Davi M谩zala, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Davi M谩zala

Contact Info

Phone:
410-704-3178
Office:
Burdick Hall, 121 T
Email:
dmazala@towson.edu
Hours:
Mon/Wed 12:30-1:30pm
or by appointment

Education

Ph.D., Kinesiology, University of Maryland, 2016

M.A., Kinesiology, University of Maryland, 2011

B.S., Kinesiology, University of Maryland, 2009

Areas of Expertise

Exercise Physiology
Muscle Physiology
Skeletal Muscle Biology (Regeneration and Myogenesis)
Neuromuscular Diseases
Intracellular Pathways

Davi M谩zala began his academic journey in 2004 in Brazil before completing a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Kinesiology at the University of Maryland in 2007. He went on to earn both his M.A. and Ph.D. at the same institution, where his research centered on understanding the underlying mechanisms contributing to disease progression in different mouse models of neuromuscular diseases鈥攕uch as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and ALS鈥攁nd exploring how exercise and dietary interventions might improve muscle function and disease outcomes.  After completing his doctoral studies, Dr. M谩zala joined the Center for Genetic Medicine at Children鈥檚 National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., as an NIH postdoctoral research fellow. There, his work focused on the role of the satellite cell niche in skeletal muscle regeneration (regenerative myogenesis).

In 2020, he joined Towson University as an Assistant Professor in Exercise Science. His current research builds on his earlier work with neuromuscular disease models, aiming to develop new strategies to assess the effects of both acute and chronic exercise in various populations, including aging and muscular dystrophies.  Overall, his primary research goal has always stayed the same: to use his knowledge about cellular, molecular, and whole-body physiology to improve people鈥檚 lives.

Select Publications and Presentations

  • Novak JS, Lischin A, Uapinyoying P, Hindupur R, Moon YJ, Bhattacharya S, Tiufekchiev-Grieco S, Barone V, M谩zala DAG, Gamu IH, Walters G. Failure to resolve inflammation contributes to juvenile onset cardiac damage in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Cell Death & Disease. 2025 Jul 9;16(1):505.

  • Dondero KR, Siok DT, Zabriskie HA, M谩zala DAG, Dobrosielski DA, Addison O & Landers-Ramos RQ. Acute Changes in Muscle Thickness and Quality Following Dynamic Bodyweight Exercise in Recreationally Trained Adults. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. 2025 Mar 25;1(aop):1-7.

  • M谩zala DAG, Fique M, Barton A, Kubitz KA, Dondero KR & Knuth ND.  Effects of 12 months of kettlebell training on an individual with Myasthenia Gravis.  Journal of Clinical Exercise Physiology. 2024 Jun 1;13(2):61-4.

  • M谩zala DAG, Hindupur R, Moon YJ, Shaikh F, Gamu IH, Alladi D, Panci G, Weiss-Gayet M, Chazaud B, Partridge TA, Novak JS & Jaiswal JK. Altered muscle niche contributes to myogenic deficit in the D2-mdx model of severe DMD. Cell death discovery. 2023 Jul 4;9(1):224.
  • Ryu D, Zhang H, Ropelle ER, Sorrentino V, M谩zala DAG, Mouchiroud L, Marshall PL, Campbell MD, Ali AS, Knowels GM, Bellemin S, Iyer SR, Wang X, Gariani K, Sauve AA, Cant贸 C, Conley KE, Walter L, Lovering RM, Chin ER, Jasmin BJ, Marcine DJ, Menzies KJ & Auwerx J. NAD+ repletion improves muscle function in muscular dystrophy and counters global PARylation. Science Translational Medicine 8(361), 361ra139-361ra139, 2016.

  • Davidson ZE, Rodden G, M谩zala DAG, Moore C, Papillon C, Hasemann AJ, Truby H & Grange RW. Practical Nutrition Guidelines for Individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In Regenerative Medicine for Degenerative Muscle Diseases (pp. 225-279). Springer New York. 2016."

Full list of publications:

Courses Taught

  • KNES 265
  • KNES 469