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Faculty Detail    
Name ANNA THALACKER-MERCER
  
Campus Address THT 948 Zip 0005
Phone  (205) 935-9143
E-mail  athalack@uab.edu
Other websites
     


Faculty Appointment(s)
Appointment Type Department Division Rank
Primary  Cell, Developmntl, & Integrative Biology  Cell, Developmntl, & Integrative Biology Associate Professor
Secondary  Med-Gerontology/Geriatrics/Palliative Care  Med-Gerontology/Geriatrics/Palliative Care Associate Professor
Center  Ctr for Clinical & Translational Sci  Ctr for Clinical & Translational Sci Associate Professor
Center  Nutrition Sciences Research  Nutrition Obesity Res Ctr (NORC) Associate Professor

Biographical Sketch 
In December of 2000 I graduated from the University of Georgia (Athens) with a bachelor degree in Biological Science. I received a doctorate through the Interdepartmental Nutrition Program in the Department of Foods and Nutrition at Purdue University in 2007. During my graduate research training I developed a strong background in nutritional genomics, protein metabolism, and mechanisms of aging skeletal muscle. While analyzing skeletal muscle microarray data during my graduate training, I became interested in molecular changes occurring in the skeletal muscle with age—particularly age-related changes in satellite cells (i.e. skeletal muscle progenitor cells) which may influence skeletal muscle regeneration and sarcopenia in older adults. Additionally, a side project determining macronutrient utilization in adults sparked my interest in the metabolic changes which may lead to increased adiposity in older adults. To further explore these developed interests, I sought out the research expertise of Dr. Marcas Bamman at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to pursue interests in the etiology of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity and the efficacy of nutrition and exercise interventions and/or treatments. I applied to the competitive NIH funded UAB T32 Obesity Training Program and the UAB Center for Aging Translational Research Program where I completed my postdoctoral fellowship in 2010. In December (2010), I was promoted to Assistant Professor in the UAB Department of Physiology and Biophysics, with affiliations and support through the UAB Center for Exercise Medicine, Center for Aging, the Nutrition Obesity Research Center, and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science.

Society Memberships
Organization Name Position Held Org Link
American College of Sports Medicine     
American Physiological Society     
American Society for Nutrition     
Obesity Society     
 



Research/Clinical Interest
Title
Description
My research program is built on two complementary areas of focus: (i) Mechanisms underlying age-related skeletal muscle atrophy (i.e. sarcopenia) and sarcopenic obesity. I am particularly interested in the role of macrophages and inflammation which may instigate metabolic dysfunction (e.g. sarcopenic obesity and metabolic syndrome), augment muscle atrophy and functional decline, and inhibit successful skeletal muscle regeneration in older adults; and (ii) Mechanisms by which dietary and exercise treatment can improve the phenotype of sarcopenic obesity and metabolic syndrome in older adults. My approach to human research is truly translational—spanning from clinical trials to genomics and epigenetics. Of course standard laboratory tools (e.g., RT-PCR, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, ELISA, cell culture) are also used in meeting research aims.

Selected Publications 
Publication PUBMEDID
Thalacker-Mercer AE, Fleet JC, Craig BA, and Campbell WW. The skeletal muscle transcript profile reflects accommodative responses to inadequate protein intake in younger and older males. J Nutr Biochem. 2010 Nov;21(11):1076-82.   20149619 
Thalacker-Mercer AE, Dell’Italia LJ, Cui X, Cross JM, and Bamman MM. Differential genomic responses in old vs. young humans despite similar levels of modest muscle damage after resistance loading. Physiological Genomics. Physiol Genomics;40:141-9.  19903761 
Thalacker-Mercer AE, Petrella JK, Bamman MM. Does habitual dietary intake influence myofiber hypertrophy in response to resistance training? A cluster analysis. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009 Aug;34(4):632-9.   19767798 
Stull AJ, Iglay HB, Apolzan JW, Thalacker-Mercer AE, and Campbell WW. Liquid and solid meal replacement products differentially affect postprandial appetite and food intake in older humans. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008 Jul;108(7):1226-30.   18589034 
Thalacker-Mercer AE, and Campbell WW. Dietary protein intake affects albumin fractional synthesis rate equally in younger and older adults. Nutr Rev. 2008 Feb;66(2):91-5.   18254875 
Thalacker-Mercer AE, Johnson CA, Yarasheski KE, Carnell NS, Campbell WW. Nutrient ingestion, protein intake, and sex, but not age affect albumin synthesis rate in humans. J Nutr 2007 July; 137 (7): 1734-40.  17585023 
Thalacker-Mercer AE, Fleet JC, Craig BA, Carnell NS, Campbell WW. Inadequate protein intake affects skeletal muscle transcript profiles in older humans. Am J Clin Nutr 2007 May; 85(5):1344-52.  17490972 
Krista Casazza, Lynae J. Hanks, Anna Thalacker-Mercer. Insulin-like growth factor system in different ethnic groups and relationship with growth and health. The Handbook of Growth and Growth Monitoring in Health and Disease.
 		  
Campbell, WW, Carnell, NS, and Thalacker, AE. Protein Metabolism and Requirements. Geriatric Nutrition; The Health Professional’s Handbook. 3rd Ed. 2006 p15-22