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Alumni Leadership Award

University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Kinesiology

Dr. Rhonda Prisby was born and raised in Ohio and received a BA from Hiram College, a master’s degree in Exercise Science from Â鶹´«Ã½ and a doctorate in Exercise Physiology from the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University. After completing post-doctoral fellowships in vascular physiology/microcirculation (at Texas A&M University and West Virginia University School of Medicine) and in bone biology (at the Université Jean Monnet [Université de Lyon] Faculté de Médecine, Saint Etienne, France), she established the Bone Vascular and Microcirculation Laboratory in 2009 at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Currently, she is a Distinguished University Professor at UTA where she works in the Department of Kinesiology and is also an Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Bioengineering. She investigates the interaction between the vascular system and the skeleton. For example, how vascular pathology contributes to bone diseases such as osteoporosis. More specifically, she studies endothelial and vascular smooth muscle function in relation to various therapeutic agents and surgical interventions, mostly under the paradigm of advanced age. Her scholarship as garnered over $2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the National Science Foundation, and private industry. Her research and service efforts (e.g., Chair of the DEI Committee of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate at UTA) have been acknowledged by professional societies (e.g., honored as a Fellow of the American Physiological Society [FAPS] and American Society for Bone and Mineral Research [FASMBR], received the Shirley Hohl Service Award from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, recognized as a Hidden Figures of Dallas by the National Society of Black Engineers DFW Professionals Chapter, etc.) and UTA (e.g., an Outstanding Research Achievement or Creative Accomplishment Awardee, inductee of Academy of Distinguished Scholars). In addition, she serves as the PI and Program Director for THRIVE by ASBMR, a 5-year grant awarded by the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases to the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research to enhance workforce diversity.

Proudest Accomplishments:

• The demonstration that the spatial proximity of bone marrow blood vessels next to bone forming sites may be more important for building bone than the number of blood vessels present within bone.
• The demonstration of severe mineralization and calcification of blood vessels within bone (i.e., bone marrow blood vessel ossification), which may contribute to Osteopathology.
• The demonstration of circulating ossified particles (i.e., particles that are bone-like in nature) in rodents and humans, which may contribute to a host of ailments.
• The demonstration of bone-like fragments in the vital organs of rodents that increase in size with advancing age.
• Recipient of the multi-PI, 5-year grant to enhance workforce diversity from the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, which totals $729,000.00.