Marius Locke

Marius Locke, Associate Professor, Muscle Damage

  • Associate Professor, Muscle Damage
55 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2W6

About Marius

Academic Training

Research Associate, Deborah Research Institute, 1995-96

NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Deborah Research Institute, Browns Mills, New Jersey 1993-95

Ph.D. University of Western Ontario, 1993

BSc. University of Western Ontario, 1987

BA. University of Western Ontario, 1984

Graduate Student Recruitment Status
Accepting students
Research Interests

The cellular response to muscle damage, including the regulation, expression and protection of stress/heat shock proteins/damage associated molecular patterns in striated muscle.

Cells respond to stressful conditions by rapidly synthesizing protective proteins known as Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) or Stress Proteins (SPs). An elevated expression of HSPs has been shown to provide protection to cells and tissues during episodes of stress. HSPs are known to be involved in numerous processes and are likely to regulate important cell functions. I am currently examining the relationship between the content of HSPs and their ability to protect skeletal muscle from the damage associated with eccentric (lengthening) muscle contractions and the inflammatory response that follows.  We use an ASI servo motor to induce skeletal muscle damage in the rat tibialis anterior muscle.  We use this model in conjunction with other mammalian models (diabetes, hypertrophy, exercise, heat stress, cold stress, etc) to answer questions regarding the role that HSPs play in skeletal muscle protection.

Selected Publications

Locke, Marius & Salerno, Stephanie. (2020). Ovariectomy alters lengthening contraction induced heat shock protein expression. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 45. 1-9.

Waskiw-Ford, Marcus & Hannaian, Sarkis & Kato, Hiroyuki & Abou Sawan, Sidney & Locke, Marius & Kumbhare, Dinesh & Moore, Daniel. (2020). Leucine-Enriched Essential Amino Acids Improve Recovery from Post-Exercise Muscle Damage Independent of Increases in Integrated Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis in Young Men. Nutrients. 12.

Bonello, John-Peter & Locke, Marius. (2019). HSP72 expression is specific to skeletal muscle contraction type. Cell Stress and Chaperones. 24

Locke, M. & Celotti, C. (2014). The effect of heat stress on skeletal muscle contractile proteinsCell Stress and Chaperones 19:519-527.

Holwerda AM, Locke M (2014). Hsp25 and Hsp72 content in rat skeletal muscle following controlled shortening and lengthening contractionsApplied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism 39(12):1380-7. 

 

Professional Memberships

American College of Sports Medicine

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology

International Cell Stress Society