New Physical Activity Research Center aims to ‘promote health in every single individual’
The center is positioned to become a major knowledge hub in exercise science research
Perhaps it is no coincidence that the Physical Activity Research Center (PARC) is located a ways away from most of the School of Education’s primary offices in Wesley W. Posvar Hall. To walk to the research center on Oak Hill Road is a workout of its own, spanning a mile, two hills and a total elevation of 250 feet. Consider it a warm-up for all that is to come upon arriving at the reinvigorated research center.
“We want to use physical activity to promote health in every single individual, regardless of their gender, age, background, race, and income level,” said PARC’s new director, Dr. Duck-chul “DC” Lee, who arrived at the School of Education over the summer from Iowa State University. “We produce and generate data to support that being active is one way people can improve health without being so expensive.”
Carrying on the legacy of the school’s former Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, PARC is focused on promoting well-being more broadly. “We want to expand and include other types of physical activity toward the prevention of cancer, dementia, depression and many other outcomes,” said Lee.
Lee, who studied under the late renowned exercise scientist Steve Blair while at the University of South Carolina, is described as a “high-impact researcher” who is “energizing a lot of the things we’ve been trying to do,” said Kelli Davis, associate professor of practice and associate co-chair of the Department of Health and Human Development.
One of PARC’s first major research projects is the DoReps project. The five-year, $3.5-million exercise clinical trial is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to test the effects of different doses of resistance exercise on cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults who are overweight or obese. A central question the research aims to answer is precisely how much resistance exercise should be done in conjunction with aerobic exercise (such as running) to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
PARC is well suited for conducting cutting-edge research such as DoReps.
The facility at PARC includes an Exercise Laboratory with free weights, resistance training machines, and cardio exercise equipment. Medical testing machines include DEXA scans for body composition and bone density, SphygmoCor XCEL for assessing arterial stiffness, Biodex for measuring isometric muscular strength, a metabolic cart for cardiorespiratory fitness testing, and polysomnography equipment for sleep analysis. In addition, the PARC facility has a fully equipped wet lab for processing and storing blood and other biospecimens.
“It’s a perfect setup for researchers wanting to conduct behavioral intervention studies,” said Christopher Klein, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Development and researcher at PARC. With its ample free parking, the facility is also convenient for research subjects, he added.
Lee says he plans to put PARC on the map as a major knowledge hub “where every researcher wants to come to create meaningful data.” He is actively recruiting undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students to help with the DoReps project, which will provide them with valuable training.
Elsewhere in the PARC building, on the second floor main lobby, is “Mike’s Bike Spot,” a memorial for a former employee who tragically lost his life in a bike accident. The area, marked by a placard high on the wall, was converted into an indoor bike storage area for those who wish to commute to the center on two wheels. It’s part of the PARC culture to keep an active lifestyle, Lee said.
“We practice what we preach,” he said.
For more information on the Physical Activity Research Center, visit the PARC website.
