Category Archives: Physiology

Physiology

ESAFE – Postdoctoral Position in Molecular Plant Physiology job with MOHAMMED VI POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY … – Times Higher Education

Understanding the molecular mechanisms that control the mineral homeostasis/status of plants and their responses to major abiotic constraints.

About UM6P:

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is an institution dedicated to research and innovation in Africa and aims to position itself among world-renowned universities in its fields The University is engaged in economic and human development and puts research and innovation at the forefront of African development. A mechanism that enables it to consolidate Moroccos frontline position in these fields, in a unique partnership-based approach and boosting skills training relevant for the future of Africa. Located in the municipality of Benguerir, in the very heart of the Green City, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University aspires to leave its mark nationally, continentally, and globally.

Job Summary:

The postdoc will conduct research, prepare proposals, write reports and scientific papers to address how plants react and adapt to water, salt, nutrient and metal stresses which alter the acquisition and usage of water and mineral nutrients (potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, micronutrients) and which can affect crop productivity. The candidate will conduct research activities tacklingthe mechanisms that allow plants to perceive abiotic environmental constraints (such as water/ nutrient availability) and therefore modulate their development or their physiology (photosynthesis, root uptake, utilization, and storage of water/nutrients). The candidate will conduct research activities tackling all aspects related to crop production testing and developing solutions and best practices to improve agricultural productivity under marginal and arid conditions.

The candidate should have a PhD in Plant Biology, preferentially with a focus on bio-chemical methods and molecular biology. The ideal candidate should have a strong motivation and passion to science, a fundamental knowledge in plant molecular physiology/ cell biology. The candidate should have extensive laboratory experience with bio-chemical methods and plant molecular physiology/ cell biology. The ability to be independent as well as cooperate in a team, are required.

The application should contain:

See more here:
ESAFE - Postdoctoral Position in Molecular Plant Physiology job with MOHAMMED VI POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY ... - Times Higher Education

Physiology

Why psychology is as important as physiology for plastic surgery – The Times

Most of us have a hard enough time trying to understand how cosmetic surgery works so the question of why people do it can be even more baffling. Aesthetic tweakments are more popular than ever, but many question the necessity of them.

What isnt widely understood is that turning to the needle or knife is often less about vanity and more about identity.

In fact, the man credited with inventing cosmetic surgery did so with psychology in mind. The surgeon Sir Harold Gillies developed his methods of facial reconstruction during the First World War when dealing with soldiers life-changing injuries. He focused not only on repairing the functionality of the face but on the aesthetic details too, believing that the psychological impact of how they would look could be as affecting as the physical injuries. Ida Banek, a trained psychologist and the founder of Ouronyx, an aesthetic clinic in London that focuses on facial procedures, believes that understanding this link is a key component of treating clients.

As part of her consultation process, patients have to have a strong and deep conversation about their personality type, to clarify their objectives, how they see themselves and how they wish to see themselves. The vast majority, she says, have goals that are based on confidence and emotions, rather than looking different or younger.

Turning to aesthetic treatments or surgery can be a way to restore confidence, although the link between the procedure and the emotional result isnt always linear, says the psychotherapist Emma Reed Turrell. Confidence is less about appearance and more about self-consciousness, she says. We know that there is strong correlation between self-consciousness and unhappiness: its not so much about how we look, its how we feel about the way we look. Rather cruelly, though, negative feelings about our looks cant always be attributed only to low self-esteem they can be psychologically hard-wired.

Our brain leads us to see ourselves differently from how we see others, and analyses our own image in high-definition detail, says Rajiv Grover, a consultant plastic surgeon and former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. But our perception of others is similar to that of an impressionist artist [appreciating the form as a whole]. This means we look at ourselves with a more critical eye.

However, out of about 1,000 clients questioned at Ouronyx, 95 per cent in all but one age group said they wanted to look fresher and well rested. It was only among the under-30s that clients wanted to look more striking, feminine or masculine. They want to change their appearance rather than optimise it, Banek says, which is one of the reasons were very cautious with that particular group. Three quarters of those in their twenties have been turned away, she adds; what the clinic doesnt want to promote is a fast-beauty culture, which has the potential to encourage young people [to have] premature and possibly unnecessary cosmetic interventions.

