Health across the lifespan

I am the Associate Dean (Engagement), and an Associate Professor, research fellow, and physiotherapist in the School of Allied Health at Murdoch University, Australia. My PhD (2009-2012, University of Glasgow, UK) was inspired by my clinical experiences and focused on understanding the feasibility, acceptability and clinical outcomes associated with clinical exercise interventions in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS)

Our current research program centres on improving health—specifically metabolic health—through increased exercise participation in children and adults. We are specifically interested in the biological (metabolic) mechanisms which explain the individual improvements in response to increased exercise (the why); strategies leading to increased exercise participation and additional healthy lifestyle choices (the how); integrating this information to better inform clinicians/practitioners in prescribing individualised exercise and healthy-lifestyle programs (the what).

I conduct multi- and inter-disciplinary health-related research, concentrating on how well and how much people move, and how that movement changes throughout the lifespan - including physical activity in children; movement profiles of high-performance athletes; and how movement changes as we age and with neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia or Parkinson’s.

I am a senior lecturer in sports and exercise psychology. My key research interests are: The mental health and well-being of expert performers (i.e., circus artists, athletes); The mobility, mental health and well-being of people with disabilities (i.e., visual impairments); Qualitative and mixed methods research design.

I am an exercise scientist, lecturer, and researcher in the School of Allied Health at Murdoch University, focusing on optimizing exercise interventions for metabolic and paediatric populations. My research spans diabetes, exercise timing, and physical activity and sports promotion in youth. I teach across several undergraduate units in exercise science and supervise higher-degree research students. I hold an adjunct research role at the University of Western Australia and collaborate with industry and health partners (Kids Research Institute) to ensure clinical impact.

Brendan is an Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow at Murdoch University, where his current research on blood flow restricted exercise is funded by an NHMRC Investigator Grant. He received his PhD from the University of Newcastle in 2016, which investigated the effects of hypoxia on acute responses to resistance exercise. He has published >80 scientific articles and 2 book chapters, focused on exercise with systemic hypoxia (simulated altitude) and localised hypoxia (blood flow restriction), as well as optimising methods to monitor athletic training.

My research aims to develop and implement interventions that can enhance brain health in older adults. My research program integrates cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, exercise science, genetics, and biostatistics to characterise the impact of physical activity on the brain and understand the underlying mechanisms.

I am interested in cervical spine alignment (lordotic and non-lordotic subtypes) and the influence altered alignment has on balance control and advancing early osseous degenerative changes in the cervical spine. My current research has considered the potential influence altered alignment has on degeneration in the cervical spine. Whereas my future research will investigate potential therapies aimed at reducing the likelihood of the early progression of cervical spine degenerative changes and enhancement of balance control.

I am a Sport and Exercise Scientist and Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) with teaching and research experience across exercise and sports science, exercise nutrition, clinical exercise physiology, and health promotion.