Sports Physiology and Nutrition
Our Sports Physiology and Nutrition Research Group investigates the physiological responses and adaptations to exercise, and determines the efficacy and application of novel training, nutrition and ergogenic interventions to enhance sport performance.
Research themes
- Performance physiology (Andrew Kilding, Ed Maunder and Dan Plews)
- Exercise metabolism (Ed Maunder)
- Fatigue in exercise and sport (Simeon Cairns)
- Environmental physiology (Andrew Kilding and Ed Maunder)
- Nutrition for strength and body recomposition (Eric Helms)
- Nutrition for Sport Performance (Caryn Zinn, Andrew Kilding, Dan Plews)
- Clinical Exercise Physiology (Matt Wood)
If you're interested in pursuing postgraduate study and research with us, contact one of the researchers listed above. More information about the range of research topics within these general themes can be found below.
Our activities and students
Our research team has interest and expertise across a wide range of sport and exercise physiology research areas. Many supervising staff have identified priority research areas and are available to supervise new research students. See below for details and please contact any of the SPaN team if your interests align:
A/Prof Simeon Cairns
Muscle and exercise fatigue, supplementation and performance, high-intensity exercise, electrolytes, carbohydrate, team-sport
Priority areas of interest: Fatigue
Dr Eric Helms
Bodybuilding, weight class, hypertrophy, body composition, strength
Priority areas of interest: Improving strength, altering body composition
Prof Andrew Kilding
Endurance physiology, running economy, female athlete physiology, team sport conditioning, ergogenic aids, strategies to maximise aerobic adaptations and performance, heat stress/acclimation for performance
Priority areas of interest: Running economy, Team sport conditioning, Female athlete physiology
Dr Ed Maunder
Mitochondrial adaptation, durability, substrate metabolism, endurance physiology, heat stress
Priority areas of interest: Mitochondrial adaptation, Durability, Fatty acid metabolism
Dr Dan Plews
Ergogenic aids, micro-nutrient usage, recovery and sustainable training, durability, Carbohydrate restriction
Priority areas of interest: Right Fuel, Right Time training manipulation; Specific CHO supplementation for endurance performance; micro-nutrient usage for recovery, HRV and inflammation in athletes.
Matt Wood
Optimising exercise for health outcomes. Multi-component lifestyle strategies/health delivery models. Responses and adaptations to exercise in clinical populations.
Priority areas of interest: Optimising exercise strategies and health delivery models.
A/Prof Caryn Zinn
Dietary practice and manipulation for performance and health. Carbohydrate-restriction. Special population elite and recreational athletes (T2Diabetes).
Priority areas of interest: Carbohydrate-periodisation; continuous glucose-monitoring (CGM) use.
PhD Candidates
- SangHoon Yoon
Potassium-carbohydrate interaction during fatigue induced by high intensity exercise in females and males
Supervisors: Simeon Cairns, Ed Maunder - Kedric Kwan
Assessing and optimising rapid weight loss strategies for the weight class restricted strength athlete.
Supervisors: Eric Helms - Andrew King
Acute Carbohydrate Strategies for Resistance Training Performance
Supervisors: Eric Helm, Caryn Zinn - Jessica Erin Bush
Impact of Resistance Training on the Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Response in Elite Sprint Endurance Athletes
Supervisors: Andrew Kilding, Paul Laursen, Daniel Plews - Frans Van Der Merwe
The loading demands on youth field hockey players during the competitive season
Supervisors: Craig Harrison, Andrew Kilding - Nicholas Shedd
Sleep and Physical Performance in Professional Baseball Players
Supervisors: Andrew Kilding, Jordan McIntyre - Weston Titus
Cannabidiol (CBD) use in Athletic Humans: Effects on Exercise and Recovery
Supervisors: Andrew Kilding, Matthew Schubert (Cal State San Marcos) - Bryant Byrd
Effects of ischemic preconditioning on exercise performance in elite athletes
Supervisors: Andrew Kilding, Gary Guilder (Western Colorado University), Lance Dalleck (Western Colorado University) - Jeffrey Rothschild
Effects of Carbohydrate or Protein Ingestion on Adaptations to Endurance Training
Supervisors: Daniel Plews, Andrew Kilding - Tanuj Wadhi
Using Machine-Learning and IoT Sensors to Assess Athlete Recovery
Supervisors: Daniel Plews
Master’s Students
- Kai Homer
The effect of Carbohydrate Loading on Subjective Bodybuilding Scoring, Muscle Size, and Mood States
Supervisors: Eric Helms - Hubert Korybut-Woroniecki
The Cost Of Oxygen Transport and Muscular Oxygenation During Human Locomotion in Heat and Altitude
Supervisors: Andrew Kilding, Franck Brocherie (INSEP) - Doreen Zhu
Effects of carbon running shoes on running economy and performance in triathletes
Supervisors: Andrew Kilding - Finn Clearkin
Time course effects of New Zealand blackcurrant supplementation on fat oxidation in endurance cyclists
Supervisors: Andrew Kilding - Kate Hamilton
The relationship between athlete durability metrics, the peak fat oxidation rate, and endurance performance
Supervisors: Ed Maunder, Andrew Kilding