Stacey Reading, PhD

Contact Information

Stacey Reading
Associate Professor
Office Phone:  506-453-4893
Office Location:  2 Peter Kelly Drive, Room C102A
E-mail:  sreading@unb.ca

Degrees (University) - PhD (Guelph) 

Research Interests

• The development of prescriptive muscular activity for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of diabetes-related peripheral vascular dysfunction.
• The role of hypoxia in development of diabetic neuropathy, microvascular dysfunction and diabetic foot ulcer formation.
• The utility of topical oxygen therapy for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers
• Physical activity as a prescriptive medicine

Biography

Dr. Reading obtained his BSc. Degree in Human Kinetics from the Department of Human Biology at the University of Guelph. After a 4 year hiatus from academic study, Dr. Reading returned to the University of Guelph to complete his MSc. and PhD. degrees with Dr. J.K. Barclay in the department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences. Their work focused on how first and second messenger signaling molecules influence muscular fatigue and fatigue recovery.  The work expanded a model of the vascular functional unit, which describes a physiologic system that precisely matches muscle blood flow to muscle activity.  After completing his PhD, Dr. Reading accepted a Post Doctoral Research position in Pharmacology at the University of Vermont, College of Medicine. From 2003 to 2007, he worked with Dr. J.E. Brayden and together they produced a series of papers that were among the first to illustrate the physiologic relevance of a newly discovered class of non-selective cation channels called transient receptor potential channels. Their work showed that TRPC3 channels contribute to agonist-induced depolarization of vascular smooth muscle and that cerebrovascular TRPM4 channels are critical to cerebrovascular autoregulation.

Dr. Reading joined the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of New Brunswick in 2007.  Dr. Reading’s present research is focused on the macro- and microvascular consequences of diabetes in the peripheral circulation.  One area of research examines the utility of using muscular activity as a therapy to treat and rehabilitate vascular function diminished by diabetes. Another aspect of Dr. Reading’s research is the development of a novel treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.  In co-operation with InVentures Technologies of Fredericton NB, Dr. Reading is testing his hypothesis that topical hyperbaric oxygen therapy may improve foot ulcer healing rates. Through this work, Dr. Reading also examines the role of oxygen, or lack thereof, in the development of mircovascular dysfunction in the skin.

Dr. Reading is a Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Master Examiner and Certified Exercise Physiologist.  A portion of Dr. Reading’s teaching, research and service activities include the certification of students in the CSEP program, development of programs and experiential learning opportunities for students seeking certification and to advocate for the inclusion of CSEP certified individuals in the health services community.   

Current Research Projects

• Topical oxygen therapy and the capacity to absorb oxygen through the skin
• Use of topical oxygen therapy to speed recovery of sports-related injuries
• Development of a novel topical oxygen therapy to treat diabetic foot ulcers
• The contribution of hypoxia to diabetic neuropathy and microvascular dysfunction
• Vascular resistance changes following moderate intensity cycling: Is there a training effect?
• Static vs. dynamic muscle contractions for creating sustained hyperemia
• The hyperemic response of electrically-evoked muscle contractions.
• Is VO2max limited by a central governor?
• Development and evaluation of the Take Healthy Eating, Activity and Recreation Today (Take H.E.A.R.T.) physical activity and nutritional counseling community program.

Recent Publications

Reading, S.A. and Prickett, K. (2013).  Evaluation of children playing a new-generation motion-sensitive active video game by accelerometry and indirect calorimetry.  Games for Health Journal 2(3):  Ahead of print; doi:10.1089/g4h.2013.0021.  This is a copy of an article published in the GAMES FOR HEALTH JOURNAL © 21013[copyright Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.]; the GAMES FOR HEALTH JOURNAL is available online at:  http://www.liebertpub.com/g4h.

Reading, S.A., and Yeomans, M. (2012).  Oxygen absorption by skin exposed to oxygen supersaturated water.  Can J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 90: 515-524 

Fischer JW, Reading SA, Hillyer, L, Woodward, B, and Barclay, JK (2001). Contractile function in vitro of slow-twitch skeletal muscle from weanling mice subjected to wasting malnutrition. Can.J.Physiol.Pharmacol. 79:512–518.

Reading SA, and Barclay JK (2001). A1 receptor activation decreases fatigue in mammalian slow-twitch skeletal muscle in vitro. Can.J.Physiol.Pharmacol. 79:496–501.

Reading SA, and Barclay JK (2002). The inotropic effect of nitric oxide is dependent on the level of beta 1-adrenergic stimulation in isolated mammalian myocardium. Can.J.Physiol.Pharmacol. 80:569-577.

Barclay JK, Murrant CL, Woodley NE, and Reading, SA (2003). Potential interactions among vascular and muscular functional compartments during active hyperemia. Can.J.Appl.Physiol. 28:737-753.

Barclay JK, Reading SA, Murrant CL, and Woodley NE (2003). Inotropic effects on mammalian skeletal muscle change with contraction frequency. Can.J.Physiol.Pharmacol. 81:753-758.

Reading SA, Murrant CL, and Barclay J.K (2003). Increased cAMP as a positive inotropic factor for mammalian skeletal muscle in vitro. Can.J.Physiol.Pharmacol. 81:986-996.

Reading SA, Murrant CL, and Barclay JK (2004). Positive inotropism in mammalian skeletal muscle in vitro during and after fatigue. Can.J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 82: 249-261.

Reading SA, Earley S, Waldron BA, Welsh DG, and Brayden JE (2005). TRPC3 mediates pyrimidine receptor-induced depolarization of cerebral artery. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ Physiol 288(5):H2055-H2061.

Reading SA and Brayden JE (2007). Central role of TRPM4 channels in cerebral blood flow regulation. Stroke 38:2322-2328.   Channels, vascular tone and autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. Clin. Exp. Pharmacol.Brayden JE, Earley S, Nelson MT and Reading SA (2008). Transient receptor potential (TRP) Physiol. 35(9):1116-1120.

Current Graduate Students