Sadly not all clinics adhere to these principles, and regulation within the industry is weak. Im clearly biased, but I would love everyone to have access to a therapist or psychologist whenever they are making major decisions in life, such as cosmetic surgery, Reed Turrell says. Although, of course, its difficult to draw a line: would a millilitre or two of filler be considered a major life decision? It cant hurt to understand your motivations more clearly, she says, so you can feel grounded and confident, however you choose to move forwards.

Though its now widely accepted that the aesthetics route is one people should be able to take freely and safely, there is often the risk of someone altering their appearance beyond what would be considered natural-looking, or becoming addicted to procedures. Sometimes this is because of body dysmorphia, a diagnosable medical condition that requires treatment outside an aesthetic clinic. In other cases, Banek says, its simply human nature. We tend to forget the past relatively fast and focus on what we see in the mirror in the moment. You forget what the starting point was.

Before-and-after photos can help to remind patients of their journey, as well as to manage their expectations so they dont face disappointment or try something else. Ive worked with people who find themselves disillusioned and sometimes physically and financially damaged by procedures that could never fix the problem, Reed Turrell says, because it wasnt simply one of appearance, it was one of self-worth.

This is why industry leaders including Banek and Grover are passionate about making sure that patients seriously contemplate the risks and consider psychological guidance. In the meantime, Banek says, the best we can do is to ensure regulation becomes stronger. Education around the psychological reasons for and impact of aesthetic decisions, especially for younger people, is paramount.

See original here:
Why psychology is as important as physiology for plastic surgery - The Times

Physiology

Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology (Teaching Level A/B) job with UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA | 372763 – Times Higher Education

About the Role

This position is primarily focussed on the delivery of teaching and associated administrative duties within the Academic Units undergraduate and/or postgraduate program and the facilitation of student learning in a clinical setting. It will work with guidance and direction from other academic staff and undertake duties with increasing autonomy as the staff member gains skills and experience.

The Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology utilises contemporary professional/discipline-related knowledge in their teaching practice and carries out activities to develop scholarly expertise.

About UniSA

TheUniversity of South Australiais Australias University of Enterprise. Our culture of innovation is anchored around global and national links to academic, research and industry partners. Our graduates are the new urban professionals, global citizens at ease with the world and ready to create and respond to change. Our research is inventive and adventurous and we create new knowledge that is central to global economic and social prosperity.

TheUniSA Allied Health and Human Performance AcademicUnit offers a wide range of degrees and conducts research in the fields of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, medical radiation sciences, medical sonography, speech pathology, clinical exercise physiology, exercise and nutrition, health sciences, public health, exercise and sport science, and human movement.

Our degrees meet the evolving needs of the health industry, with our graduates actively contributing to the future health workforce in areas such as medical imaging, rehabilitation and wellness, disability, health promotion, chronic disease, pain management, wellbeing and high-performance sport.

In addition to industry-linked careers, UniSA Allied Health and Human Performance research strengths continue to influence and positively contribute to the health industry and broader community. Our main areas of research include pain sciences, evidence translation, rehabilitation, high performance in sport, nutrition, genetic epidemiology and cancer. UniSA Allied Health and Human Performance is also home to UniSA research concentration: Innovation, Implementation & Clinical Translation in Health (iIMPACT) which focusing particularly on persistent pain and breathlessness, rural health and stroke recovery and UniSA research centre Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), which investigates the role of exercise, nutrition and other lifestyle activities in improving clinical and health outcomes.

Core Responsibilities

Essential Skills and Experience

Benefits

Getting a great job working with the best is just the start. UniSA rewards its staff with a wide variety of benefits such as:

Culture

As a University of Enterprise, we offer a dynamic and agile workplace culture, one that embraces challenges and thrives on breaking new ground. Our staff are creative and innovative thinkers, communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. We embrace diversity and inclusion in a vibrant, engaging environment. Our people are authentic, resilient, and influential, and we deliver results.

Start Your Unstoppable Career!

For a copy of the position description and to apply, please visitWorking at UniSA. The online application form will list the specific selection criteria that you need to address.

