ANDREA T WHITE, PhD portrait
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Nutrition & Integrative Physiology
  • Research Associate Professor, Health and Kinesiology
801-573-5387

Research Statement

My current research focus is on identifying physiological markers of fatigue. I am interested in pathologic fatigue as seen in individuals with multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and cancer. In addition, I am interested in factors, including thermal stress, that lead to central and peripheral fatigue during athletic performance.

Research Keywords

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
  • Thermoregulation
  • Pain
  • Overtraining
  • Fatigue

Presentations

  • White A.T. (2009). Thermoregulation and MS. Symposium at the American College of Sport Medicine Regional Meeting, San Diego, CA. Nov 2009. Presentation, Other, 11/2009.
  • White A.T. (2009). Neuroprotection in MS. Utah Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Research Symposium, Salt Lake City, March, 2009. Presentation, Other, 03/2009.
  • White, A.T., Davis, S.L., Wendt, L. Effect of increased core temperature on peak force, cortical excitability, and fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients. Presented at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis: ACTRIMS, ECTRIMS, and LATRIMS, Montreal, Canada, September 2008. Presentation, Other, 09/2008.
  • Light, K.C., Light A.R., White, A.T., Hughen, R.W. Dysregulation of adrenergic, immune, and metaboreceptor pathways may contribute to prolonged muscle fatigue and pain in CFS. NIH CFS Grantees Meeting, Bethesda MD, June 2008. Presentation, Other, 06/2008.

Grants, Contracts & Research Gifts

  • Post-exercise Ion Channel Gene Expression Biomarkers in CFS. PI: Light KC. Co-PI(s): Light AR, White AT. NIH/NIAMS 1 RO1 AR060336-01A1, 09/01/2011 - 09/01/2014. Total project budget to date: $750,000.00
  • Investigation of the Predictive Value of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) of the Motor Cortex in Cervical Myelopathy. PI: Bisson EF. NIH/NINDS R03 Larson Award, 04/01/2011 - 04/01/2012. Total project budget to date: $30,000.00
  • Effects of Lyrica on Fibromyalgia and CFS with Fibromyalgia. PI: Light AR. Co-PI(s): Light KC, Bateman L, White AT. Pfizer Investigator Initiated Research Grant, 02/01/2011 - 07/01/2012. Total project budget to date: $120,000.00
  • Blood Pressure Regulation, Stress, and Maternal Oxytocin Response. PI: Light KC. R01 HL084222 NIH/NHLBI, 04/01/2007 - 03/01/2012. Total project budget to date: $153,083.00

Languages

  • English, fluent.

Publications

  • Light KC, Agarwal N, Iacob E, White AT, Kinney AY, Vanhaitsma TA, Aizad H, Hughen RW, Bateman L, Light AR. Differing leukocyte gene expression profiles associated with fatigue in patients with prostate cancer versus chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013 doi:piiS0306-4530(13)00297-7. 10.1016/j.psyneun.2013.08.008 [Epub ahead of print] PMID 24054763. Published, 09/06/2013.
  • White AT, VanHaitsma TA, Vener J, Davis SL. Effect of passive whole body heating on central conduction and cortical excitability in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls. J Appl Physiol 2013 114(12): 1697-704. Published, 04/2013.
  • White AT. Heat sensitivity and exercise. Mult Scler J. 6 March 2013, 10.1177/1352458513478676. Published, 03/06/2013.
  • White AT, Light AR, Hughen RW, Vanhaitsma TA, Light KC. Differences in metabolite-detecting, adrenergic, and immune gene expression after moderate exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, patients with multiple sclerosis, and healthy controls. Psychosom Med. 2012 Jan;74(1):46-54. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e31824152ed. Epub 2011 Dec 30.PMID:22210239. Published, 01/2012.
  • Light KC, White AT, Tadler S, Iacob E, Light AR. Genetics and gene expression involving stress and distress pathways in fibromyalgia with and without co-morbid chronic fatigue syndrome. Pain Res Treat 2012;2012:427869. Epub 2011 Sep 29. Published, 09/29/2011.