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AARON MORTON
Assistant Professor
Curriculum Vitae
Aaron B. Morton, Ph.D., investigates regeneration of skeletal muscle and indwelling neurovascular tissues following conditions of injury and disease as well as investigating the emerging field of inorganic biomaterials for soft tissue applications. In particular, Dr. Morton is interested in the interactions of Schwann cells and endothelial cells during muscle regeneration and the biochemical/biophysical cues from inorganic borophosphate materials as applied to soft tissue regeneration. Dr. Morton is currently the director of the Soft Tissue Regeneration and Applied Biomaterials (STRAB) Laboratory at Texas A&M University.
Education
Ph.D., Exercise Physiology, University of Florida (2018)
M.S., Exercise Science, University of West Florida (2013)
B.S., Exercise Science, Harding University (2010)
PATENTS
Morton, AB., Nghiem, PP., Kendra, JA., Reacted Matrix (RM) for Dispersion of Stem Cells (covers original biomaterial development and ability to disperse stem cells in animals, permitting implantation and incorporation). U.S. Provisional Patent (No. 63/754,943) filed 2/6/2025 by the Texas A&M University System.
Morton, AB., Segal, SS., Brow, RK., Semon, J., Biomaterial Compositions and Methods of Treatment (covers original biomaterial development and treatment methods for a variety of muscle injuries and diseases) U.S. Full Patent (No. 63/260,858) filed 9/1/22
RESEARCH SUPPORT
GRANTS AUTHORED AND AWARDED TAMU Advancing Discovery to Market Morton (PI) 2023-2025 Effectiveness and Toxicology of Dystrophix in a Large Animal Model of Muscle Dystrophy Total Direct Costs: $495,972 Role: Principal Investigator NIH Loan Repayment Award for Pediatric Research Morton (PI) 2020-2022 Mechanisms of Neurovascular Crosstalk in Skeletal Muscle Regeneration APS Postdoctoral Fellowship Morton (PI) 2019-2020 Mechanisms of Neurovascular Crosstalk in Skeletal Muscle Regeneration Total Costs: $50,000 Role: Principal Investigator Coulter Biomedical Accelerator Segal (PI) 2021-2023 Timed-Release Ion Matrix for Treatment of Muscular Dystrophy Total Costs: $99,987 Role: Grant Author and Designated Project Leader
SERVICE
Reviewing Activity: eCells & Materials Connective Tissue Research Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Science Biology Neural Regeneration Research Journal of Critical Care Research and Practice Royal Society Open Science Frontiers in Physiology American Journal of Physiology – Heart Microcirculation Annals of Palliative Medicine Departmental Service: Graduate Student Space Committee Spring 2023 Graduate Scholarship Awards Committee Spring 2023 Judge: Texas Junior Academy of Science Spring 2023 Poster Judge: Texas Junior Academy of Science Fall 2022 Cardiovascular Research Day 2020 planning committee member
COURSES TAUGHT
KINE427. Therapeutic Principles
Therapeutic Principles. (3-0). Credit 3. Examination of human tissue types, characteristics, and physiology pertaining to injury, pain transmission, and the healing process; study of common therapeutic modalities such as ultrasound and electricity with emphasis on physiological mechanisms of effect.
Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023
KINE433. Exercise Physiology
This course provides an introduction to the physiology of exercise. It builds on the student’s knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, and describes the acute effects of exercise and the influence of chronic exercise training on the various functional systems in different populations and under different environmental conditions. In addition, the importance of exercise to health and wellness will be considered from a physiological perspective.
Spring 2023
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Highlighed Publications
Jacobsen NL, Morton AB, Segal SS. Angiogenesis precedes myogenesis during regeneration following biopsy injury of skeletal muscle. Skelet Muscle. 2023 Feb 14;13(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s13395-023-00313-3. PMID: 36788624; PMCID: PMC9926536.
