Miller Lab

News Archive

Halle and Mesquita Earn First-Place Awards at Inaugural Muscle Meeting

Postdoctoral researchers Jessica Halle and Paulo Mesquita won first-place awards for their lay presentation and research presentation, respectively, at the inaugural Tornado Alley Muscle Meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on November 15, 2025. The awards were presented by the American Physiological Society (APS) – Cell Physiology.  

Dr. Kevin White interviewed Dr. Benjamin Miller on The Daily Apple podcast episode

Dr. Kevin White interviewed Dr. Benjamin Miller on The Daily Apple podcast episode titled, “The One ‘Drug’ that Outperforms Them All: Exercise and Aging Explained.” Dr. Miller explains the biology of aging, from protein damage to energy production, and shares why exercise still outperforms any “miracle drug” on the market. He also highlighted the lab’s current exercise clinical trial, in collaboration with Dr. Sue Bodine at OMRF and Dr. Marcas Bamman at IHMC in Pensacola, Florida. In this trial, adults 60 and older receive supervised training, advanced health testing, and wearables to measure multiple outcomes from VO₂ max to sleep — all with the goal of predicting who benefits most from which type of exercise.

2025 AGE Annual Meeting Awards

Postdoc Jordan Fuqua received the Paul F. Glenn award for the top Postdoc poster for his poster titled “mTORC1 inhibition to counteract proteostatic and mitochondrial dysfunction in aged skeletal muscle following disuse” at the 2025 AGE Annual Meeting.

“Novel Pilot Project for Postdocs”

Postdoc Jessica Halle received the “Novel Pilot Project for Postdocs” from the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. The objective of the award is to provide up to two years of funding for highly promising postdoctoral candidates who are within the first two years of their fellowship.

Dr. Benjamin Miller was selected into the Academy for Health & Lifespan Research. 

Dr. Benjamin Miller was selected into the Academy for Health & Lifespan Research. The Academy is comprised of an elite group of world-renowned researchers, scientists, and clinicians, all united toward making breakthroughs in longevity both accelerated & accessible.” Arlan Richardson and Holly Van Remmen are the only other individuals from Oklahoma who have received this award. Link: https://omrf.org/2025/05/19/omrf-scientist-named-to-international-research-academy/  

OMRF part of $7.7 million trial to study how exercise combats aging

Experts who study the aging process have long known exercise is fundamental in maintaining our overall health as long as possible. What’s not clear, however, is why some older people benefit from a workout more than others. Two Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientists hope to better understand this mystery. To do so, they’ll conduct a novel clinical trial as part of a new $7.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. OMRF part of $7.7 million trial to study how exercise combats aging

Two postdoctoral fellows, Drs. Colleen O’Reilly and Paulo Mesquita, were recognized by OMRF for their achievements in obtaining individual grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA-NIH) and American Lung Association (ALA), respectively.

Dr. Benjamin Miller received Notice of Award to conduct an R01 Clinical Trial entitled, “Multidimensional Predictive Modeling to Understand Mechanisms of Exercise Response Heterogeneity in Older Adults” (R01AG089192). MPIs include Drs. Miller, Bodine (OMRF), and Bamman (IHMC).

Dr. Benjamin Miller received Notice of Award for the R01 GM149762 (PI Sadygov, Miller Co-I): Protein Turnover Estimation from Fragment Ions and Precursor Enrichment in Heavy Water Labeled LC-MS Experiments.

Dr. Benjamin Miller is the recipient of the 2025 Adolph Distinguished Lectureship award from the American Physiological Society’s Environmental & Exercise Physiology Section

This award is one of the highest awards given. It recognizes an eminent research scholar who has made meritorious contributions to environmental, thermal, and applied physiology and is an outstanding public speaker.  

The Miller Lab was well represented at the 2024 AGE conference in Madison, Wisconsin, with notable accomplishments

 
  • Postdocs Jordan Fuqua, Aga Borowik, Colleen O’Reilly, and Paulo Mesquita, along with BioLab student Mariola Gimla, presented posters of their current research.
  • Jordan Fuqua was selected to give a 1-minute oral Poster Pitch presentation and Mariola Gimla was selected to give a 3-minute oral Trainee Data Blitz presentation, both highlighting their posters/projects.
  • Miller and Postdoc Matt Bubak chaired a session titled, “Role of Systemic Environment in Aging”, in which Matt Bubak also gave an oral presentation of his research.

Dr. Miller was named President of the American Aging Association (AGE) for 2024-2025

The American Aging Association has named Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Benjamin Miller, Ph.D., as its new president. The 54-year-old organization, also known as AGE, consists of scientists and physicians dedicated to research on aging. Miller is a national and international leader in studies of how to maintain muscle mass and function as we age. He focuses on interventional approaches using exercise and compounds such as the diabetes drug metformin as potential ways to slow the process. An exercise physiologist by training, Miller joined OMRF from Colorado State University in 2018. At OMRF, he leads the foundation’s Aging & Metabolism Research Program and holds the G.T. Blankenship Endowed Chair in Aging Research. As part of his presidency, he will organize the 2025 AGE meeting in Anchorage, Alaska.  

