Robert John Wessells Ph.D. (dy4360)

5275 Scott Hall

Associate Professor 

Exercise adaptations, exercise and healthspan, exercise as therapy for progressive diseases

Dr. Wessells graduated with a B.S. in Zoology from Miami University in 1993 before acquiring a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Ohio State University in 2000. He received postdoctoral training in fruit fly genetics and physiology at the University of Michigan and the Burnham Institute for Biomedical Research before taking his present position in 2014.

Dr. Wessells will consider new MS or PhD students for the 2024-25 academic year.

Exercise is a powerful protective factor against many age‐related diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Our research focuses on understanding the molecular genetic mechanisms that underlie the benefits of exercise.
Using the Drosophila model system, we seek to understand neuronal factors that control exercise behavior, muscular factors
that control adaptation to training, and adipose factors that regulate metabolism in response to training.
We use lab‐specific techniques to induce exercise and study its effect on endurance, speed, flight, and cardiac performance.

Read the more about The mechanism and benefits of exercise at: https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/article/the-mechanisms-and-benefits-of-exercise/166745/

Read the article featuring Dr. Wessells and his research lab at: https://futurumcareers.com/what-can-fruit-flies-tell-us-about-virtual-reality-exercise

Read more about Senescence: Examining genetic responses, exercise benefits and age-related decline at: https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/senescence-examining-genetic-responses-age-related-decline/158574/

Read more about How brain research is making the benefits of regular exercise accessible to all at: https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/article/brain-research-benefits-of-regular-exercise-accessible/159381/ 

Recent Publications:

1. Damschroder D, Zapata-Pérez R, Richardson K, Vaz FM, Houtkooper RH, Wessells R. Stimulating the sir2-spargel axis rescues exercise capacity and mitochondrial respiration in a Drosophila model of Barth syndrome. Dis Model Mech. 2022 Oct 1;15(10):dmm049279. doi: 10.1242/dmm.049279. Epub 2022 Oct 5.PMID: 3610783
2. Sujkowski A, Richardson K, Prifti MV, Wessells RJ, Todi SV. Endurance exercise ameliorates phenotypes in Drosophila models of spinocerebellar ataxias. Elife. 2022
   Cobb, T., Damschroder, D., Wessells, R. (2021). Sestrin regulates acute chill coma recovery in Drosophila melanogaster. Insect Biochem Mol Biol Feb 4:103548.
3. Sujkowski, A., Gretzinger, A., Soave, N., Todi, S.V., Wessells, R.J. (2020). Alpha- and Beta-Adrenergic octopamine receptors in muscle and heart are required for Drosophila exercise adaptations. PLoS Genet 16(6):e1008778. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008778. PMID:32579604
4. *Kim, M.J., *Sujkowski, A., Namkoong, S., Gu, B., Cobb, T., Kim, B., Ho, A., Cho, C.S., Semple, I/, Ro, S.H, Davis, C., Brooks, S.V., Karin, M., *Wessells, R.J., *Lee, J.H. (2020). Sestrins are evolutionarily conserved mediators of exercise benefits. Nature Communications 11, 190. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13442-5
5. Sujkowski, A., Ramesh, D., Brockmann, A., Wessells, R. (2017). Octopamine drives endurance exercise adaptations in Drosophila. Cell Rep. 21(7):1809-1823. PMID:29141215. PMCID: PMC5693351.

A complete list of Dr. Wessells' publications can be found at: PubMed-Wessells