Biography and education
Stacy D. Hunter received her Ph.D. in Clinical Exercise Physiology from the University of Texas at Austin where she studied the effects of yoga on vascular function in the Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory. A yoga practitioner since 2008, she has now published several pioneering studies on the impact of yoga on vascular endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and glucose tolerance and presented her findings at teacher trainings, yoga studios and symposia in the U.S. and abroad. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas State University where she continues her investigation into the acute and chronic effects of yoga on vascular health and other coronary heart disease risk factors in healthy and clinical subpopulations.
Featured grants
- Hunter, Stacy Denise (Principal). Yoga postures and slow deep breathing in altering mechanistic outcomes in hypertension, NIH NCCIH, Federal, $408493. (Submitted: March 2021, Funded: December 1, 2021 - November 30, 2024). Grant.
- Hunter, Stacy Denise, Brasfield, Karen (Co-Principal). Effects of hot yoga on renal sodium handling in African Americans, REP, Texas State University, $4262. (Submitted: October 9, 2020, Funded: January 2021 - Present). Grant.
- Hunter, Stacy Denise. Acute effects of vinyasa yoga on lipid profile and fasting glucose, Pure Action, Inc., Private / Foundation / Corporate, $770. (Submitted: 2018, Funded: 2018). Grant.
- Hunter, Stacy Denise. The Effects of Bikram Yoga on Vascular Health in Hypertensive Adults, Research Enhancement Program, Texas State University, $8000. (Funded: January 2018 - May 2019). Grant.
Featured scholarly/creative works
- Jeong, S., Hunter, S. D., Cook, M. D., Grosicki, G. J., & Robinson, A. T. (2024). Salty subjects: Unpacking racial differences in salt-sensitive hypertension. Current Hypertension Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-023-01275-z
- Hunter, S. D. (2023). Exploring heated exercise as a means of preventing the deleterious effects of high-sodium intake in Black women. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 324(6), H833–H839.
- Pingali, H., & Hunter, S. D. (2023). Exploring mechanisms of blood pressure regulation in response to device-guided and non-device-guided slow breathing: A mini review. Autonomic Neuroscience, 244.
- Hunter, S. D. (2022). Device-guided slow breathing alters postprandial oxidative stress in young adult males: A randomized sham-controlled crossover trial. Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, 33(1), 203–209.
- Jurek, M. K., Seavey, H., Guidry, M., Slomka, E., & Hunter, S. D. (2021). Slow deep breathing improves microvascular endothelial function but not symptoms in adults with irritable bowel syndrome. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 34(5), e14275.
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: The American Physiological Society (APS)select Distinction in Scholarship in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology for the article “Exploring heated exercise as a means of preventing the deleterious effects of high-sodium intake in Black women”, The American Physiological Society. June 1, 2023 - Present
- Award / Honor Recipient: College Achievement Award, Texas State University. February 2022 - Present
- Award / Honor Recipient: Leadership & Diversity Training Program renewal, American College of Sports Medicine. September 2020 - June 2021
- Award / Honor Recipient: Leadership & Diversity Training Program acceptance, American College of Sports Medicine. January 2019 - December 2019
- Award / Honor Recipient: FASEB MARC Travel Award. 2009
Featured service activities
- Member
Athletic Training Search Committee
- Member
College of Education PI Working Group
- Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
- Member
Personnel Committee
- Member
Rehabilitation Sciences/Athletic Training Search Committee
- Member
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Professional Development for Faculty Committee