Research groups within this theme have an established international reputation in several areas, including: i) the assessment of central nervous system and skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise, using sophisticated neurophysiological techniques (including transcranial magnetic stimulation) to probe the brain-to-muscle pathway, ii) the application of functional foods and other preventative and therapeutic interventions to facilitate recovery from exercise, iii) measurement of skeletal muscle and connective tissue and their adaptation to exercise and iv) the study of biochemical and molecular responses to exercise and recovery interventions.
Many of these areas of research have been established in collaboration with external partners in industry and elite sport, including the English Institute of Sport, GlaxoSmithKline, the Cherry Marketing Institute, Nicholas Institute of Sport Medicine and Trauma, UEFA, Newcastle United and Sunderland Football Clubs, and the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme, amongst others. Collectively, these endeavors have advanced our understanding of the myriad of factors that impact on human performance; the results of which have significant practical implications to elite athletes seeking small, but nonetheless vital gains in performance at one end of the continuum, to recreational exercisers motivated to lead a healthy lifestyle at the other. Critically our motivation to take an interdicsiplianry and collaborative approach with colleagues across themes and the university, and with researchers nationally and internationally, has led to our work in this theme expanding and being translated to a range of clinical, diseased and ‘at risk’ populations. It is here that that the fruits of our research are being used to improve health outcomes and quality of life.
