About Us
The Cardiometabolic Research Laboratory
Our lab is located within the Leon Levine Hall of Health Science at Appalachian State University. This state-of-the-art building offers scholarship and teaching opportunities within the areas of exercise science, public health, nutrition, nursing, health care management, and more!
Leon Levine Hall
Appalachian State University
1179 State Farm Rd, Boone, NC 28608
Dr. Marco Meucci
Ph.D.
Associate Professor
CMRL Co-Director
Leon Levine Hall RM# 410
Appalachian State University
Education
2013: PhD, Physical Activity and Health, Università degli studi di Roma “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
2009: MS, Exercise Science, Universidade de Tràs-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
2007: BS, Sport Sciences, Università degli studi di Roma “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
Career Goals
Develop a further understanding of arterial stiffness in overweight and normal weight children and adolescents
Examine the association between physical fitness and cardiovascular health in overweight and normal weight children.
Investigate new ways to assess children’s health in a fast, accurate, and practical way
Investigate the effect of play-based physical activity on cardiovascular health and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Study cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses to exercise in athletic and sedentary children and adults.
Dr. Robert (Bob) Kowalsky
Ph.D., ACSM-CEP
Assistant Professor
CMRL Co-Director
Exercise Physiology Teaching Laboratory Director
Leon Levine Hall RM# 411
Appalachian State University
Education
2017: PhD, Exercise Physiology, University of Pittsburgh
2014: MS, Health, Physical Activity, and Chronic Disease, University of Pittsburgh
2013: BS, Exercise Science, University of Slippery Rock
Career Goals
Develop strategies to offset prolonged sedentary behavior and promote physical activity
Utilize research to influence public policy to reduce cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk
Dr. Lavinia Falcioni
Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Leon Levine Hall RM# 415
Appalachian State University
Education
2022: PhD, Physical Activity and Health, Università degli studi di Roma “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
2018: MS, Physical Activity and Health, Università degli studi di Roma “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
2014: BS, Sport Sciences, Università degli studi di Roma “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
Career Goals
Investigate new ways to assess cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular health in youth using sustainable, easy, and non-invasive approaches.
CURRENT STUDENT RESEARCHERS
Andrey Sanko Posada
Graduate Student Researcher
Breanna Gibson
Undergraduate Student Researcher
Thays Costa
Undergraduate Student Researcher
CMRL Co-Social Coordinator
Isabel Pedersen
Undergraduate Student Researcher
CMRL Co-Social Coordinator
Grace Seehafer
Undergraduate Student Researcher
Sean Avery
Undergraduate Student Researcher
AEROSTAND Study Coordinator
Luke Dover
Undergraduate Student Researcher
Chris Wing
Graduate Student Researcher
Kelly Newcombe
Undergraduate Student Researcher
Olivia McCallum
Graduate Student Researcher
CMRL Website Manager
Noah Kaufmann
Graduate Student Researcher
Kiana Varela
Undergraduate Student Researcher
CMRL ALUMNI
Maya Ristanovic, BS
Former Graduate Student Researcher
Alyssa Lefler, BS
Former Undergraduate Student Researcher
Alex Worley, MS, BS
Former Graduate Student Researcher
Austin Gooch, MS,BS
Former Graduate Student Researcher
Javier Morales Dozal, MS, BS
Former Graduate Student Researcher
Rachel Luna Sanchez, BS
Former Undergraduate Student Researcher
Gracie Cooley, BS
Former Undergraduate Student Researcher
Emerson Blanchard, BS
Previous Undergraduate Student Researcher
Alyssa Fick, DPT
previous undergraduate researcher
Cruz Armas, DPT, MS
previous undergraduate & graduate researcher
Jessica Hinojosa, DPT-S, MS
previous undergraduate & graduate researcher
Anna Ignatiades, BS, ACSM-EP
previous graduate researcher
Sophia Ramirez, BS
previous undergraduate researcher
Jamie Ambriz, BS, ACSM-EP
previous undergraduate researcher
Eva Martinez, BS, ACSM-EP
previous graduate researcher
RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS
The CMRL works with researchers near and far to synchronize expertise across various disciplines. We are always looking for future research collaborations!
Dr. Lee Stoner
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Herman Van Werkhoven
Appalachian State University
Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs
West Virginia University
Dr. Seth Creasy
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center
Dr. Tyler Quinn
West Virginia University
Dr. Amber Shipherd
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Dr. Chris Kline
University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Chris Hearon
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Dr. Greg Grosicki
Georgia Southern University
Dr. Justin Moore
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Dr. Erik Hanson
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Feng-Chang Lin
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill