Shawn E. Bearden, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Physiology

(208) 282-6269
Room 329 Gale Life Sciences Bldg

Vascular Health Laboratory
microcirculation, aging, sex, gender, exercise, cardiovascular physiology, neurovascular interactions, blood flow control

 

Education

B.S. Sports Medicine, 1994, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
M.S. Exercise Science & Health Promotion, 1996, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Ph.D. Exercise Physiology, 2000, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Postdoc, Microcirculation, 2004 Yale University School of Medicine and the John B. Pierce Laboratories, New Haven CT

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Bearden joined the faculty of biology at Idaho State University in August of 2004. His interest in physiology began while growing up in a family of health-care professionals. Coupling this with his experience as an athlete, Dr. Bearden became interested in the demands for oxygen by metabolically active tissue, especially skeletal muscle. This interest led him to study blood flow control as a post-doctoral fellow at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Bearden’s work has centered on the physiology of oxygen, both as a damaging free radical and in terms of cellular nutrient demand. His work has included oxidative stress in SCUBA divers, the kinetics of oxygen consumption during non-steady state changes in exercise intensity and, more recently, he has focused on the control of blood flow delivery to active skeletal muscle. Currently, the Bearden lab is focused on a newly discovered signalling gas, hydrogen sulfide, and its role in cardiovascular physiology, immunology and inflammation. Dr. Bearden lives with his wife, Trudy, and their cats and dog on the outskirts of Pocatello. The family goes hiking, backpacking and camping whenever they can.

Teaching

BIOL 301/302 Anatomy & Physiology
BIOL 499/652 Advanced Topics in Physiology

Publications

(selected publications; underline denotes student authors)

Mayo JN, Beard RS, Otamis T, Chen CH, Ercal N, Banks WA, Bearden SE. Nitrative Stress in Cerebral Endothelium is Mediated by mGluR5 in Hyperhomocysteinemia. In Press at Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism

Beard RS, Reynolds JJ, Bearden SE. Hyperhomocysteinemia Increases Permeability Of The Blood-Brain Barrier By NMDA Receptor-Dependent Regulation Of Adherens And Tight Junctions. Blood, 118(7):2007-2014, 2011.

Beard RS, Bearden SE. Vascular Complications of Cystathionineβ-Synthase Deficiency. American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 300(1):H13-H26, 2011. review article.

Bearden SE, Beard RS, Pfau JC. Extracellular transsulfuration generates hydrogen sulfide from homocysteine and protects endothelium from redox stress. American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 299:H1568-H1576, 2010.

Moore AW, SE Bearden, and SS Segal. Regional activation of rapid onset vasodilatation in mouse skeletal muscle: Regulation through -adrenoreceptors. Journal of Physiology, 588(17):3321-3331, 2010.

Olson, K., N. Whitfield, S.E. Bearden, J. St. Letger, E. Nilson, Y. Gao, J. Madden. Hypoxic pulmonary vasodilation: A paradigm shift with a hydrogen sulfide mechanism. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 298:R51-R60, 2010.

Cheuvront S.N., S.E.Bearden, R.W. Kenefick, B.R. Ely, D.W. Degroot, M.N. Sawka, S.J. Montain. A simple and valid method to determine thermoregulatory sweating threshold and sensitivity. Journal of Applied Physiology, 107(1):69-75, 2009.

Looft-Wilson, R.C., B.S. Ashley, J.E. Billig, M.R. Wolfert, L.A. Ambrecht, and S.E. Bearden. Chronic diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemia impairs eNOS regulation in mouse mesenteric arteries. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 295(1), R59-R66, 2008.

Bearden S.E., E. Linn, B.S. Ashley, R.C. Looft-Wilson. Age-related changes in conducted vasodilation: effects of exercise training and role in functional hyperemia. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 293(4), R1717-R1721, 2007.

Bearden, S.E. Advancing age produces sex differences in vasomotor kinetics during and after skeletal muscle contraction. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 293(3):R1274-R1279, 2007.

Bearden, S.E. Effect of aging on the structure and function of skeletal muscle microvascular networks. Microcirculation, 13(4): 305-314, 2006. Review article.

Payne, G.W., Bearden, S.E. The microcirculation of skeletal muscle in aging. Microcirculation, 13(4): 275-277, 2006. review article.

Bearden, S.E., S.S. Segal. Neurovascular alignment in adult mouse skeletal muscles. Microcirculation, 12(2):161-167, 2005.

Bearden, S.E., G.W. Payne, A. Chisty, S.S. Segal. Arteriolar network architecture and vasomotor function with aging in mouse gluteus maximus muscle. Journal of Physiology, 561(Pt 2):535-545, 2004.

Bearden, S.E., S.S. Segal. Microvessels promote motor nerve survival and regeneration through VEGF following ectopic reattachment. Microcirculation, 11(8):633-644, 2004.

Bearden, S.E., P.C. Henning, T.A. Bearden, R.J. Moffatt. The slow component of VO2 kinetics in very heavy and fatiguing square-wave exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 91:586-594, 2004.

Bearden S.E., R.J. Moffatt. VO(2) slow component amplitude– response to letter in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 34 (2): 382-382, 2002.

Bearden, S.E., R.J. Moffatt. VO2 and heart rate kinetics in cycling: transitions from an elevated baseline. Journal of Applied Physiology, 90(6):2081-2087, 2001.

Bearden, S.E., R.J. Moffatt. Leg electromyography and the VO2-power relationship during bicycle ergometry. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 33(7):1241-1245, 2001.

Bearden, S.E., R.J. Moffatt. VO2 slow component: to model or not to model?  Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33(4):677-680, 2001.

Bearden, S.E., R.J. Moffatt. VO2 kinetics and the O2 deficit in heavy exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 88: 1407-1412, 2000.