Please address your cover letter toEmma Kelvin, Consultant: Recruitment Central. For further information about the position or the recruitment process, please contact UniSA Recruitment Central on +61 8 8302 1700 or via email atrecruitment@unisa.edu.auusing job reference number6102.

Applications close: 11:30 pm Wednesday 29 May 2024

Applications welcomed from Australian or NZ citizens, Australian permanent residents and those who have the legal right to work in Australia for the term of appointment.

Pursuant to the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016 (the Act) and the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations), this position has been deemed prescribed. This role will require the successful candidate to hold a current Working with Children Check.

CLICK HERE to access a copy of the Position DescriptionOpens in new window

How to apply:

Applications must be lodged online, please note UniSA does not accept applications via email.

UniSA is committed to developing a diverse workforce and a constructive enterprising culture in which everyone can thrive.

By choosing to continue, you agree to the privacy policy.Show Privacy Policy

See the article here:
Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology (Teaching Level A/B) job with UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA | 372763 - Times Higher Education

Physiology

Andrew Nuss: Insect physiology lab – University of Nevada, Reno

Title

Insect physiology lab

Andrew B. Nuss

Agriculture, Veterinary and Rangeland Sciences

I am an associate professor of entomology and I have studied many different insects and other arthropods throughout my career. My current research interests are focused on the physiology of neurohormonal signaling in insects of agricultural, medical and veterinary importance. I am particularly interested in peptide hormones and their role in insect behavior, digestion, and nutrient storage. I primarily focus on physiological functions of peptide hormones, yet an applied aspect of this work includes insecticide discovery by targeting peptide receptors. Among many side projects, I am also interested in mosquito olfaction and how we might interfere with host seeking to disrupt pathogen transmission.

This project focuses on Lygus hesperus, the western tarnished plant bug, to explore the role of insulin-like-peptide (ILP) signaling in carbohydrate storage in the fat body, determine the roles of ILP signaling in reproduction, and reveal the dynamics of ILPs in regulating diapause. Students who join this project will get hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques as well as an introduction to the internal workings of insects.

See the original post:
Andrew Nuss: Insect physiology lab - University of Nevada, Reno

Physiology

Study details five cutting-edge advances in biomedical engineering and their applications in medicine – EurekAlert

image:

Shankar Subramaniam is the lead author of the taskforce, distinguished professor in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at the University of California San Diego.

Credit: University of California San Diego

Bridging precision engineering and precision medicine to create personalized physiology avatars. Pursuing on-demand tissue and organ engineering for human health. Revolutionizing neuroscience by using AI to engineer advanced brain interface systems. Engineering the immune system for health and wellness. Designing and engineering genomes for organism repurposing and genomic perturbations.

These are the five research areas where the field of biomedical engineering has the potential to achieve tremendous impact on the field of medicine, according to Grand Challenges at the Interface of Engineering and Medicine, a study published by a 50-person task force published in the latest issue of IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology. The paper is backed by the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

These grand challenges offer unique opportunities that can transform the practice of engineering and medicine, said Shankar Subramaniam, lead author of the taskforce, distinguished professor in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at the University of California San Diego. Innovations in the form of multi-scale sensors and devices, creation of humanoid avatars and the development of exceptionally realistic predictive models driven by AI can radically change our lifestyles and response to pathologies. Institutions can revolutionize education in biomedical and engineering, training the greatest minds to engage in the most important problem of all times human health.

In addition to Subramaniam, the following faculty from the UC San Diego Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering were part of the task force: Stephanie Fraley, associate professor, Prashant Mali, professor, Berhard Palsson, Y.C. Fung Endowed Professor in Bioengineering and professor of pediatrics, and Kun Zhang, professor and a former department chair.

The study provides a roadmap to pursue transformative research work that, over the next decade, is expected to transform the practice of medicine. The advances would impact a wide range of conditions and diseases, from cancer, to diabetes, to transplants, to prosthetics.

