Principal Investigators
David C. Nieman, DrPH, FACSM
niemandc [at] appstate [dot] edu
David Nieman is a professor of health and exercise science at Appalachian State University, and director of the Human Performance Labs at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC. Dr. Nieman is a pioneer in the research area of exercise immunology and helped establish that regular moderate exercise lowers upper respiratory tract infection rates while improving immunosurveillance, and that heavy exertion increases infection rates while causing immune dysfunction. His current research is focused on nutritional countermeasures to exercise-induced immune dysfunction. Dr. Nieman has received $5.0 million in research grants and published more than 260 peer-reviewed publications in journals and books, and sits on nine journal editorial boards. He is the author of nine books on health, exercise physiology, and nutrition, including Exercise Testing and Prescription: A Health-Related Approach (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010, now in its 7th edition). Dr. Nieman has served two terms as president of the International Society of Exercise and Immunology, and is currently Vice-President of the American College of Sports Medicine. He has run 58 marathons and ultramarathons, and was an acrobatic gymnast and coach for 10 years. His marathon PR is 2:37, and he has run the Pikes Peak Marathon twice, with a 16th place finish.
R. Andrew Shanely, PhD
shanelyra [at] appstate [dot] edu
Andrew Shanely is an assistant professor of exercise science in the Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus. Dr. Shanely's research is focused on skeletal muscle biology with a specific interest in sarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass. His goal is to discover why we lose strength as we age and he targets his research on nutritional countermeasures as a means of attenuating sarcopenia. Dr. Shanely earned his Ph.D. at the University of Florida. His doctoral work centered on skeletal muscle disuse atrophy. He then completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Missouri-Columbia. During his fellowship he investigated how insulin like-growth factor I (IGF-I) stimulates transcription of the sarcomeric gene myosin heavy chain IIb. Dr. Shanely is a member of the American Physiological Society and the American College of Sports Medicine. He has served as a peer reviewer for journals such as American Journal of Physiology- Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiology; American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; Journal of Applied Physiology; Physiological Genomics; and Sports Medicine. Dr. Shanely competed in road cycling at the Category 2 level for local cycling clubs and California State University Fullerton. He also competed as an Expert Level mountain biker. Currently he enjoys riding with other Charlotte area cyclists and running on the road and trails.
Amy M. Knab, PhD
knabam [at] appstate [dot] edu
Amy Knab is an assistant professor of Exercise Science in the ASU Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus where she investigates the genetics of brain signaling molecules important in regulating voluntary physical activity and human performance. Amy received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she investigated the role of the dopamine system in the regulation of physical activity behavior in mice. She has published several peer-reviewed papers in the area of physiology and behavior (physical activity), and has shown that, compared to low active mice, high active mice have reduced function and expression of the D1 receptor, and the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase in brain tissue.
Dr. Knab is continuing investigating the role of the dopamine system in regulation of voluntary physical activity by looking at the effects of nutritional components and various nutritional interventions on dopamine signaling and resultant physical activity behavior in mice. She is also involved in the human performance laboratory. Dr. Knab served as the student representative to the executive board of the South East American College of Sports Medicine while working on her Ph.D. and is an active member of the American College of Sports Medicine. Amy was a collegiate swimmer, and served as captain of her college team during her senior year. She has also coached both age-group and high school swim teams.
Mary Pat Meaney, PhD
meaneymp [at] appstate [dot] edu
Mary Pat Meaney is a research scientist at the ASU Human Performance Laboratory at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC. She actively directs laboratory operations for research projects focused on the analysis of active ingredients in natural products intended for human health and wellness and the potential cure of diseases.
