Brandt Pence, PhD

February 22nd, 2024: Pence named PI Millionaire.

Dr. Pence was recognized at the 2024 Research Celebration ceremony as the University of Memphis' 145th PI Millionaire. This status is conferred for faculty who have received at least $1 million in external funding during their employment at the University.

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January 7th, 2024: Pence receives campus excellence award.

Dr. Pence received the Tigers Ascending to Excellence award from the University of Memphis. As part of the award, he served as Honorary Coach for the men's basketball team in their game against Southern Methodist University. During the first half, he received a game ball at center court.

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September 27th, 2023: Pence named Director of Research.

Dr. Pence has been named Director of Research in the College of Health Sciences, University of Memphis. In this administrative position, he will work with the College Dean to administer and promote research activities in the College and will work on strategic planning, faculty research support, and other areas related to research activity. 

 

August 21st, 2023: NSF instrumentation grant awarded.

The Department of Biology and the College of Health Sciences, University of Memphis, have been awarded a Major Instrumentation Grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant, worth over $400,000, will allow the university to purchase a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Dr. Jennifer Mandel (UofM Biology) is PI of the grant, with Drs. Brandt Pence, Marie van der Merwe, and Judith Cole as Co-PIs. Also involved in the proposal were the Memphis Zoo and several other area institutions. More details can be found in the University's press release.

 

August 11th, 2023: Pence assumes nutrition coordinator role.

Dr. Pence was elected Nutrition Unit coordinator in the College of Health Sciences, University of Memphis.

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May 10th, 2023: Pence appointed Fellow of ACSM.

Dr. Pence was appointed a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM). FACSM is an elite status for long-term members who have provided significant service to the ACSM and who have made significant contributions to their academic discipline in the broad area of sports medicine.

 

February 9th, 2023: Pence appointed to editorial board.

Dr. Pence was appointed to the Editorial Board of the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences. The journal is published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America and is one of the premier journals in gerontology and aging biology. More information can be found on the journal website.

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January 15th, 2023: New student joins the Pence laboratory.

The laboratory is excited to welcome Brenda Schmitt, M.S. to the PhD program in Applied Physiology & Nutrition.

 

September 30th, 2022: Editorial published in Aging Pathobiology and Therapeutics.

Dr. Pence published an editorial entitled "Targeting metabolism through exercise and nutrition to rejuvenate an aging immune system". The editorial explores open questions in exercise and nutritional immunology from a metabolism perspective. The paper is open access and can be read on the journal website.

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September 1st, 2022: U01 grant funded from National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Pence is co-investigator on a 5-year grant from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The $5.2 million grant will allow a multi-institutional team of investigators to microbiome-mediated factors associated with obesity and breast cancer risk. Dr. Pence and Dr. Marie van der Merwe at the University of Memphis will lead human studies research projects. Drs. Liza Makowski (University of Tennessee Health Science Center), Jeffrey Rathmell (Vanderbilt), and Joe Pierre (Wisconsin) are principal investigators of the overall project. A press release on the UTHSC website provides more information.

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August 16th, 2022: R15 grant funded from National Institute on Aging.

The Pence laboratory has received an award of a 3-year Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15) from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health. The grant will help us study the links between mitochondrial dysfunction and immune dysfunction during aging.

 

August 15th, 2022: New students join the Pence laboratory.

The laboratory is excited to welcome Rafael Maurmann, M.S., and Negin Mosalmanzadeh to the PhD program in Applied Physiology & Nutrition and the M.S. program in Nutrition Science, respectively.

 

June 28th, 2022: Paper published in NeuroImmune Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

Dr. Pence and colleagues published a paper entitled "Senescent macrophages alter fibroblast fibrogenesis in response to SARS-CoV-2". The paper arose out of the collaboration between Dr. Pence and Dr. Ted Cory (University of Tennessee Health Science Center). The paper is available ahead of print on the journal website.

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June 2nd, 2022: Davis presents at ACSM 2022.

Recent M.S. program graduate Kierstin Davis presented her abstract entitled "Lactate suppresses immunometabolic and inflammatory responses in monocytes" at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting in San Diego, CA. The abstract will be published in a supplemental issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise in the coming months.

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May 6th, 2022: Pence appointed to editorial board.

Dr. Pence was appointed to the editorial board of Aging Pathobiology & Therapeutics. The journal accepts a variety of manuscript types in the fields of gerontology, physiology, pathobiology, and related disciplines and publishes open access. More information can be found at the journal website.

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February 9th, 2022: Paper published in Frontiers in Aging.

Dr. Pence published a short review article on the link between growth differentation factor-15 (GDF-15), aging, and immune function in Frontiers in Aging. The paper is freely available and can be found on the journal website.

 

December 1st, 2021: PhD student position available for August 2022.

The Pence lab will have at least one opening for a PhD student in the new Applied Physiology & Nutrition program in the College of Health Sciences, University of Memphis. Students can be admitted with either a bachelor's or master's degree in a discipline broadly related to metabolism. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Pence to discuss their interests. More information can be found on our Positions page on the website.

 

November 11th, 2021: Paper published in Frontiers in Immunology.

The Pence lab published a paper in Frontiers in Immunology titled "Metformin Suppresses Monocyte Immunometabolic Activation by SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Subunit 1". The paper highlights the role of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in altering monocyte metabolism to promote inflammation. The manuscript is open access and available on the publisher's website.

 

September 1st, 2021: Pence promoted to Associate Professor.

Dr. Pence was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure at the University of Memphis.

 

August 28th, 2021: Paper published in AIMS Molecular Science.

Dr. Pence published a review article in AIMS Molecular Science titled "Recent developments and future perspectives in aging and macrophage immunometabolism". The paper highlights important recent findings in immunometabolism in the innate immune system, as it applies to biological aging. The manuscript is open access and available on the publisher's website.

 

August 20th, 2021: Pence awarded research professorship.

Dr. Pence was awarded a University Research Professorship by the Provost's Office and the Division of Research & Innovation at the University of Memphis. The 3-year award recognizes outstanding contributions to the University's educational, research, outreach, and service missions. More details can be found on the University website.

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