Dr. Nigel Jiwan joined the Hope College faculty in fall 2024 and teaches a variety of courses in the Department of Kinesiology. His research focuses on understanding the effects of nutritional supplements, exercise interventions and physical modalities on muscle damage and physical performance in both healthy and clinical populations.

Areas of Expertise

• Muscle physiology
• Sports/nutritional supplementation
• Resistance training
• Physical modalities
• Sports and physical performance

Education

• Ph.D., exercise physiology, Texas Tech University, 2024
• M.S., exercise science, Texas State University, 2020
• B.S., physical therapy, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, 2018

Honors, Grants & Awards

• Graduate Student Research Support Award, Texas Tech University (2024)
• William Galey Teaching Scholarship Award, American Physiological Society (2024)
• Doctoral Student Research Development Grant- Texas American College of Sports Medicine (2023)
• Mortar Board Apple Polishing Award, Texas Tech University (2023)
• Helen Devitt Jones Fellowship, Texas Tech University (2020-2023)
• Outstanding Graduate Student Nominee, Texas State University (2020)

Selected Publications

• “Passive dehydration reduces muscle thickness after resistance exercise,” with C.R. Appell, Y. Sekiguchi and H.Y. Luk, Journal of Sports Science, e-pub ahead of print, 2025
• “Curcumin Mitigates Muscle Atrophy Potentially by Attenuating Calcium Signaling and Inflammation in a Spinal Nerve Ligation Model,” with C.R. Appell, C.-L. Shen and H.-Y. Luk (2024) Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 46, 2024
• “The Effect of Geranylgeraniol and Ginger on Satellite Cells Myogenic State in Type 2 Diabetic Rats,” with C.R. Appell, R. Sterling, C.-L. Shen and H.-Y. Luk, Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 46, 2024 
• “Relationships Between Morning Thirst and Later Hydration Status and Total Water Intake,” with K.B. Elliott et al., Nutrients, 16(18), 2024. 
• “Eccentric muscle-damaging exercise in the heat lowers cellular stress prior to and immediately following future exertional-heat exposure,” with R.A. Dunn et al., Cell Stress & Chaperones, S1355–8145(24), advance online publication, 2024
• “Ginger Root Supplementation Attenuated Mitochondrial Fusion and Improved Skeletal Muscle Size in Type 2 Diabetic Rats,” with C.R. Appell, R. Wang, C.L. Shen, and H.Y. Luk,  In Vivo (Athens, Greece), 38(1), 2024 
• “The WUT (Weight, Urine Color, and Thirst) Venn Diagram is an Accurate Tool Compared to Urinary and Blood Markers for Hydration Assessment at Morning and Afternoon Timepoints in Euhydrated and Free-Living Individuals,” with M.S. Keefe et al., The British Journal of Nutrition, advance online publication, 2023
• “Storing urine samples with moisture preserves urine hydration marker stability up to 21 days. International urology and nephrology,” with C.R. Appell et al., advance online publication, 2023
• “Effect of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Training on Control of Involuntary Muscular Torque and Stimulation Intensity in Older Adults,” with K.P. Ramirez and J.A. Mettler, International Journal of Exercise Science, 16.3, 2023
• “Geranylgeraniol Supplementation Mitigates Soleus Muscle Atrophy via Changes in Mitochondrial Quality in Diabetic Rats,” with C.R. Appell, R. Wang, C.L. Shen and H.Y. Luk, In Vivo (Athens, Greece), 36.6, 2022 
• “Sex Specific Mitochondrial Dynamics and Mitophagy Response to Muscle Damage,” with H.Y. Luk, C.R. Appell, D.E. Levitt, J.L. Vingren, Physiological Reports, 2022 
• “Differential Autophagy Response in Men and Women After Muscle Damage,” with H.Y. Luk, C. Appell, D.E. Levitt and J.L. Vingren, Frontiers in Physiology, 2021
• “Intra-trunk and arm coordination displayed by Olympic rowing athletes,” with Y. Li, R.M. Koldenhoven, J. Zhan and T. Liu, Sports Biomechanics, advance online publication, 2021
• “Trunk and shoulder kinematics of rowing displayed by Olympic athletes,” with Y. Li, R.M. Koldenhoven, J.  Zhan and T. Liu, Sports Biomechanics, advance online publication, 2020 

Outside the College

Outside of work, Nigel enjoys staying active through sports and exercise, as well as watching sports. He enjoys playing racket sports, beach volleyball and lifting weights. Nigel also loves cooking and traveling, exploring new cuisines and cultures along the way.