Linda Pescatello
Distinguished Professor
Titles:
Professor
CPD
Academic Degrees:
Exercise Science, University of Connecticut, PhD
Exercise Science, University of Connecticut, MA
Biological Sciences, University of Connecticut, BS
Postdoctorate Research, John B. Pierce Foundation, Yale University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise:
Cardiovascular Physiology
Hypertension
Exercise Prescription for Special Populations
Exercise & Aging
Health Promotion
Industrial Wellness
Biography:
Linda S. Pescatello, PhD, FACSM, CPD, is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut, Storrs campus. She holds joint appointments in the Departments of Physiology and Neurobiology, Nutritional Sciences, and Allied Health Sciences. She was a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and the Academic Program Development Task Force Subcommittee, and is currently a faculty member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Concentration of the Center for Public Health and Health Policy. Dr. Pescatello is a principal investigator and member of the executive committee of the Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention (or CHIP), and an affiliate of the Connecticut Center for Excellence for Eliminating Health Disparities among Latinos at the University of Connecticut. She has consultant privileges in the Division of Cardiology, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, and is a Research Scientist for the Department of Health Promotion at New Britain General Hospital, New Britain, CT. Prior to receiving an appointment at the University of Connecticut, she directed the Department of Health Promotion and cardiac rehabilitation program at New Britain General Hospital for 10 years, and taught exercise physiology in the Physical Therapy Program at the University of Hartford for 2 years. Her research has evolved from her work with patients in clinical settings.
Dr. Pescatello has been funded by the American Heart Association for her work on exercise and hypertension; Pratt & Whitney Corporation for research relating to comprehensive worksite health promotion interventions; and the United States Department of Agriculture for providing personal training physical activity interventions to adolescent, overweight, minority girls. As a member of the Exercise Science and Genetics Collaborative Research Group, she had been funded by Donaghue Medical Research Foundation for her research related to exercise genomics; and was a site co-principal investigator of a 5 year multi-center grant project entitled, Functional Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated with Human Size and Strength, funded by the National Institutes of Health, Aging and Neurological Disorders and Stroke. She is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for her research examining the effects of cholesterol medications on exercise-induced muscle injury and the efficacy of contingency management in reducing obesity and improving indicators of cardiovascular health in obese individuals; the National Institutes of Health and National Institutes on Drug Abuse to evaluate a novel contingency management intervention that reinforces participation in low intensity physical activity among HIV and cocaine substance abusers; the National Institutes of Health and National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to investigate exercise and contingency management and physical activity as interventions to reduce hazardous drinking among college students; and the National Dairy Council for her investigation of the influence of whey protein supplementation and resistance training on ambulatory blood pressure.
She has authored over 80 scientific publications on exercise and hypertension, exercise prescription for special populations particularly older adults and those with cardiometabolic disease, genetic determinants of the exercise response, and worksite health promotion interventions. Dr. Pescatello was the associate editor for the 8th edition of American College of Sports Medicine’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription and has been named the senior editor of the 9th edition of these guidelines that will be published in 2013. She has been actively involved with the American College of Sports Medicine throughout her career serving as a regional chapter President, Board of Trustee, Vice President of Research, Health and Policy, and Chair of the Pronouncements Committee.
Funded Research:
genetic and clinical determinants of the immediate antihypertensive effects of exercise
genetic determinants of habitual physical activity
genetic determinants of the muscle size and strength response to resistance training
the effect of statins on skeletal muscle function
the influence of whey protein supplementation and resistance training on blood pressure
exercise as an intervention for hazardous drinking among young adults
physical activity and contingency management as an intervention for HIV-positive and cocaine substance abusers
efficacy of exercise interventions following cancer diagnosis: a meta-analysis
the metabolic syndrome, blood pressure and mental health among men at the worksite
the efficacy of contingency management and physical activity in reducing obesity and improving indicators of cardiovascular health in overweight and obese individuals
Selected Publications/Presentations:
Pescatello LS. The promises and challenges of the use of genomics in the prescription of exercise for hypertension. Cur Hypertens Rev 6: 32-34, 2010.
Honors/Awards:
Citation Award, American College of Sports Medicine, 2011
Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence and Dean’s Research Award, University of Connecticut, School of Allied Health 1999-2003
Community Health Charities of Connecticut Workplace Silver/Bronze Award, Pratt & Whitney Corp 2001, 2000
Outstanding Sports/Leisure Professional Award, University of Connecticut Neag School of Education 1999
Honor Award, New England American College of Sports Medicine, 1998
Associations/Committees/Outreach:
American College of Sports Medicine
American Public Health Association
American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
![Linda Pescatello](https://kins.media.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/622/2018/09/Linda-Pescatello.jpg)
linda.pescatello@uconn.edu | |
Phone | 860 486–0008 |
Mailing Address | 2095 Hillside Rd, Unit 1110 Storrs, CT 06269-1110 |
Office Location | Gampel Pavilion 206 |