Muscle Biology and Cachexia

New Institute Focuses on Developing Interventions to Skeletal Muscle Loss, Wasting in Aging, Cancer and Other Diseases

Feb. 25 — Aging gracefully is a sought-after goal for most individuals, but numerous factors – from inactivity, poor diet and genetic aberrations – can contribute to manifestations of muscle wasting, which impact both longevity and quality of life. Loss of skeletal muscle mass and function are inherent in the aging process, but also a result of various muscular dystrophies and diseases, including cancer and chronic heart failure, and increase risk of metabolic abnormalities such as obesity and diabetes. 

Aimed at discovering the mechanisms of muscle biology and muscle wasting (or cachexia) and developing therapeutic interventions to stop muscle loss or alleviate the impact of muscle wasting, the Institute of Muscle Biology and Cachexia (IMBC) has been established as the first of its kind at UH and across the Greater Houston area dedicated to research and education on muscle biology, cachexia, and neuromuscular disorders. 

The new institute, approved in January 2025 by the University of Houston (UH) Division of Research and housed within UH College of Pharmacy (UHCOP), is being led by Director Ashok Kumar, Ph.D., Else and Philip Hargrove Endowed Professor of Drug Discovery & Development and Professor of Pharmacology, and Associate Director Radbod Darabi, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmacology.

"The IMBC aims to be a prominent institute to bring together nationally and internationally renowned investigators in the field of muscle biology, cachexia, and neuromuscular disorders to perform innovative research and education and to develop new therapeutics," Kumar said.

Inaugural members of the multidisciplinary institute include UHCOP colleagues Bin Guo, Ph.D., Bradley McConnell, Ph.D., Anirban Roy, Ph.D., Ravi Singh, Ph.D., Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Moosa Tatar, Ph.D., and Meghna Trivedi, Ph.D., Pharm.D.; Cullen College of Engineering's Zhengwei Li, Ph.D.; Health and Human Performance's Marc Hamilton, Ph.D., and Theodore Zderic, Ph.D.; and Natural Sciences and Mathematics' Robert Schwartz, Ph.D., and Yu Liu, Ph.D.

As part of its overall mission, the IMBC will facilitate didactic, research, and experiential opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and professional students as well as postdoctoral fellows in educating and training the next generation of scientists working on skeletal muscle biology, regeneration, and cachexia. IMBC members also will be engaged in active mentorship of early-stage investigators and junior faculty.

"A primary goal of our newly established institute is to facilitate research and collaboration between skeletal muscle and cancer biologists across Houston and Texas," Darabi said.

In addition, the IMBC is committed to serving as a forum for sharing the latest findings and cultivating collaborations among investigators across UH and beyond, especially among peers at UH's fellow Texas Medical Center institution. As its flagship event, the IMBC's inaugural Muscle Biology and Cachexia Conference – featuring keynote and plenary presentations by top researchers in the field from around the world – will be held May 18-20 in the UH Student Center South.