Theodore Uyeno
Professor
- Ph.D., Comparative Biomechanics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - M.Sc., Zoology
University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Teaching Interests
- Anatomy & Physiology I & II
- Invertebrate Zoology
- Functional Morphology
- Topics in Physiology
I enjoy teaching graduate and undergraduate students in subjects that involve integrating different levels of organismal biology as well as different fields of research. As such, I am most “at home” when teaching students with hands-on projects that attempt to answer questions of form, function, and evolution. I also love mentoring the VSU Amateur Radio Club (the Blazed Hams), maintaining the VSU Beehives, and running the Biology department electronics/machine shop.
Research Interests
The primary research question in the Uyeno Lab is: How does it work? Biomechanics is a wonderfully integrative science that is part basic biology, part physics, part computer science, and part mechanical and electrical engineering. My research characterizes the functional morphology and evolution of living mechanisms. I primarily work with invertebrates (especially snails and squids!) because of their vast diversity of extremely understudied morphologies. I study deformable soft tissue structures that are capable of complex and diverse movements. My current research focuses on the form, function, and control of "muscle articulations". These are extremely flexible joint structures that are formed of muscle and connective tissues, the range of motion of which may be limited not by morphology, but by neural control!) I employ many methods in my lab: I use a variety of histological, microscopical, and medical imaging techniques to describe anatomical structures. To test functional theories, I use direct methods, such as force vs. extension recordings and activation patterns of nerves and muscles. I also perform indirect experiments that include the use of models based on anatomy. These models can be either three-dimensional computer simulations or actual physical models that I develop using computer-aided design software and fabricate in my lab.
Selected Publications
| In Press | Wallace R.D., J. Shelton, M. Kohl, T.A. Uyeno, M. Brennan, S. Gerrin, L. Winsor, J.H. LaForest, C.T. Bargeron. Invasive Animals of Concern to Georgia. The University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, Tifton, GA. |
| 2024 | Clark A.J. & T.A. Uyeno. The biomechanics of fish skin IN: Encyclopedia of fish physiology (2nd Ed, S.L. Alderman & T.E. Gillis editors); Volume 3: Biomechanics & Bioinspired design. Academic press. Pp: 476-498. ISBN 978-0-323-99761-4 |
| 2023 |
Ritchie, B.A., T.A. Uyeno, D.R.F. Diaz, A. Lokdarshi. A Novel Imaging Protocol for Investigating Arabidopsis thaliana Siliques and Seeds Using X-rays. Bio-protocol, 13(19). Roscian, M., L. Souquet, A. Herrel, T.A. Uyeno, D. Adriaens, B. De Kegel, I. Rouget. Comparative anatomy and functional implications of variation in the buccal mass in coleoid cephalopods. Journal of Morphology 284(6): e21595. |
| 2022 | Zhang, H., R Shang, K Kim, W Zheng, CJ Johnson, L Sun, X Niu, L Liu, J Zhou, L Liu, Z Zhang, TA Uyeno, J Pei, FD Fissette, SA Green, SP Samudra, J Wen, J Zhang, JT Eggenschwiler, DB Menke, ME Bronner, NV Grishin, W Li, K Ye, Y Zhang, A Stolfi, P Bi. Evolution of a chordate-specific mechanism for myoblast fusion. Science Advances, 8(35): eadd2696. |
| 2021 | Kennedy, E.B.L., R.P. Patel, C.P. Perez, B.L. Clubb, T.A. Uyeno, A.J. Clark. Comparative biomechanics of hagfish skins: diversity in material, morphology, and movement. Journal of Zoology. 145: 125888. |
| 2020 |
Uyeno, T.A. & A.J. Clark. On the fit of skins with a particular focus on the biomechanics of loose skins of hagfishes Canadian Journal of Zoology 98 (12): 827-843. Haney W.A., A.J. Clark, & T.A. Uyeno. Characterization of body knotting behavior used for escape in a diversity of hagfishes. Journal of Zoology. 310 (4): 261-272 |
| 2019 |
