William Gittings, PhD

Assistant Professor, Kinesiology

William Gittings

Office: WC 270
905 688 5550 x3266
wgittings@brocku.ca

Google Scholar

Dr. Gittings’ research program seeks to develop our understanding of skeletal muscle and bone physiology. Our lab conducts fundamental research to investigate the mechanisms that regulate tissue morphology and mechanical function, including the study of adaptive responses to factors such as mechanical loading or unloading, exposure to dietary bioactive compounds, and aging. Current research includes the study of Pannexin channels in skeletal muscle and investigating how these membrane channels facilitate communication between the intracellular and extracellular space, as well as their contribution to muscle contraction, the expression of muscle phenotype, and inter-tissue signaling.

Research Interests

  • Role of pannexin channels in skeletal muscle physiology
  • Skeletal muscle contractile function and energetics 
  • Functional foods and musculoskeletal tissue homeostasis  

Professional affiliations and accreditation/certification

  • Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology 
  • Registered Kinesiologist (active), College of Kinesiologists of Ontario 
  • Member, Ontario Kinesiology Association 
  • Member, Diet Working Group, for the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis in Canada 

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Publications

  • Michael D. McAlpine, William Gittings, Adam J. MacNeil, Wendy E. Ward (2019). Red Rooibos Tea Stimulates Osteoblast Mineralization in a Dose-Dependent Manner. Beverages, 5(4), 69. 
  • Stephen Morris, William Gittings, Rene Vandenboom (2018). Epinephrine augments posttetanic potentiation in mouse skeletal muscle with and without myosin phosphorylation. Physiological Reports; 6(9): e13690; doi:10.14814/phy2.13690. 
  • William Gittings, Jordan A. Bunda, Rene Vandenboom (2018). Myosin phosphorylation potentiates steady state work output without altering contractile economy of mouse fast skeletal muscle. J Exp Biol: jeb-167742. 
  • Riley Cleverdon, Yasmeen Elhalaby, Michael D. McAlpine, William Gittings, Wendy E. Ward (2018). Total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of tea bags: Comparison of black, green, red rooibos, chamomile, and peppermint over different steep times. Beverages J. 4(1), 15; doi:10.3390/beverages4010015. 
  • Jordan A. Bunda, William Gittings, Rene Vandenboom (2018). Myosin phosphorylation improves contractile economy of mouse fast skeletal muscle during staircase potentiation. J Exp Biol: jeb-167718. 
  • William Gittings, Jordan A. Bunda, Rene Vandenboom (2017). Shortening speed dependent force potentiation is attenuated but not eliminated in skeletal muscles without myosin phosphorylation. J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 38:157.  
  • Kirsten N Bott, William Gittings, Val Andrew Fajardo, Bradley Baranowski, Rene Vandenboom, Paul J LeBlanc, Wendy E Ward, Sandra J Peters (2017). Musculoskeletal structure and function in response to the combined effect of an obesogenic diet and age in male C57BL/6J mice. Mol Nutr Food Res., 61(10), 1700137. 
  • John Mikhaeil, Sandra Sacco, Caitlin Saint, William Gittings, Jordan Bunda, Cameron Giles, Val Andrew Fajardo, Rene Vandenboom, Wendy E. Ward, and Paul J. Leblanc (2017). Influence of longitudinal radiation exposure from microcomputed tomography scanning on skeletal muscle function and metabolic activity in female CD‐1 mice. Phys Rep, 5(13), e13338. 
  • Josh Bowslaugh, William Gittings, Rene Vandenboom (2016). Myosin light chain phosphorylation is required for peak power output of mouse fast skeletal muscle in vitro. Pflügers Archiv, 468(11-12). 
  • William Gittings, Jordan A. Bunda, James T. Stull, Rene Vandenboom (2016). Interaction of posttetanic potentiation and the catchlike property in mouse skeletal muscle. Muscle & Nerve. 54: 308-316. 
  • William Gittings, Harish Aggarwal, James T. Stull, Rene Vandenboom (2015). The force dependence of isometric and concentric potentiation in mouse muscle with and without skeletal myosin light chain kinase. Can J Physiol & Pharmacol, 93(1): 23-32. 

Teaching

  • Introduction to Human Nutrition 
  • Nutrition for Physical Activity 
  • Muscle Physiology and Exercise Metabolism 
  • Training Principles 

 

Graduate Student Opportunities

Our lab group is currently recruiting motivated graduate students interested in conducting fundamental laboratory research in skeletal muscle physiology. Domestic and international students with background in Kinesiology, Biological and Health Sciences, or Nutritional Science are encouraged to contact Dr. Gittings for details.

Undergraduate Student Opportunities

Please contact Dr. Gittings if you are interested in volunteer opportunities, conducting directed research projects and independent studies, or are seeking opportunities for funded spring/summer research experience (i.e., NSERC Undergraduate Research Assistantship).