Phone: (413) 585-3824
Office: Ford Hall 202B
Email: sscordil@science.smith.edu

Courses:

Bio 110 Women and Exercise

Bio 202 Cell Biology

Bio 203 Cell Biology Laboratory
Bio 320 Colloquium on Molecular Medicine
Bch 252 Biochemistry 1
Bch 253 Biochemistry 1 Laboratory
Bch 380 Seminar: Cancer, Cells Out of Control

Research Interests: 

Molecular Physiology and Gender Specificity of Skeletal Muscle

Ordered regulated movement is one of the distinguishing characteristics of life. We attempt to discover how this contractility is maintained following reparable muscle damage.  Muscle cells are remarkably adaptable; they can atrophy, hypertrophy, remodel depending on environmental stimuli and repair following a damaging event.  All of these adaptations involve a group of proteins known as stress proteins and enzyme signaling cascades. We apply the paradigms and techniques of biochemistry, molecular and cell biology to investigate “What is the response of muscle cells to exercise?” and “Are female and male muscles different?”.  Our lab studies human and mouse skeletal muscle following eccentrically-biased (lengthening) contractions by global analysis of protein expression, the proteome, and specific analysis of certain proteins following exercise by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, biochemical techniques, confocal microscopy, RT-PCR and DNA microarray technology, as well as high resolution 2-D gel electrophoresis and LC/MS. This system of proteins may well orchestrate the mitigation of damage, the repair of damaged muscle, the acquisition of tolerance to damage and the developmental pathways underlying all of these adaptations.

Representative Publications:

Thompson, H. S., S. P. Scordilis and M. J. DeSouza. Serum creatine kinase activity varies with ovulatory status in regularly exercising, premenopausal women. Hormone Research, 65: 151- 158, 2006.

Scordilis, S. P. And T. S. Litwin. Integrating Technology, Science and Undergraduate Education at Smith College: The Creation of Student-Faculty Research Centers. CUR Quarterly, 25: 138- 140, 2005.

Robbart, M., P. Peckol, S. P. Scordilis, H. A. Curran and J. Brown-Saracino. Population recovery and differential heat shock protein expression for the corals, Agaricia agaricites and A. tenuifolia in Belize. Mar. Prog. Res. Ser, 283: 151-160, 2004.

Thompson, H. S., E. B. Maynard, E. R. Morales and S. P. Scordilis. 2003. Exercise-Induced HSP27, HSP70 and MAPK responses in Human Skeletal Muscle. Acta Physiol. Scand. 178: 61-72.

Thompson, H. S., P. M. Clarkson and S. P. Scordilis. 2002. The Repeated Bout Effect and Heat Shock Proteins: Intramuscular HSP27 and HSP70 Expression Following Two Bouts of Eccentric Exercise in Humans. Acta Physiol. Scand., 174: 47-56.

Thompson, H. S., S. P. Scordilis, P. M. Clarkson and W. A. Lohrer. 2001. A Single Bout of Eccentric Exercise Increases HSP27 and HSC/HSP70 in Human Skeletal Muscle. Acta Physiol. Scand., 171: 187-194.

Schak, K. M., S. P. Scordilis, G. Ferreyra and M. E. Harrington. 2001. Neuropeptide Y Activates Protein Kinase C in Hamster Suprachiasmatic Nuclei Brain Slices. Biol. Rhythm Res., 32: 201-206.

Miller, D. D., S. P. Scordilis and P. K. Hepler. 1995. Identification and Localization of Three Classes of Myosins in Pollen Tubes of Lilium longiflorum and Nicotiana alata. J. Cell Sci., 108: 2549-2563.

Briggs, R. T., S. P. Scordilis and J. A. Powell. 1995. Myofibrillogenesis in Rodent Skeletal Muscle In Vitro: Two Pathways Involving Thick Filament Aggregates. Tissue and Cell, 27: 91-104.

Thompson, H. S. and S. P. Scordilis. 1994. Ubiquitin Changes in Human Biceps Muscle Following Exercise-Induced Damage. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 204: 1193-1198.

Reichsman, F., S. P. Scordilis, P. M. Clarkson and W. J. Evans. 1991. Muscle Protein Changes Following Eccentric Exercise in Humans. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. Occup. Physiol., 62: 245-250.