Physical Therapy Faculty/Staff
Stephen LoRusso, PhD
Professor of Physical Therapy
Coordinator of Exercise Physiology
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| Campus Office: Stokes Building, Suite 229
phone: (814) 472-3853
fax: (814) 472-3140
email: slorusso@francis.edu |  |
| Mailing Address: Saint Francis University
Department of Physical Therapy
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940-0600
USA |
Education & Training:
BA, Psychology, Temple University
MA, Psychology, Temple University
PhD, Exercise Physiology, Temple University
Post-Doctoral Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
Research Interests:
- Myofibrilgenesis of Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle
- Cardiac Hypertrophy
- Epidemiology of Physical Activity
Grant Activity:
External:
The K-12 Anatomy Workshop at SFU. Submitted to the American Association of Anatomists, Bethesda MD Spring 2002. Primary Investigator. Funded for $1500.00
Acquisition of equipment for a cell culture facility with fluorescent microscopy to study myofibrillogenesis in the departments of physical therapy and biology. Submitted with Dr. John Trimble, Department of Biology to the National Science Foundation , 2001. Project cost $78,750.00. Not Funded.
The K-12 Anatomy Workshop at SFC. Submitted to the American Association of Anatomists, Bethesda MD Spring 2001. Primary Investigator. Funded for $2500.00
The effects of population dynamics on environmental awareness: The Laurel Highlands area surrounding SFC. Submitted to the Lancey Foundation for funding in summer 2001. Project Coordinator with Dr. Sue Morra and Mr. Mark Lynch.(Not funded)
The K-12 Anatomy Workshop at SFC. Submitted to the American Association of Anatomists, Bethesda MD Spring 2004. Primary Investigator. Not Funded
Methylmercury and the Health of Local Anglers and Waterways (2007). To the Wal-Mart foundation, $3,000.00 not funded.
Developing an interventional educational project to study and address the health and wellness issues of sportsmen/women in the rural Allegheny Highlands region of Central Pennsylvania. Submitted with Dr. Lane Loya to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Vulnerable Populations Section (2008) $68,880.00 Not Funded
The Anatomy Challenge: How is it constructed, and how does it work? Submitted to the American Assoication of Anatomists (2008), $1700.00 Primary Investigator Funded.
Internal:
The accumulation of non-muscle myosin IIb in response to treatment with Angiotensin II. In collaboration with Student Adijat Abass, and submitted to the Undergraduate Research Discussion Group (URDG). funded by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) 1999 for $500.
The effects of oral contraceptives on exercise performance and metabolic markers of intensity. In collaboration with MPT2 student, Anthony Vecchio, and submitted to the Undergraduate Research Discussion Group. (not funded)
Methylmercury and the Health of Local Anglers and Waterways. In collaboration with Dr. Lane Loya, Department of Biology, Saint Francis University Excellence in Education Grant, $1,000. Funded, April 2006.
Methylmercury and the Health of Local Anglers and Waterways. In collaboration with Dr. Lane Loya, Department of Biology, Saint Francis University Excellence in Education Grant, $1,000. Renewed Funding, April 2007.
Teaching Activities:
PHTH 300 Exercise Physiology
PHTH 400 Human Gross Anatomy
PHTH 402 Neuroscience 1
PHTH 553 Special Topic: Advanced Dissection- Anatomy/Neuroanatomy
NEURO 279 Introduction to Neuroscience
NEURO 450 Interdisciplinary Seminar in Neuroscience
EXPH 101 Introduction to Exercise Physiology
EXPH 310 Exercise Physiology II
CORE 102 Obesity in America
CORE 402 Senior Capstone: Are decisions in Science Pure?
Professional Activities and Memberships:
- American College of Sports Medicine
- American Society for Cell Biology
- American Association of Anatomists
- American Association for Advancement of Science
Poster Presentations/Abstracts: (* involved Undergraduates in Research)
Rooney, T.P., G.S. Ellis, J.A. McCall, S.M. LoRusso and Z.V. Kendrick (1989) Effect of a Pharmacologic Dose of Estradiol on Exercise induced Tissue Glycogen Metabolism and Lipid Availability. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 22(2), S81.
