Brent Scott

Brent Scott, PhD, CSCS

Research Associate

WashU in St. Louis

About Me

I’m Brent. Currently, I am a post-doc at Washington University in St. Louis in the department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics studying in the Greenberg Lab. I use in vitro techniques to explore force generation in molecular motors and to characterize the molecular/biophsyical properties of cardiac muscle dysfunction underlying heart disease. My CV is here.

Research

Postdoctoral Research Associate
2022 - Present · Biochemistry & Mocular Biophysics (WashU)
My current research interests involve characterizing the molecular determinents of genetic cardiomyopathies and related heart diseases. I also feel strongly about using/contributing to open source and reproducible science, software, and communities.
Graduate Research Assistant
2016 - 2022 · Muscle Biophysics Lab (UMass Amherst)
My research focus in grad school was in the field of single molecule biophysics. More specifically, my interests included investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of force generation and energy transduction in skeletal muscle myosin II and its associated regulatory proteins, troponin and tropomyosin.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
2015 - 2016 · Neuromuscular Physiology Lab (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)

Teaching

Courses Taught
UMass Amherst · KIN 110 (Human Performance & Nutrition); KIN 470 (Exercise Physiology)
Graduate Teaching Assistant
UMass Amherst · KIN 100 (Introduction to Kinesiology); KIN 110; KIN 394 (Applied Exercise Testing)

Education

Postdoctoral Research Associate
2022 - Present · Washington Unversity in St. Louis
Ph.D. in Kinesiology
2019 - 2022 · University of Massachusetts Amherst
Thesis: What is the relative timing between myosin's powerstroke and phosphate release?
M.S. in Kinesiology
2016 - 2019 · University of Massachusetts Amherst
Thesis: Tropomyosin-Based Effects of Acidosis on Thin-Filament Regulation During Muscle Fatigue
B.S. in Exercise Science
2012 - 2016 · Belmont University

Publications

Journal Articles

2024. Shuyue Liu, Chris Marang, Mike Woodward, Venus Joumaa, Tim Leonard, Brent Scott, Edward Debold, Walter Herzog, and Sam Walcott. Modeling thick filament activation suggests a molecular basis for force depression. Biophysical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2024.01.024.

2023. Scott B & Greenberg MJ. Multiscale biophysical models of cardiomyopathies reveal complexities challenging existing dogmas. Biophysical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2023.11.014.

2023. Marang C, Scott B, Chambers J, Gunther L, Yengo C, & Debold EP. A mutation in switch I alters the load-dependent kinetics of myosin Va. Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38535-0.

2023. Clippinger-Schulte S, Scott B, Barrick S, Stump WT, Blackwell T, Greenberg MJ. Single-molecule mechanics and kinetics of cardiac myosin interacting with regulated thin filaments. Biophysical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2023.05.008.

2021. Scott B, Marang C, Woodward M, & Debold EP. Myosin's powerstroke occurs prior to the release of phosphate from the active site. Cytoskeleton. https://doi.org/10.1002/cm.21682.

2020. Gunther LK, Rohde JA, Tang W, Cirilo JA Jr, Marang CP, Scott BD, Thomas DD, Debold EP, Yengo CM. FRET and optical trapping reveal mechanisms of actin-activation of the power stroke and phosphate-release in myosin V. J Biol Chem. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA120.015632.

2020. Mike Woodward, Eric Ostrander, Seung P. Jeong, Xiarong Liu, Brent Scott, Matt Unger, Jianhan Chen, Dhandapani Venkataraman, Edward P. Debold. Positional Isomers of a Non-Nucleoside Substrate Differentially Affect Myosin Function. . Biophysical Journal 119(3), 567-580.

Proceedings

2021. Mike K Woodward, Eric Ostrander, Brent D Scott, Christopher Marang, Xiaorong Liu, Jianhan Chen, Dhandapani Venkataraman, Edward P Debold. Enhancing Cardiac Myosin Function with an Abiotic Energy Source. Biophysical Journal 120 (3), 249a.

2021. Christopher P Marang, Brent D Scott, Mike K Woodward, Edward P Debold. Tirasemtiv and dATP Synergistically Reverse the Acidosis-induced Depression of Myosin’s Force and Motion Generating Capacity. Biophysical Journal 120 (3), 60a0.

2016. Coolbaugh C., Bush E., Sabin S., Scott B., Damon B., & Towse T. Rapid Onset Vasodilation in the Leg is Greater in Habitual Endurance Runners. The FASEB Journal, 30(1 Supplement), 761.10-761.10.

Projects

lasertrapr
Automated analysis of laser trap data using R Shiny

Skills

Laser Trapping
Data Analysis (R programming)
In Vitro Motility

Hobbies

  • Spending time with my wife and our kiddos
  • Running, biking, kayaking (really anything outdoorsy!)

Alter-ego