10/23/97

Contacts:
Steve Nissen, Animal Science, (515) 294-1216 or (515) 296-9916
Brian Meyer, Agriculture Information, (515) 294-0706

MEASURING HUMAN MUSCLE THE GOAL OF ISU RESEARCHER

AMES -- An Iowa State University researcher is developing a test to determine muscle mass in people afflicted with body-withering diseases.

Steve Nissen, a professor of animal science, is the founder of Metabolic Technologies Inc. The company recently received $100,000 from the National Institutes of Health to further develop a non-invasive method to measure muscle in humans. The funds came from a program that fosters university-developed technology.

"It's critical to know whether or not patients are maintaining a healthy percentage of muscle mass," Nissen said. "No practical method currently exists. Being able to accurately measure muscle could be an important tool in treating muscular dystrophy, cancer, AIDS and other wasting diseases."

Nissen's patented method uses a naturally occurring product of muscle protein metabolism. The compound is injected, then its levels are measured in blood and urine over two days. The information is used to calculate muscle in the body and how quickly it is breaking down.

Nissen said the test could eventually be used in the home to monitor disease, or to determine whether exercise is increasing muscle mass. Work on the test will be conducted by Nissen's company and Brookhaven National Labs in New York.

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