Roger Vaughan, PhD

Courses

• EXS/HHP-2100 Analysis & Critique
• NTR/HHP-3175 Advanced Nutrition for the Health Science Professional
• NTR/HHP-4275 Sports Nutrition
• PT-8130 Nutrition (Graduate)

Advising

• Exercise Science –Pre-Professional
  • Pre-Physician Assistant
  • Pre-Physical Therapy
  • Pre-Medical
  • Nutrition-Related Interests

Research Interests:

Dr. Vaughan’s research is focused in the area of nutritional biochemistry for benefit of metabolic diseases including obesity and diabetes. Specifically, Dr. Vaughan’s work examines the effect of amino acids on skeletal muscle metabolism and insulin signaling using an in vitro model of skeletal muscle. Activation of skeletal muscle metabolism may reduce metabolic disease by increasing mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism, as well as promoting insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake.

Select Publications

Wyatt EC, VanDerStad LR, Cook NE, McGovern MR, Zaman T, Lundin PM, and Vaughan RA. Valsartan Rescues Suppressed Mitochondrial Metabolism during Insulin Resistance in C2C12 Myotubes. Cell Biochemistry and Function. 2024, 42(7):e4117. doi: 10.1002/cbf.4117

VanDerStad LR, Wyatt EC, and Vaughan RA. Excess Branched-Chain Amino Acids Suppress Mitochondrial Function and Biogenic Signaling but Not Mitochondrial Dynamics in a Myotube Model of Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance. Metabolites. 2024, 17;14(7):389. doi: 10.3390/metabo14070389.

Cook NE, McGovern MR, Zaman T, Lundin PM, and Vaughan RA. Effect of mTORC Agonism via MHY1485 with and without Rapamycin on C2C12 Myotube Metabolism. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024, 25(13):6819. doi: 10.3390/ijms25136819

Cook NE, McGovern MR, Zaman T, Lundin PM, and Vaughan RA. Fructose Reduces Mitochondrial Metabolism and Increases Extracellular BCAA during Insulin Resistance in C2C12 Myotubes. Nutrients. 2024, 16(11):1582. doi: 10.3390/nu16111582 

VanDerStad LR, Wyatt EC, and Vaughan RA. The antidiabetic SGLT2 inhibitor canagliflozin reduces mitochondrial metabolism in a model of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Diabetic Medicine. 2023;e15271. doi: 10.1111/dme.15271

Rivera CN, Smith CE, Draper LV, Watne RM, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. The BCKDH kinase inhibitor BT2 promotes BCAA disposal and mitochondrial proton leak in both insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant C2C12 myotubes. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 2024. doi: 10.1002/jcb.30520

Rivera CN, Smith CE, Draper LV, Watne RM, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. Physiological 4-phenylbutyrate promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism in C2C12 myotubes. Biochimie. 2023;219:155-164. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.11.009.

Rivera CN, Kamer MM, Cook NE, McGovern MR, Watne RM, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine-mediated DNA hypomethylation with and without concurrent insulin resistance suppresses myotube mitochondrial capacity. Cell Biochemistry and Function. 2023;41(8):1422-1429 doi: 10.1002/cbf.3878.

Rivera CN, Watne RM, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. The effect of insulin resistance on extracellular BCAA accumulation and SLC25A44 expression in a myotube model of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Amino Acids. 2023;55(11):1701-1705. doi: 10.1007/s00726-023-03336-8

Rivera CN, Smith CE, Draper LV, Watne RM, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. The Selective LAT1 Inhibitor JPH203 Enhances Mitochondrial Metabolism and Content in Insulin-Sensitive and Insulin-Resistant C2C12 Myotubes. Metabolites. 13(6):766. doi: 10.3390/metabo13060766.