Dr. Miller was a guest on the Curious by Nature podcast

Dr. Miller was interviewed on the “Curious by Nature” podcast, presented by Newswise.

Dr. Benjamin Miller was appointed Fellow of the American Aging Association (AGE). Criteria for Fellowship include major contributions to biomedical aging research as recognized by the Awards Committee.

Matt Bubak and Agnieszka Borowik received travel awards from the OMRF Postdoc Training Committee to attend Cell Symposia: Exercise metabolism, May 5–7, 2024, Lisbon, Portugal

Dr. Miller received a grant award from the Hevolution Foundation $1.6 million

Dr. Miller received a grant award from the Hevolution Foundation. Hevolution HF-GRO. Is endoreplication of myonuclei a target for muscle growth? 4 yrs, $1.6 million direct expenditures.

Four members of the Miller Lab gave oral research presentations at the 2023 Harold Hamm Diabetes Center Research Symposium on Friday, November 10, 2023

Members included 3 Post-Docs (Aga Borowik, Matt Bubak, Jordan Fuqua) and 1 Visiting/Fulbright Scholar (Mariola Gimla). Matt Bubak won first place in the Muscle and Heart Metabolism session, and Aga Borowik won second place in the Diabetes Risk and Complications session.

The Miller Lab has won OMRF’s Halloween costume contest for three years in a row!

OMRF honors scientists, adds board members

Benjamin Miller, Ph.D., received OMRF’s top award, the Edward L. & Thelma Gaylord Prize for Scientific Excellence. Miller, an internationally recognized leader in aging research, joined OMRF in 2018 and became chair of its Aging and Metabolism Research Program this year. His current work focuses on whether metformin, the world’s most prescribed diabetes drug, is effective at slowing aging. https://omrf.org/2023/05/26/omrf-honors-scientists-adds-board-members/  

OMRF receives $3.3 million to study key element of aging

The National Institutes of Health has awarded an Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist $3.3 million to unravel a particular mystery of aging. Benjamin Miller, Ph.D., will study protein turnover – the body’s process of discarding and creating its building blocks. Thousands reside within a single cell. https://omrf.org/2023/05/04/omrf-receives-3-3-million-to-study-key-element-of-aging/

Sen. Mullin visits OMRF

Sen. Mullin met with Aging and Metabolism Research Program Chair Benjamin Miller, Ph.D., who is studying the biological process of aging with the goal of extending the number of healthy years in a person’s life. Miller updated Mullin on OMRF’s research partnerships with the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.   https://omrf.org/2023/04/13/sen-mullin-visits-omrf/

OMRF welcomed students from Putnam City Schools this week for Junior Scientist Days!

OMRF welcomed students from Putnam City Schools this week for Junior Scientist Days! This annual event dates back four decades and is one way OMRF says thank you to the district's students, staff and families for raising money for cancer research at OMRF. Their contributions total nearly $4 million since 1975. Thank you to everyone who gave their time to host these young scientists! Check out News 9's story about the visit.

Szczepan Olszewski received a student award from the Polish Ministry of Higher Education for significant scientific achievements

Agnieszka Borowik – Winner of best post-doc paper of 2022 at the 2023 OMRF Scientific Retreat.

 

Congrats to Dr. Matthew Bubak for receiving both a VA pilot award and an AFAR Glenn Foundation Post-doc Fellowship.

Polish exchange superstar Evelina Voloviceva gave an excellent summary talk of her year in the United States. Congrats to Evelina on her new PhD in Switzerland.

Miller lab postdocs, Aga, Matt, Arik and Jordan all received travel awards for both Experimental Biology and AGE

Welcome New Lab Members!

Michael Taylor, Sandra Rigsby, and Allison Morphis!  

Miller lab collaboration gets the cover of Function.

The Miller lab is happy to receive their new R01 from NIH titled: Determining the Context Specificity of Metformin Treatment on Muscle Mitochondria and Healthspan.

Congrats to Arik Davidyan for being one of ten recipients of the American Aging Association (AGE) Early Career Scholar for 2022, which is a travel award for the AGE annual meeting.

Congrats to Matt Bubak and Arik Davidyan on their abstract awards from the Cell and Molecular Physiology Section of APS for the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting.

Congrats to Miller lab member Nina Cassidy on getting accepted into the Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. program at Vanderbilt University.

Agnieszka Borowik and Jordan Fuqua Receive Awards

Agnieszka Borowik was awarded the 2022 Drs. Lou Stephenson and Margaret (Peg) Kolka Women in Physiology Postdoctoral Research Award by the APS Environmental & Exercise Physiology Section. Jordan Fuqua received the 2022 American Physiology Society (APS) Underrepresented Minority Postdoctoral Award.

