BASES Special Interest Group
The BASES special interest group in Molecular Exercise Physiology (MEP) was launched at the BASES Annual Conference at Liverpool 2004. Molecular Exercise Physiology is a shortened version of "Molecular and Cellular Exercise Physiology" that was used by Booth (1988). A possible, admittedly narrow definition of the field is:
Molecular exercise physiology is the study of signal transduction and genetics in relation to exercise. Molecular exercise physiologists aim to characterise the mechanisms that are responsible for the adaptation of cells and organs to exercise and to identify the genetic determinants of human performance on a molecular level.
MEP is now a major field in sport and exercise science with several articles making top flight journals such as Nature or Cell. Other findings, for example the myostatin-mutation "super toddler" or the PPAR?-transgenic "Marathon mice", make the big news. Many sport and exercise researchers are interested in this research but the techniques and jargon used in MEP are large barriers that are hard to overcome.
To view 'Why BASES should promote teaching and research in molecular exercise physiology', click here
Aims
The broad aim of the MEP special interest group is to promote MEP teaching and research among BASES members. During the inaugural meeting at Liverpool, we agreed on the following specific aims for the MEP special interest group:
· To promote teaching in MEP and staff development by offering online presentations and other learning materials partially via a MEP special interest group website and during specific BASES MEP teaching workshops.
· To increase research in MEP by BASES members by facilitating collaboration, advising on laboratory development strategies and by running BASES MEP research (technique) workshops.
· To update MEP SIG members via a bi-monthly e-mail newsletter.
BASES Position Stand on 'Genetic Testing in Sport and Exercise Science'
Genetic tests can potentially be used to identify athletes that are at risk of sudden cardiac death or to screen embryos for genetic variations that predict the physical performance of the athlete. Because of the implications of genetic research and technologies in sport and exercise science, the BASES Molecular Exercise Physiology Interest Group within BASES developed a position stand on this topic during 2006-7 and launched the position stand at the BASES Annual Conference in 2007. The working group consisted of Prof Roger Harris, Prof Andy Miah, Prof Hugh Montgomery, Dr Alun Williams and Dr Henning Wackerhage.
Click here for BASES Position Stand on Genetic Testing in Sport and Exercise Science
At the time of writing, further discussion of the issues raised by the position stand is due to appear in the Journal of Sports Sciences, probably late in 2009.
Contacts
If you are interested in brushing up your knowledge in this area, wish to start to teach some MEP or carry out research in this field or if you are already a researcher in MEP then please become a member of the MEP special interest group. Please contact Dr Alun Williams, Manchester Metropolitan University (Convenor) or Dr Henning Wackerhage, University of Aberdeen (Vice-Convenor)
Or E-mails: a.g.williams@mmu.ac.uk h.wackerhage@abdn.ac.uk