McCall J.A., T.P. Rooney, S.M. LoRusso, N.B. Kendrick and Z.V. Kendrick. (1989) The Effect of Physiologic Estradiol on Tissue Glycogen Metabolism During Exercise in Male, Sprague-Dawley Rats. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 22(2), S81.
LoRusso, S.M., K. Imahaka-Yoshida, H. Shuman., J.M. Sanger and J.W. Sanger. (1990) Incorporation of Fluorescently Labeled Contractile Proteins into Freshley Isolated Living Adult Cardiac Myocytes. Journal of Cell Biology, 111, 5(2), 38A. (30th Annual Mtg. Of ASCB)
LoRusso, S.M., J.M. Sanger, and J.W. Sanger. (1991) Formation of Nascent Myofibrils Occurs Near the Cell Surfaces of the Lamellipodia of Spreading Adult Cardiac Myocytes.Journal of Cell Biology, 115, 3(2), 178a. (31st Mtg. of The American Society for Cell Biology; ASCB)
Sanger, J.W., S. M. LoRusso, D. Rhee, and J. M. Sanger. (1994) Evidence for Premyofibrils in Adult Cardiac Myocytes. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Vol. 5 Supplement,165a. *
Campanero, C., C. Kutch, R. Stuart, K.E. Walker and S. M. LoRusso. (1996) Effects of Angiotensin II on Adaptation to Culture, Growth and Myofibrillogenesis in Isolated Adult Rat and Embryonic Chick Cardiac Myocytes. Molecular Biology of the Cell, Vol. 7 Supplement, 531a. (35th Mtg. Of ASCB) *
Abass, A. and S.M. LoRusso. (1999) Accumulation of Myosin IIb in Isolated Chick Cardiac Myocytes in response to treatment with Angiotensin II. Molecular Biology of The Cell, Vol 10 Supplement, 168a. (39th Annual Meeting of The ASCB, Washington D.C. *
LoRusso S.M. and Z.V. Kendrick. (2000) Effects of Low and High Doses of 17 b Estradiol on Glycogen and FFA use and availabilty during a two hour sub-maximal treadmill run in male rats. The Physiologist, Vol 43, #4, 330a. (Presented at the 2000 American Physiological Society Intersociety meeting on the Integrative Biology of Exercise, Portland ME, Sept. 2000).
LoRusso, S.M., SS Fisher, NE Hammond, CC Kindel, SM Love, TP Porter, MJ Strucko and PI Fitzgerald. (2001) A neuroanatomy dissection special topics class as a tool for teaching and creating teaching and learning modules for first year professional phase PT students. Presented at the APTA combined sections meeting in San Antonio, TX, Feb. 2001. *
LoRusso, S.M., Cook, A and Rush, J.A. A hands on exercise to facilitate learning musculoskeletal anatomy in a physical therapy program.(2001) The FASEB Journal, Vol 15#5 pt II; #544.21Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Federations of the American Societies for Experimental Biology, (EB) April, 2001, Orlando, FL. *
LoRusso, S.M., G.M. Jawahar and L. Larsson. (2001) Presence of pre-myofibrils and non-muscle myosin IIb in single adult human skeletal muscle fibers from normal and acute quadriplegic myopathy patients. Molecular Biology of the Cell Vol 12 supp, 40a.Presented at the 41st annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology meeting, Dec.8-12, 2001. *
Knor, A., I.West, B. Wilferd and S.M. LoRusso. Leisure time physical activity patterns of students, staff and faculty at a small rural college. Presented at the 24 the annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine, Nov 2 & 3, 2001, Bushkill PA. *
LoRusso, S.M., M. Langer, M. Passanita and Fitzgerald, PI. High School students and teachers reactions to a two day cadaver anatomy workshop. The FASEB Journal, Vol 16, #4, part I. March 2002. #323.4 Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Federations of the American Societies for Experimental Biology, New Orleans, LA, April 2002.