Hwang Y., Uyeno T.A., & S. Sueda. Bioinspired Simulation of Knotting in Hagfish. ISVC 2019. Clark A.J. & T.A. Uyeno. Introduction to jawless feeding Ch. 8 IN: Feeding in Vertebrates: Anatomy, Biomechanics, & Evolution. Editor V. Bels. Springer NY. Pp. 189-230. Clubb B.L., Clark A.J., & T.A. Uyeno. Powering the hagfish “bite”: the functional morphology of the retractor complex of two hagfish feeding apparatuses. Journal of Morphology. 280: 827-840. |
| 2018 | P. Mihail, W. Cook, B. Griffin, T. Uyeno, & C. Anderson. Vegetation density estimation in the wild. ACMSE 2018. |
| 2017 |
Uyeno, T.T., A.E.H. Pedder, & T.A. Uyeno. Conodont biostratigraphy and T-R cycles of the Middle Devonian Hume formation at Hume river (type locality), central Mackenzie mountains, NWT. Stratigraphy. 14: 391-404. Schumacher, E.L., Owens, B.D., Uyeno T.A., Clark A.J. & J.S. Reece. No support for Heincke's law in hagfish (Myxinidae): lack of an association between body size and the depth of species occurrence. Journal of Fish Biology. 91(2): 545-557. Monroy J, Powers K, Pace C, Uyeno T.A., & K. Nishikawa. Effects of activation on the elastic properties of intact soleus muscles with a deletion in titin. Journal of Experimental Biology. 220: 828-836. |
| 2016 | Clark A.J., Crawford C.H., King B.D., Demas A.M., & T.A. Uyeno. Material properties of hagfish skin, with insights into knotting behaviors. Biological Bulletin. 230:243-256. |
| 2015 |
Langford, R.E., Schumacher, E.L., Uyeno, T.A., & J.S. Reece. Modeling how shoreline shape affects tides and how underwater structures attenuate wave energy: an example of the Georgia Bight. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research. 3(10):66-73. Uyeno, T.A. & A.J. Clark. Muscle articulations: flexible jaw joints made of soft tissues. Journal of Integrative and Comparative Biology. 55(2): 193-204. Smith J.P.S., M.K. Litvaitis, S. Gobert, T.A. Uyeno, T. Artois. Evolution and Functional Morphology of the Proboscis in Kalyptorhynchia (Platyhelminthes). Journal of Integrative and Comparative Biology. 55(2): 205-216. |
| 2014 |
Uyeno, T.A. & W.M. Kier. The Structure and Function of the Muscle Articulation-Type joint of Polychaete Worm Jaws. Journal of Morphology. 276(4): 403-414. |
| 2013 | Nishikawa, K.C., Monroy, J.A., Powers, K.L., Gilmore, L.A., Uyeno, T.A., Lindstedt, S.L. A molecular basis for intrinsic muscle properties: implications for motor control. Ch 6 IN: Progress in Motor Control: Neural, Computational and Dynamic Approaches, Springer, NY. P. 111-126. |
| 2012 | Monroy, J.A., Powers, K.L., Gilmore L.A., Uyeno, T.A. Lindstedt, S.L., Nishikawa, K.C. What is the role of titin in active muscle? Exercise and Sport Science Reviews. 40 (2), 73-78. |
| 2011 |
Nishikawa, K.C., Monroy J.A., Uyeno, T.A. Yeo, S-H, Pai, D.K., Lindstedt, S.L. Is titin a ‘winding filament’? A new twist on muscle contraction. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 279(1730): 981–990. Doi: 10.1098/rspb.2011.1304. Cook, A.E., Wood P.G., Uyeno,T.A. Towards an Artificial Bullfrog: Development of a kinematically realistic, articulated skeletal model. ASEE. AC 2011-1556. |
| 2010 |
Uyeno, T.A. and W.M. Kier. Morphology of the muscle articulation joint between the hooks of a flatworm (Kalyptorynchia, Cheliplana sp.). Biological Bulletin. 218:169-180. Uyeno, T.A. & K.C. Nishikawa. Compliant Vascular Grafts Inspired by Cephalopod Branchial Heart Morphology. Provisional patent. POS0013GN/NAU10-011. |
| 2009 | Nishikawa, K.C. & T. A. Uyeno. An Elastic Motor-Spring Actuator. International patent: PCT/US 10/00706, 26814-006. |
| 2007 | Uyeno, T.A.and W.M. Kier. Electromyography of the buccal musculature of octopus (Octopus bimaculoides): a test of the role of the muscle articulation in support and movement. Journal of Experimental Biology. 210:118-128. |
| 2007 |
Uyeno, T.A. and H.S. Hsiao. A novel device to monitor small changes in underwater distances. Invertebrate Biology. 126(3): 310-317. |
| 2005 | Uyeno, T.A. and W.M. Kier. Functional morphology of the cephalopod buccal mass: a novel joint type. Journal of Morphology. 264:211-222. |