Miller lab receives an Longevity Impetus Grant in the initial round of funding.

Impetus Grants

New publication in Function

“A novel stable isotope approach demonstrates surprising degree of age-related decline in skeletal muscle collagen proteostasis”. The co-first authors are former Fleming Scholar Claire Abbott and her Post-doc mentor Dr. Marcus Lawrence.  

Welcome Jordan Keast from OSSM Summer Research Fellowship

Welcome 2021 Fleming Scholar Matle Broomfield

Breaking Away

Read the featured article from the March 2021 issue of The Physiologist Magazine.

Welcome new post-doc Matt Bubak.

Matt completed his PhD at the University of Kansas.

Kamil Kobak presents poster

Kamil Kobak presents a poster titled “Protein and Ribosomal Turnover in Adult Male Mice” at the AGE virtual meeting.

Congratulations to Arik Davidyan

Congratulations to Arik Davidyan for receiving the Geroscience T32.

Congratulations to Marcus

Congratulations to Marcus for securing a new faculty job. We will miss you.

Congrats to Dr. Josh Butcher on his K01!

Congrats to Dr. Josh Butcher on his K01! We look forward to assisting your progression.

Congrats to Marcus Lawrence

Congrats to Marcus Lawrence for his abstract travel award from the EEP section of APS for EB 2020!  

Visit to University of Kentucky


A successful and productive visit to the University of Kentucky to work with our collaborators in the labs of Dr. Esther Dupont-Versteegden and Dr. Tim Butterfield. Thank you for hosting.

Congratulations to Jared Gregston & Claire Abbott

Thanks to Marcus Lawrence & Justin Reid who mentored them through the process.

Welcome Fleming Scholars Claire Abbott and Jared Gregston

Jared is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma majoring in biology with an NGO minor. Jared enjoys running, volunteering, and working part-time as an EMT.
  Claire is going into her senior year at San Diego State University as a Pre-Medicine, Biology with an emphasis in Evolution and Systematics major, and an Honors Minor. Claire enjoys running and being active, wildlife photography, and playing guitar accompanied with vocals. She hopes to go to medical school and possibly become a dermatologist and dermatopathologist.

Congrats to Justin Reid

Justin Reid successfully competed for the OMRF Trainee Scholarship. It is rare for a first year to obtain this award, so congrats to Justin.  

Journal of Gerontology Publications

New Publications The lab has several new publications including the following noteworthy publications from former PhD student Chris Wolff and current PhD student Justin Reid.  Both publications will appear in the Journal of Gerontology with a series of papers on targeting mTOR for slowed aging. Congratulations!   Reid JJ, Linden MA, Peelor FF, Miller RA, Hamilton KL, Miller BF. Brain Protein Synthesis Rates in the UM-HET3 Mouse Following Treatment with Rapamycin or Rapamycin with Metformin. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2019. PMID: 30864881   Wolff CA, Reid JJ, Musci RV, Linden MA, Konopka AR, Peelor FF, Miller BF, Hamilton KL. Differential Effects of Rapamycin and Metformin in Combination with Rapamycin on Mechanisms of Proteostasis in Cultured Skeletal Myotubes. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2019. PMID: 30820523

27th Annual Summer Training Course

The 27th Annual Summer Training Course will be held at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation from June 22 to June 27, 2019.  For more information, please click here.

2019 Oklahoma Geroscience Symposium

The 2019 Oklahoma Geroscience Symposium will be held on April 24, 2019 at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.  Please click here for more information.

Publication Announcement

The TAME trial is big news for aging research. We are excited about the potential for pharmaceutical treatments to treat aging. Establishing a framework to complete such work is critical for our field. We present an opinion about why more research may be needed before pursuing metformin as the drug of choice. Our opinion stems from our concern that it may not be ideal for people who are free of disease, which is an important consideration for treatments that increase Healthspan.  To see publication, click here Geroscience 2019 Konopka.

New Publication

A new publication from our laboratory shows that more data are needed before metformin is prescribed for aging. Our clinical trial demonstrate that metformin can inhibit the positive effects of endurance exercise training on skeletal muscle mitochondria. Mitochondria are intimately related to aging and age-related disease. In addition, first-line recommendations for those at risk for type II diabetes is exercise and metformin. Further research is needed to understand long-term outcomes of metformin in subjects who are not diabetic.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30548390

Funding News

We received funding from the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research (OCASCR) to complete studies using novel approaches to determine the necessity of muscle satellite stem cells for muscle growth. These studies will look at the capacity of muscle to regenerate in the absence of satellite cells. PhD student Jaime Laurin and Staff Scientist Shadi Khademi will be working hard on these projects.

Congratulations Marcus

 

Congratulations to lab member Marcus Lawrence for receiving a T32 Post-doc fellowship in Geroscience. This fellowship is an important career step for Marcus and provides him great resources as he works toward other independent awards.