Muscle and Exercise Research Group

Group Members

The Muscle and exercise group has a broad interest in studying skeletal muscle function in animals and human subjects.  The group is currently investigating most aspects of this fascinating tissue including molecular properties, force production, muscle injury and proprioception as it relates to exercise, sport performance and health.       

The group has considerable intellectual breadth with members having active collaboration with other Physiology research groups, and with staff in other Medical Faculty departments and in affiliated hospitals and research institutes, and with staff in the Engineering Faculty.

The group's research is well supported by national competitive grants (ARC, NHMRC) with several members having uninterrupted research grant support since the early 70's.

Current research interests include:

• Molecular mechanisms of the training response in skeletal muscle.
• Altitude and performance.
• Training strategies for enhanced endurance performance. 
• Exercise, insulin resistance, diabetes and heart disease in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• The effects of fatigue on muscle force sensation.
• The effects of fatigue on the senses of position and movement of the limbs.
• Passive warm-up stretches, passive tension and pain after eccentric exercise.
• Muscle pain and position sense.

Current investigations requiring volunteers