Sudarshan Dayanidhi, PT, PhD

Sudarshan Dayanidhi, PT, PhD

Research Scientist
Assistant Professor
Contact

About Me

Developmental injuries such as those of either the central or peripheral nervous system have a significant impact on the function of the musculoskeletal system. They negatively affect childhood growth, quality of life, and the ability of these children to actively participate in their environment. Over the past 20 years I have worked both clinically as a pediatric physical therapist and as a researcher to understand musculoskeletal development and its dysfunction due to injuries to the nervous system at birth. To better enable me in this endeavor I have sought diverse training in pediatric physical therapy, mechanical engineering and biomechanics. My doctoral work in neuroscience, postdoctoral work in muscle physiology and metabolism are all related to childhood development. My current research focuses on:

  • A) The role of muscle stem cells dysfunction in impaired musculoskeletal growth in children with cerebral palsy and
  • B) The contribution of altered muscle metabolism to increased energy expenditure in children with cerebral palsy.

Location

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

355 East Erie

Chicago, IL 60611

Education & Training

    Education
    2007 - 2012
    Ph.D., Biokinesiology, University of Southern California
    2007 - 2010
    M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California
    2000 - 2003
    M.S., Pediatric Physical Therapy, Drexel University
    1995 - 1999
    B.Sc., Physical Therapy, University of Mumbai
    Postdoctoral Fellowship
    2012 - 2015
    Postdoctoral Fellowship, Muscle Physiology, University of California, San Diego

Featured Research

Resident muscle stem cell myogenic characteristics in postnatal muscle growth impairments in children with cerebral palsy.
American journal of physiology. Cell physiology
doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00499.2022

Kahn RE,
Krater T,
Larson JE,
Encarnacion M,
Karakostas T,
Patel NM,
Swaroop VT,
Dayanidhi S

Recent Publications

Time-of-day effects on ex vivo muscle contractility following short-term satellite cell ablation.
Kahn RE, Lieber RL, Meza G, Dinnunhan F, Lacham-Kaplan O, Dayanidhi S, Hawley JA
American journal of physiology. Cell physiology
doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00157.2024
Sex-specific preservation of neuromuscular function and metabolism following systemic transplantation of multipotent adult stem cells in a murine model of progeria.
Thompson SD, Barrett KL, Rugel CL, Redmond R, Rudofski A, Kurian J, Curtin JL, Dayanidhi S, Lavasani M
GeroScience
doi: 10.1007/s11357-023-00892-5
Lifelong Fitness in Ambulatory Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy I: Key Ingredients for Bone and Muscle Health.
Moreau NG, Friel KM, Fuchs RK, Dayanidhi S, Sukal-Moulton T, Grant-Beuttler M, Peterson MD, Stevenson RD, Duff SV
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
doi: 10.3390/bs13070539
Molecular clocks, satellite cells, and skeletal muscle regeneration.
Kahn RE, Dayanidhi S, Lacham-Kaplan O, Hawley JA
American journal of physiology. Cell physiology
doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00073.2023
Mitochondrial Complex Abundance, Mitophagy Proteins, and Physical Performance in People With and Without Peripheral Artery Disease.
Picca A, Wohlgemuth SE, McDermott MM, Saini SK, Dayanidhi S, Zhang D, Xu S, Kosmac K, Tian L, Ferrucci L, Sufit RL, Marzetti E, Leeuwenburgh C
Journal of the American Heart Association
doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.027088
Resident muscle stem cell myogenic characteristics in postnatal muscle growth impairments in children with cerebral palsy.
Kahn RE, Krater T, Larson JE, Encarnacion M, Karakostas T, Patel NM, Swaroop VT, Dayanidhi S
American journal of physiology. Cell physiology
doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00499.2022
Cigarette smoking and mitochondrial dysfunction in peripheral artery disease.
Guo M, McDermott MM, Dayanidhi S, Leeuwenburgh C, Wohlgemuth S, Ferrucci L, Peterson CA, Kosmac K, Tian L, Zhao L, Sufit R, Ho K, Criqui M, Xu S, Zhang D, Greenland P
Vascular medicine (London, England)
doi: 10.1177/1358863X221143152
Energetics of walking in individuals with cerebral palsy and typical development, across severity and age: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Nardon M, Ruzzante F, O'Donnell L, Adami A, Dayanidhi S, Bertucco M
Gait & posture
doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.09.190
Skeletal muscle maximal mitochondrial activity in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy.
Dayanidhi S, Buckner EH, Redmond RS, Chambers HG, Schenk S, Lieber RL
Developmental medicine and child neurology
doi: 10.1111/dmcn.14785
Stretch-induced satellite cell deformation incontracturedmuscles in children with cerebral palsy.
Dykstra PB, Dayanidhi S, Chambers HG, Lieber RL
Journal of biomechanics
doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110635
Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Physiology in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Considerations for Healthy Aging.
Dayanidhi S
Frontiers in neurology
doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.735009
Walking Exercise Therapy Effects on Lower Extremity Skeletal Muscle in Peripheral Artery Disease.
McDermott MM, Dayanidhi S, Kosmac K, Saini S, Slysz J, Leeuwenburgh C, Hartnell L, Sufit R, Ferrucci L
Circulation research
doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.121.318242
Early death of ALS-linked CHCHD10-R15L transgenic mice with central nervous system, skeletal muscle, and cardiac pathology.
Ryan ÉB, Yan J, Miller N, Dayanidhi S, Ma YC, Deng HX, Siddique T
iScience
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102061