LoRusso, S.M. Student construction and use of models in gross musculoskeletal anatomy and neuroanatomy. Accepted for presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Federations of American Societies for Experimental Biology, San Diego CA. April, 2003. Withdrawn due to schedule conflict.
LoRusso, S.M. Use of student constructed 3 dimensional models in Neuroscience I to illustrate neuroanatomical structures and relationships. Presented at the 2004 APTA Combined Sections Meeting, Nashville, TN.
LoRusso, S.M., P Fitzgerald, M Langer and M Passanita. Two and three year follow up of high school student and teacher participants in a two day cadaver anatomy workshop. The FASEB Journal, Vol 18, #4, part I. March 2004 #300.3. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Federations of the American Societies for Experimental Biology, Washington, DC April 2004.
Invited Scientific and Professional Presentations:
Use of Fluorescent Probes in the Study of Myofibrillogenesis. Widener University Department of Biology, Chester, PA, Nov. 1992.
Myofibrillogenesis: Mechanism for Hypertrophy. Central Michigan University, Department of Exercise Science, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, Feb., 1997.
The EKG. The Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center, Altoona, PA May 1999, 2000, 2001.
Health Risks in a Sample of Deer Hunters: BMI, Blood Pressure and Physical Activity. Presented at the Mid-Atlantic meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Harrisburg, PA November, 2005.
Refereed Papers:
LoRusso, S.M., K. Imanaka-Yoshida, H. Shuman, J. M. Sanger and J. W. Sanger (1992)Incorporation of Fluorescently Labeled Contractile Proteins into Freshly Isolated Living Adult Cardiac Myocytes. Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton. 21:111-122.
T.P. Rooney, S.V. Kendrick, J. Carlson, G.S. Ellis, B. Matakevich, S.M. LoRusso and J. A. McCall. (1993) Effect of Estradiol on the Temporal Pattern of Exercise-induced Tissue Glycogen Depletion in Male Rats. Journal of Applied Physiology 75(4): 1502-1506.
LoRusso, S.M., D. Rhee, J. M. Sanger and J. W. Sanger, (1997)Premyofibrils in Spreading Adult Cardiomyocytes in Tissue Culture: Evidence for Re-expression of the Embryonic Program for Myofibrillogenesis in Adult Cells. Cell Motility and Cytoskeleton. 37:183-198.
LoRusso, S.M. The Effects of a Physiologic and Pharmacologic Dose of Estrogen on Exercise induced Myocardial Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Male Rats. (In Preparation)
LoRusso, S.M. Health risks in a sample of deer hunters in Pennsylvania: BMI, Blood Pressure and Physical Activity. (In preparation)
Ridout, S.J., LoRusso, S.M. and Proctor, D.P. Feasibility of a single limb Postassium 40 (K40) detector for the determination of limb skeletal muscle mass. (In preparation)
Presentations (Internal):
Science Day: Be Fit Don't Quit, 2000, 2001, 2002
Cadaver Anatomy for High School students, 2003
Obesity in America, 2004
The EKG and the heart beat, 2005
Professional Meetings Attended:
American Association of Anatomists
Philadelphia, PA, 1990
University of Pennsylvania Annual Cell Biology Retreat
1990, 1991
American Society for Cell Biology
1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2001
American College of Sports Medicine
National Meeting: 2006
Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
Project Kaleidoscope: Interdisciplinary Connections
Neuroscience, Oberlin College, 1998
Trinity College 2001
Experimental Biology (FASEB) 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004
The American Association of Anatomists
American Physiological Society Intersociety Meeting:
The Integrative Biology of Exercise, Portland, ME, Sept. 2000
The American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections meeting
2001, 2004, 2005