Graduate student’s research delves into the effects of inactivity on heart health
As we celebrate American Heart Month, learn more about a graduate student’s passion for physiology, research on overall health, and how Miami has prepared him for a successful career
Graduate student’s research delves into the effects of inactivity on heart health
February is full of heart — and not just by celebrating with heart-shaped candies and loved ones on Valentine’s Day. It’s also American Heart Month, which raises awareness about cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.
One way to improve heart health is — you guessed it — exercise. And every little bit helps. Jackson Yeager ’24, a graduate student in the Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health program at Miami University, studies physiology and how inactivity can have an impact on overall health.
“My research looks into early life inactivity. What happens if someone has an injury and was inactive for a period of time or, just based on their lifestyle choices, how that might affect their quality of life when they become an adult or into their later years,” Yeager said.
He continues, “My reason for interest is because I'm a human being, and I move around all the time. The human body is a fascinating machine. So, just delving into the intricacies of how it works and how that impacts my life is fascinating.”
Yeager works with graduate advisor Paul Reidy, assistant professor of Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health, who was recently awarded a grant for more than $400,000 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases for research on the influence of early life physical inactivity on adult muscle quality.
Turning passions into research projects
Yeager, who majored in Kinesiology and Nutrition as an undergraduate at Miami, mentioned about his area of focus, “I love that it applies directly to my life. I learned about the human body every day, and how to fuel it and how to care for it, and basically do the maintenance on it like you would a car. I get to take what I learned in the classroom and put it into practice, whether it's through my own training or helping friends with their programming, and really taking a closer look at the things that I put into my body to make sure that I'm as healthy as I can be.”
Initially being drawn to Miami based on scholarship opportunities and campus beauty, he is no stranger to boosting activity and also worked for a time as a personal trainer. “I'm a big fan of nature,” he said. “I love to be outside. I love to climb, run, and hike, and all the nature areas here really give me a good opportunity to do that.”
During the summer of 2023, Yeager participated in the Undergraduate Summer Scholars program, a 10-week program offering research experiences for undergraduate students at Miami. His project was an inactivity study “where we give people a scooter for a week and have them ride that instead of walk. And we're looking at the impacts of that short-term physical inactivity on a multitude of different measures of cardiometabolic health. My focus is mainly on the vascular measures. So, what impact that has on vascular function, arterial stiffness, and different measures of central blood pressure, which are great indicators of future cardiovascular disease.”
Embracing faculty connections and mentorship
Faculty mentorship has been something Yeager has really appreciated during his undergraduate and graduate studies here, and he encourages others to reach out to their professors. “I think what I've gained the most from my experience at Miami is my relationships with my professors,” he said. “I've grown really close to a few of them and been able to ask them questions that maybe I wouldn't feel comfortable if I was in a lecture hall of 180 people. Getting that one-on-one, hands-on experience of working in the lab with them has been invaluable.”
“I think one of the biggest things that I've seen in my years here is people are scared to talk to professors. But what they don't realize is those professors, especially if you're interested in research, are dying to tell you about what they're working on. And they would love to have your help on it. So just going up after class and saying, ‘Hey, do you have five minutes to tell me about what you're working on?’ That's how I actually got started in research with Dr. Timmerman. And since then, it's just been a whirlwind of getting involved in different studies and all these different opportunities. You don't realize where they are until you just ask.”
It’s those very relationships that let Yeager know that graduate school at Miami was right for him. “I chose Miami for grad school because I was able to continue working with the wonderful faculty that I started my research with as an undergrad. So being able to continue and work as such a cohesive team, it really allows us to get a lot more done and really see the impact of our research.”
He adds, “Shoutout to Dr. Reidy! Our grad school is awesome because it really allows us to have one-on-one interaction with our faculty members. Miami is the perfect size. We're not too small, so we have all the equipment that you could want, but we're not so big that you don't get to use them. And I get to spend a lot of time with my faculty advisor.”
Growing as a leader
“Miami has helped me grow as a leader by offering me a multitude of opportunities to mentor the undergrads. As an undergrad, I got to spend a lot of time with my faculty mentors and the graduate assistants that were helping me along the way. And now that I've stepped into those shoes, it's amazing to watch the undergrads grasp the content that you're teaching them and just move forward in the lab. It's amazing to see their eyes light up when they figure something out.”
Charting his path for future success
After earning his master’s degree in 2026, Yeager plans to pursue a Ph.D. “I feel like Miami has prepared me with a well-rounded background in the lab to succeed anywhere I go. Ultimately, I'd like to be a professor. I really enjoy teaching. Miami has given me the opportunity to try that out, and I think that I'm good at it. The subject area is something that I'm really passionate about.”
“My favorite part about teaching is watching the gears turn and ultimately seeing the students make the connections. Every student is different in where they engage the material and where they started. So, creating those individual opportunities for them to learn at the pace that they need to is really rewarding.”
He adds, “Because of Miami, I'm going to succeed in anything I put my mind to.”
So, just a reminder to show your heart some kindness. Cheers to prioritizing heart-healthy habits this month — and always!