The Five Grand Challenges Facing Biomedical Engineering

In an increasingly digital age, we have technologies that gather immense amounts of data on patients, which clinicians can add to or pull from. Making use of this data to develop accurate models of physiology, called avatars which take into account multimodal measurements and comorbidities, concomitant medications, potential risks and costs can bridge individual patient data to hyper-personalized care, diagnosis, risk prediction, and treatment. Advanced technologies, such as wearable sensors and digital twins, can provide the basis of a solution to this challenge.

Tissue engineering is entering a pivotal period in which developing tissues and organs on demand, either as permanent or temporary implants, is becoming a reality. To shepherd the growth of this modality, key advancements in stem cell engineering and manufacturing along with ancillary technologies such as gene editing are required. Other forms of stem cell tools, such as organ-on-a-chip technology, can soon be built using a patients own cells and can make personalized predictions and serve as avatars.

Using AI, we have the opportunity to analyze the various states of the brain through everyday situations and real-world functioning to noninvasively pinpoint pathological brain function. Creating technology that does this is a monumental task, but one that is increasingly possible. Brain prosthetics, which supplement, replace or augment functions, can relieve the disease burden caused neurological conditions. Additionally, AI modeling of brain anatomy, physiology, and behavior, along with the synthesis of neural organoids, can unravel the complexities of the brain and bring us closer to understanding and treating these diseases.

With a heightened understanding of the fundamental science governing the immune system, we can strategically make use of the immune system to redesign human cells as therapeutic and medically invaluable technologies. The application of immunotherapy in cancer treatment provides evidence of the integration of engineering principles with innovations in vaccines, genome, epigenome and protein engineering, along with advancements in nanomedicine technology, functional genomics and synthetic transcriptional control.

Despite the rapid advances in genomics in the past few decades, there are obstacles remaining in our ability to engineer genomic DNA. Understanding the design principles of the human genome and its activity can help us create solutions to many different diseases that involve engineering new functionality into human cells, effectively leveraging the epigenome and transcriptome, and building new cell-based therapeutics. Beyond that, there are still major hurdles in gene delivery methods for in vivo gene engineering, in which we see biomedical engineering being a component to the solution to this problem.

We are living in unprecedented times where the collision of engineering and medicine is creating entirely novel strategies for human health. The outcome of our task force, with the emergence of the major research and training opportunities is likely to reverberate in both worlds--engineering and medicine--for decades to come said Michael Miller, Professor and Director of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, who served as a senior author on the manuscript.

IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology

Meta-analysis

Not applicable

Grand Challenges at the Interface of Engineering and Medicine

23-Feb-2024

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Visit link:
Study details five cutting-edge advances in biomedical engineering and their applications in medicine - EurekAlert

Physiology

Contextualizing Cellular Physiology – 2024 – NIDDK – National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

The page you are looking for cannot be found. If you typed in the URL directly, please verify that you've entered it correctly. Try using the search box below, returning to the home page, or viewing the site map. If the problem continues, please contact us.

Go here to read the rest:
Contextualizing Cellular Physiology - 2024 - NIDDK - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Physiology

Salk Institute mourns the loss of Nobel Laureate Roger Guillemin, distinguished professor emeritus – Salk Institute

February 23, 2024

Considered the father of neuroendocrinology, Guillemin died February 21 at age of 100

LA JOLLASalk Distinguished Professor Emeritus Roger Guillemin, recipient of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and neuroendocrinology pioneer, died on February 21, 2024, in Del Mar, California at the age of 100.

We are incredibly saddened to learn of Rogers passing, says Salk President Gerald Joyce. He leaves a remarkable legacy at Salk and around the world. His brilliance, commitment, and passion for discovery brought forth some of the last centurys most significant advances in our knowledge of the human brain. He was a cherished colleague and mentor to many. I personally mourn his loss and know I speak for the entire Salk community when I say our world is less bright without him in it.

Guillemin joined Salk in 1970 to head the newly established Laboratories for Neuroendocrinology. He and his group discovered somatostatin, which regulates the activities of the pituitary gland and the pancreas. Somatostatin is used clinically to treat pituitary tumors. He was among the first people to isolate endorphins, brain molecules that act as natural opiates, and his work with cellular growth factors (FGFs) led to the recognition of multiple physiological functions and developmental mechanisms.

