation improves resistance artery blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism. 2014 Mar;39(3):405-408. PMID: 24552391. |