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Professor, UNC Charlotte Dept. of Kinesiology
Dr. Lightfoot's general area of research interest is in exercise genomics and he has been fortunate enough to be funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2003. The overall focus of his lab group has been to identify the genetic factors that regulate daily physical activity (yep - physical activity is regulated by genetics!) and exercise endurance. Some of the exciting results from the lab in this area deal with specific chromosomal locations that control daily activity and maximal aerobic capacity as well as the determination that somewhere between 38-52% of a person's physical activity level is probably influenced by genetic factors (so yes, you can be born to be a couch potato!). For more info on 
these studies, go to either his CV or to the left menu where you can access some of the lab's papers directly.
Additionally, for many years, Tim was consumed with the search for the mechanisms that cause the human body to go into uncompensated shock. He has worked in that area from 1985-1999 and did primarily human experimentation in this area (the studies with the cardiac transplants patients were the coolest!).
While his shock research went on the back-burner when it was clear that funding agencies really weren't interested in the physiological mechanisms that make you faint, his central location in "stock-car" racing central (i.e. Charlotte, NC) and his passion for racing (yes, he and his wife owned a stock-car racing team for six years) has led to some recent work with several of the stock-car teams in the Charlotte area. No publications there yet, but hopefully they'll be coming!
Additionally, Dr. Lightfoot has research interests in other areas. He has publications in areas as diverse as the factors that can prevent or alleviate delayed onset muscle soreness, to the efficacy of campus rape prevention programs. Fun, huh?
Dr. Lightfoot, besides his other duties also teaches a few courses per year, with his primary responsibilities being the undergraduate Exercise Physiology classes, and Graduate Introductory classes.
Probably most importantly, he spends the rest of his life adoring his wife, Faith, riding on her on their tandem bike, and traveling in their motorcoach with their five dogs (yes, he also used to drive a race car). If you really need to be put to sleep, you can pull up Dr. Lightfoot's complete vita.
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Questions regarding this page and associated pages can be sent via e-mail to Tim Lightfoot at TLightfoot@uncc.edu
