Stylianos P. Scordilis

Scordilis’ research interests are in molecular physiology, myogenesis and sexual dimorphism of skeletal muscle. Ordered, regulated movement is one of the distinguishing characteristics of life. In Scordilis’ lab, students attempt to discover how contractility is maintained following repairable muscle damage. Muscle cells are remarkably adaptable; they can atrophy, hypertrophy, remodel depending on environmental stimuli and repair following a damaging event. All of these adaptations involve stress proteins, enzyme signaling cascades and steroid receptors.

The lab applies the paradigms and techniques of biochemistry, molecular and cell biology and proteomics to investigate "How do muscle cells differentiate from single, dividing cells to adult, non-dividing ones?” and "Are female and male muscles different?" They study mouse cells in culture and muscle cell development by global analysis of macromolecule expression using proteomic techniques, transcriptomic techniques and specific analysis of certain proteins following exercise by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, biochemical techniques, and confocal microscopy, as well as high-resolution 2­D gel electrophoresis and nanoscale high pressure liquid chromatography-­coupled mass spectrometry. These systems of proteins orchestrate the mitigation of damage, the repair of damaged muscle the acquisition of tolerance to damage and embryonic development.

Selected Publications

Morris, E., Abreu, A and S. P. Scordilis. “The Effect of Tamoxifen on Proteome Expression During in vitro Myogenesis in Murine Skeletal Muscle C2C12 Cells.” J Proteome Res., 22: 3040-3053, 2023.

Russ, D., Dimova, K., Morris, E., Pacheco, M., Garvey, S. M. and S. P. Scordilis.  Dietary Fish Oil Supplement Induces Age-Specific Contractile and Proteomic Responses in Muscles of Male Rats. Lipids in Health and Disease, 19: 165-177, DOI: 10.1186/s12944-020-01333-4, 2020

Dimova, K., L. Metskas, M. Kulp and S. P. Scordilis. "Skeletal Muscle Gender Dimorphism From Proteomics." J. Vis. Exp. 58, e3536, DOI: 10.3791/3536, 2011.

Metskas, L. A., M. Kulp and S. P. Scordilis. "Gender Dimorphism in the Exercise­ naïve Murine Skeletal Muscle Proteome." Cell Molec Biol. Lett., 15: 507­-516, 2010.

Thompson, H. S., S. P. Scordilis, and M. J. DeSouza. "Serum creatine kinase activity varies with ovulatory status in regularly exercising, premenopausal women." Hormone Research, 65: 151­-58, 2006.

Scordilis, S. P. and T. S. Litwin. "Integrating technology, science and undergraduate education at Smith College: The creation of student/­faculty research centers." CUR Quarterly,  25: 138­-40, 2005.

Thompson, H. S., E. B. Maynard, E. R. Morales, and S. P. Scordilis. "Exercise-­induced HSP27, HSP70 and MAPK responses in human skeletal muscle." Acta Physiol. Scand. 178: 61­-72, 2003.

Thompson, H. S., P. M. Clarkson, and S. P. Scordilis. "The repeated bout effect and heat shock proteins: Intramuscular HSP27 and HSP70 expression following two bouts of eccentric exercise in humans." Acta Physiol. Scand., 174: 47­-56, 2002.

Thompson, H. S., S. P. Scordilis, P. M. Clarkson, and W. A. Lohrer. "A Single bout of eccentric exercise increases HSP27 and HSC/HSP70 in human skeletal muscle."Acta Physiol. Scand., 171: 187­94, 2001. 

Schak, K. M., S. P. Scordilis, G. Ferreyra and M. E. Harrington "Neuropeptide Y activates protein kinase C in hamster suprachiasmatic nuclei brain slices." Biol. Rhythm Res., 32: 201­-06, 2001.

Miller, D. D., S. P. Scordilis, and P. K. Hepler. "Identification and localization of three classes of myosins in pollen tubes of Lilium longiflorum and Nicotiana alata." J. Cell Sci., 108: 2549­-63, 1995.

Briggs, R. T., S. P. Scordilis and J. A. Powell. "Myofibrillogenesis in rodent skeletal muscle in vitro: Two pathways involving thick filament aggregates." Tissue and Cell, 27: 91­-104, 1995. 

Thompson, H. S. and S. P. Scordilis. "Ubiquitin changes in human biceps muscle following exercise-­induced damage." Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 204: 1193­-98, 1994.

Reichsman, F., S. P. Scordilis, P. M. Clarkson and W. J. Evans. "Muscle protein changes following eccentric exercise in humans." Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. Occup. Physiol., 62: 245­-50, 1991.