Honors & Awards

  • Nominated for Gayle G. Arnold Award for Excellence (Co-Author)
    Chad Hanaoka (lead author) nominated for best paper in the 77th annual meeting of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM), 2023
  • NCMRR Early Career Research Award
    National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) Early Career Research Award (R03), 2018
  • Nominated for Best Paper at EACD
    Nominated for Best Paper at the 29th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability, 2017
  • GCMAS Best Paper Award (Co-author)
    Best paper in the 24th annual meeting of the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society (GCMAS), 2014
  • Gayle G. Arnold Award for Excellence
    Best paper in the 67th annual meeting of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM), 2013
  • Neuromuscular Plasticity Scholar
    Invited Poster at University of Florida Neuromuscular Plasticity Symposium, 2011

Grants

  • Muscle stem cell metabolism in ambulatory and non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy
    Role: PI
    Shirley Ryan AbilityLab,
    Catalyst Foundational Grant, 2022 - 2024
  • Role of muscle stem cells in sarcomere addition and contractures
    Role: PI
    National Institutes of Health,
    R03 HD094602, 2018 - 2021
  • Muscle stem cell dysfunction in muscular contractures in children with cerebral palsy
    Role: PI
    American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine
    Research Grant, 2018 - 2020
  • BEET root juice to reverse functional impairment in PAD:The BEET PAD Trial
    Role: Co-I, McDermott (PI)
    National Institutes of Health,
    R01 AG073257, 2022 - 2027
  • COCOA flavanols to improve walking performance in PAD: the COCOA-PAD II Trial
    Role: Co-I, McDermott (PI)
    National Institutes of Health,
    R01 AG068458, 2021 - 2026
  • Calf skeletal muscle pathology and disability in peripheral artery disease
    Role: Co-I, McDermott (PI)
    American Heart Association,
    18SFRN33900097, 2018 - 2022
  • Muscle Metabolism and Mechanical Efficiency in Cerebral Palsy
    Role: Co-I, Lieber (PI)
    National Institutes of Health
    R03 HD086585, 2015 - 2017

Research Interests

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Satellite Cells (Muscle Stem Cells)
  • Mitochondria
  • Pediatric Physical Therapy

Professional Affiliations

  • Member
    American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, 2013

My Lab

Pediatric Muscle Physiology Lab

We study muscle stem cells in impaired musculoskeletal growth and muscle metabolism in children with cerebral palsy.

view lab

Work History

  • 2015 - Present
    Research Scientist
    Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
  • 2012 - 2015
    Postdoctoral Research Associate
    Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA
  • 2007 - 2012
    Graduate Assistant
    Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2003 - 2007
    Physical Therapist
    Motion Analysis Lab, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Philadelphia, PA

Professional Colleagues

Linda Ehrlich-Jones
Linda Ehrlich-Jones, RN, PhD
Associate Director, Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research
Research Professor, of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine
View Profile
View All