Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center
Member of Duke Molecular Physiology Institute
Carmichael Building
kim.huffman@duke.edu
RESEARCH
Dr. Huffman’s research revolves around the following themes: molecular and metabolic benefits of exercise training; cardiometabolic risk and skeletal muscle dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA); effects of physical activity on RA; and, physical activity and caloric restriction benefits on biologic aging.
In 2002, Dr. Huffman began work with Dr. William Kraus focusing on inflammatory and metabolic predictors of skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and responses to exercise training. With data from Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise (STRRIDE), they demonstrated that insulin resistance is related to circulating branched chain amino acids;(1) and that exercise training improves insulin sensitivity in concert with reductions in fatty acids and increases in glycine and proline (2). Drs. Huffman and Kraus continue collaborative efforts to integrate multiple exercise training intervention data ontogenies including physiologic, genetic, metabolic, and skeletal muscle molecular data. This work will contribute to understanding how multi-systemic responses to exercise training lead to improved cardio-metabolic health.
Another major research focus has been to evaluate RA cardiometabolic risk and response to exercise training. When accounting for age, gender, and body mass index, the greatest determinant of RA insulin action was body composition, specifically adiposity, rather than disease activity. In collaboration with Dr. David Bartlett (University of Surrey), we showed that despite minimal improvements on body composition, exercise training -in the form of high intensity interval training- improves RA disease activity, neutrophil function, and monocyte atherogenic potential. In collaborative work with Dr. Jim White, in an animal model of RA, exercise improves RA muscle wasting, arthritis, and heart function. Currently, Drs. Huffman and Andonian are evaluating biomechanical properties of skeletal muscle in early RA and determining whether a supervised weight loss and exercise intervention (SWET) improves RA cardiovascular risk.
Dr. Huffman along with Drs. W. Kraus and Carl Pieper coordinate the CALERIE Research Network and participate in several ongoing projects using CALERIE data and samples. Dr. Huffman’s clinical work is within the Duke Orthopedics and Sports Sciences Institute where she has developed a novel Sports Rheumatology Clinic. This clinic sees nonsurgical rheumatologic diseases presenting to orthopedics as well as athletes with rheumatologic diseases requesting advice on safe physical activity. In these clinics, Dr. Huffman’s treatment approach emphasizes rehabilitation and exercise training as means to rheumatologic, cardiovascular, and general health.
Dr. Huffman is co-Director of the Human Physiology Shared Resource.
SUMMARY
Kim M. Huffman, MD, PhD is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology. Her research seeks to define the molecular mechanisms for beneficial effects of physical activity and to translate these findings to beneficial interventions for aging-related and rheumatologic diseases.
MD, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
PhD, Medical Scientist Training Program, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
MHSc, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
Where I see patients.
James R. Urbaniak, MD, Sports Sciences Institute
3475 Erwin Rd
Durham, NC 27705-0005
Office: 919-613-7797
Fax: 919-684-8598