Morton, Aaron B et al. “Functionalizing biomaterials to promote neurovascular regeneration following skeletal muscle injury.” American journal of physiology. Cell physiology vol. 320,6 (2021): C1099-C1111. doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00501.2020
Morton AB, Norton CE, Jacobsen NL, Fernando CA, Cornelison DDW, Segal SS. Barium chloride injures myofibers through calcium-induced proteolysis with fragmentation of motor nerves and microvessels. Skelet Muscle. 2019 Nov 6;9(1):27. doi: 10.1186/s13395-019-0213-2. PMID: 31694693; PMCID: PMC6833148.
Journal Articles
Kendra JA, Naman AG, Blatt RL, Jones-Hall Y, Zingariello CD, Brow RK, Segal SS, Morton AB. Time Release Ion Matrix Regenerates Dystrophic Skeletal Muscle. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2025 Mar 20:rs.3.rs-5968078. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5968078/v1. PMID: 40166018; PMCID: PMC11957216.
Tiper Y, Xie Z, Hofemeier A, Lad H, Luber M, Krawetz R, Betz T, Zimmermann WH, Morton AB, Segal SS, Gilbert PM. Optimizing electrical field stimulation parameters reveals the maximum contractile function of human skeletal muscle microtissues. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2025 Apr 1;328(4):C1160-C1176. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00308.2024. Epub 2025 Feb 28. PMID: 40019026.
Hall SE, Ahn B, Smuder AJ, Morton AB, Hinkley JM, Wiggs MP, Sollanek KJ, Hyatt H, Powers SK. Comparative Efficacy of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers Against Ventilator-Induced Diaphragm Dysfunction in Rats. Clin Transl Sci. 2021 Mar;14(2):481-486. doi: 10.1111/cts.12916. Epub 2020 Nov 22. PMID: 33222389; PMCID: PMC7993256.
Ichinoseki-Sekine N, Smuder AJ, Morton AB, Hinkley JM, Mor Huertas A, Powers SK. Hydrogen sulfide donor protects against mechanical ventilation-induced atrophy and contractile dysfunction in the rat diaphragm. Clin Transl Sci. 2021 Nov;14(6):2139-2145. doi: 10.1111/cts.13081. Epub 2021 Jun 16. PMID: 34080307; PMCID: PMC8604213.
Huertas AM, Morton AB, Hinkey JM, Ichinoseki-Sekine N, Smuder AJ. Modification of Neuromuscular Junction Protein Expression by Exercise and Doxorubicin. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 Jul;52(7):1477-1484. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002286. PMID: 31985575; PMCID: PMC7901802.
Morton, Aaron B., et al. "Mitochondrial accumulation of doxorubicin in cardiac and diaphragm muscle following exercise preconditioning." Mitochondrion 45 (2019): 52-62.
Conference Presentations
Timed Release Ion Matrix Enhances Muscle Force in Dystrophic Mice. (2023) J Kendra, R Brow, S Segal, A Morton Physiology 38 (S1), 5733472
Inducible deletion of endothelial cell EfnB2 attenuates neuromuscular regeneration in mouse skeletal muscle. (2023) A Morton, N Jacobsen, A Diller, DD Cornelison, S Segal
Physiology 38 (S1), 5730060
Morton, Aaron B., et al. "Which Comes First: Angiogenesis or Myogenesis Following Punch Biopsy Injury?." FASEB journal: official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 36 (2022).
Tiper, Y., et al. "Optimization Of The Electrical Stimulation Parameters For Micro-muscles Engineered From Human Primary Myoblasts." TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A. Vol. 28. 140 HUGUENOT STREET, 3RD FL, NEW ROCHELLE, NY 10801 USA: MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC, 2022.
AWARDS
Microcirculatory Society Pappenheimer Postdoctoral Travel Award 2022
Health Science Research Day Basic Science poster award winner 2021
American Physiological Society IPE best poster award winner 2020
Cardiovascular Day poster award winner 2020
University of Missouri Provost’s Scholar Award 2019-2020