Donato Rivas, Ph.D.
- Lessard Lab
My journey into human physiology, bioenergetics, and exercise performance began with my training in allied health and service as a combat medic and airborne paratrooper in the United States Army. My research path started with a MARC Pre-doctoral Research Fellowship from the NIGMS. Now, with 18 years of research experience in skeletal muscle metabolism, aging epigenetics, obesity, and exercise medicine, I lead a research program focused on advancing skeletal muscle health.
During my postdoctoral training, I investigated the role of intramyocellular lipids in age-related muscle loss (Sarcopenia) and anabolic resistance, supported by a Diversity Supplement and Research Career Development Fellowship (Boston OAIC) from the NIA. As an independent investigator, I developed a research program on microRNAs (miRNAs) in age- and contraction-induced muscle growth, earning a K01 Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award from the NIH. My research revealed a blunted response of both small non-coding (miRNA) and protein-coding genes to high-intensity resistance exercise in older adults, and in vitro studies confirmed miRNAs' crucial role in muscle adaptation. Recently, I have explored circulating miRNAs as potential biomarkers for aging muscle and anabolic resistance.
Research interests
My current research focuses on circulating exosomal miRNA in muscle repair and regeneration following injury. Based on data from my recent publication in the American Journal of Physiology and preliminary findings, this work aims to identify miRNAs as key regulators in muscle healing, offering new therapeutic targets for muscle-related injuries and degenerative diseases. This research leverages my extensive experience and holds significant potential for advancing muscle biology and improving human health outcomes.
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia, Ph.D., Biomedical Science (Muscle Physiology)
- California State University, Northridge, BSc., Kinesiology (Exercise Physiology)
Postdoctoral training
- Clinical and Translational Aging Research, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA
Research Physiologist, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA
Assistant Professor, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA
Zhang X, Habiballa L, Aversa Z, Ng YE, Sakamoto AE, Englund DA, Pearsall VM, White TA, Robinson MM, Rivas DA, Dasari S, Hruby AJ, Lagnado AB, Jachim SK, Granic A, Sayer AA, Jurk D, Lanza IR, Khosla S, Fielding RA, Nair KS, Schafer MJ, Passos JF, LeBrasseur NK. Characterization of cellular senescence in aging skeletal muscle. Nature Aging. 2022 Jul;2(7):601-615.
Rivas DA, Peng F, Benard T, Ramos da Silva AS, Fielding RA, Margolis LM. miR-19b-3p is associated with a diametric response to resistance exercise in older adults and regulates skeletal muscle anabolism via PTEN inhibition. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2021 Dec 1;321(6):C977-C991.
Margolis LM, Lessard SJ, Ezzyat Y, Fielding RA, Rivas DA. Circulating MicroRNA Are Predictive of Aging and Acute Adaptive Response to Resistance Exercise in Men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2017 Oct 1;72(10):1319-1326
Rivas DA, Lessard SJ, Rice NP, Lustgarten MS, So K, Goodyear LJ, Parnell LD, Fielding RA. Diminished skeletal muscle microRNA expression with aging is associated with attenuated muscle plasticity and inhibition of IGF-1 signaling. FASEB J. 2014 Sep;28(9):4133-47