Rivera CN, Hinkle JS, Watne RM, Macgowan TC, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. PPARβ/δ Agonism with GW501516 Increases Myotube PGC-1α Content and Reduces BCAA Media Content Independent of Changes in BCAA Catabolic Enzyme Expression.  PPAR Research. 2023:4779199. doi: 10.1155/2023/4779199

Rivera CN, Brown ZA, Mitchell SA, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. Effect of AMPK activation and glucose availability on myotube LAT1 expression and BCAA utilization. Amino Acids. 2022;55(2):275-286. doi: 10.1007/s00726-022-03224-7

Rivera CN, Kamer MM, Rivera ME, Watne RM, Macgowan TC, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. Insulin resistance promotes extracellular BCAA accumulation without altering LAT1 content, independent of prior BCAA treatment in a myotube model of skeletal muscle. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 2022:111800. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2022.111800.

Hinkle JS, Rivera CN, and Vaughan RA. Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Mitochondrial Biogenesis: An Overview and Mechanistic Summary. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 2022;e2200109. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.202200109

Krone MJ, Rivera CN, River ME, Watne RM, Lemonds SE, Wommack AJ, and Vaughan RA. Excess glutamine does not alter myotube metabolism or insulin sensitivity. Amino Acids. 2022 doi: 10.1007/s00726-022-03131-x

Rivera ME, Rivera CN, and Vaughan RA. Excess branched-chain amino acids alter myotube metabolism and substrate preference which is worsened by concurrent insulin resistance. Endocrine. 2021 doi: 10.1007/s12020-021-02939-z

Hinkle JS, Rivera CN, and Vaughan RA. AICAR stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and BCAA catabolic enzyme expression in C2C12 myotubes. Biochimie. 2021 doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.11.004

Rivera ME, Rivera CN, and Vaughan RA. Branched-chain amino acids at supraphysiological but not physiological levels reduce myotube insulin sensitivity. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Review. 2021; doi: 10.1002/dmrr.3490

Rivera ME, Lyon ES, Johnson MA, Sunderland KL, and Vaughan RA. Effect of valine on myotube insulin sensitivity and metabolism with and without insulin resistance. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 2020;468(1-2):169-183 doi: 10.1007/s11010-020-03720-y

Rivera ME, Lyon ES, Johnson MA, and Vaughan RA. Leucine increases mitochondrial metabolism and lipid content without altering insulin signaling in myotubes. Biochimie. 2020;168:124-133. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2019.10.017

Rivera ME, Lyon ES, and Vaughan RA. Effect of metformin on myotube BCAA catabolism. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 2019; 121(1):816-827 doi: 10.1002/jcb.29327.

Lyon ES, Rivera ME, Johnson MA, Sunderland KL, and Vaughan RA. Actions of chronic physiological 3-hydroxyisobuterate treatment on mitochondrial metabolism and insulin signaling in myotubes. Nutrition Research. 2019;66:22-31. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2019.03.012.

Johnson MA, Gannon NP, Schnuck JK, Lyon ES, Sunderland KL, and Vaughan RA. Leucine, Palmitate, or Leucine/Palmitate Cotreatment Enhances Myotube Lipid Content and Oxidative Preference. Lipids. 2018;53(11-12):1043-1057 doi: 10.1002/lipd.12126.

Gannon NP, Schnuck JK, and Vaughan RA. BCAA Metabolism and Insulin Sensitivity – Dysregulated by Metabolic Status? Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 2018;62(6):e1700756 doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201700756

Schnuck JK, Johnson MA, Gould LM, Gannon NP, and Vaughan RA. Acute β-Hydroxy-β-Methyl Butyrate Suppresses Regulators of Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Lipid Oxidation While Increasing Lipid Content in Myotubes. Lipids. 2016;51:1127-1136 doi: 10.1007/s11745-016-4193-2

Schnuck JK, Sunderland KL, Gannon NP, Kuennen MR, and Vaughan RA. Leucine stimulates PPARβ/δ-dependent mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism with enhanced GLUT4 content and glucose uptake in myotubes. Biochimie. 2016;128:1-7 doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2016.06.009

Gannon NP and Vaughan RA. Leucine-induced anabolic-catabolism: two sides of the same coin. Amino Acids. 2016;48:662-670 doi:10.1007/s00726-015-2109-8

Gannon NP, Conn CA, and Vaughan RA. Dietary stimulators of GLUT4 expression and translocation in skeletal muscle: A mini-review. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 2014;59:48-64. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201400414