Guillemin played a key role in discovering the brains role in regulating hormones, substances that act as chemical messengers between different parts of the body and regulate bodily functions. While scientists had long believed that the brain ultimately controlled the function of hormone-producing endocrine glands, there had been scant evidence to prove exactly how it did so.

After meticulous study of materials harvested from 1.5 million sheep brains, Guillemin and his team made a breakthrough. They discovered releasing hormones, produced in small quantities in the hypothalamus of the brain. These are delivered to the adjacent pituitary gland, which in turn is triggered to release its own hormones that are dispersed through the body. Guillemin and Andrew Schally separately extracted a sufficient amount of one releasing hormone to determine its structure in 1969. They subsequently were able to produce it with chemical methods.

Their work would lead them to the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, shared also with Rosalyn Yalow for a separate but related discovery, for discoveries concerning the peptide hormone production of the brain.

This breakthrough resulted in the identification of a molecule called TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone), which ultimately controls all the functions of the thyroid gland. In the following years, he and his colleagues isolated other molecules from the hypothalamus that control all functions of the pituitary glandfor instance, GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone), a hypothalamic hormone that causes the pituitary to release gonadotropins, which in turn trigger the release of hormones from the testicles or ovaries. This discovery led to advancements in the medical treatment of infertility and is also used to treat prostate cancer.

Guillemin was born in Dijon, the capital of Frances Burgundy region, on January 11, 1924. He entered medical school at the Universit de Bourgogne in 1943, receiving his MD from the Facult de Mdecine in Lyon (then under the same academic administration as his university in Dijon) in 1949. Although he enjoyed learning about medicine and would practice it for several years before committing to research full-time, much of Guillemins youth and college experience was wrought with challengesnot the least of which was the German occupation of France. Dark years of no fun these were, he wrote.

Earning his Doctor in Medicine required the composition and defense of a dissertation, something that Guillemin looked forward to doing. I had always been interested in endocrinology, said Guillemin. [An MD thesis] was usually pro forma. I decided, however, to write a dissertation that I would enjoy, hopefully on some work I could perform in a laboratory. A challenge to his desire to conduct research was a dearth of lab access. There was no laboratory facility of any sort in Dijon, except for gross anatomy.

In a fortuitous turn of events, Hans Selye was lecturing in Paris. Selye was a fellow pioneer of endocrinology, and an eager Guillemin made the journey to hear him speak. A few months later, Guillemin said, I was in Selyes newly created Institute of Experimental Medicine and Surgery at the Universit de Montral. Guillemin would go on to earn his PhD in physiology, with a special focus on experimental endocrinology, from the university in 1953.

Shortly after completing his PhD, Guillemin became an assistant professor of physiology at the University of Baylor College of Medicine. Once there, he began to pursue the identity of the chemical mediators of hypothalamic origin, which were primary suspects for controlling pituitary function in the brain.

Guillemin was a mentor to many future leaders in endocrinology and medical research while at Baylor, including Catherine and Jean Rivier and Wylie Vale, who would all follow Guillemin to Salk in 1970 and themselves become professors there.

In addition to the 1977 Nobel Prize, Guillemin was the recipient of numerous accolades for his work. These included the Gairdner International Award, the Dickson Prize, the Passano Award, the Lasker Award, and the Presidents National Medal of Science, presented to him by then-President Jimmy Carter. He was also an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences (1974) and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1976). Guillemins native France recognized his contributions to science and health by naming him a Commander in the Legion of Honour, the countrys highest order of merit. He served as the Salk Institutess interim president from October 2007 to February 2009.

For all of his accomplishments, Guillemin was always quick to point out the contributions of the many people who worked alongside him. I have had the extraordinary privilege to work with wonderful collaborators, some so much more knowledgeable in their own field than I was (or still am), all full of enthusiasm and sharing the common ethics of science, he wrote as he reflected on achieving the Nobel Prize.

When asked in a September 2017 interview with the La Jolla Light what his philosophy in life was, Guillemin responded, Help people. I really wanted to be a physician [and] I knew all my efforts would be to help people.

Up until his last few years of life, Guillemin was an active member of the La Jolla, California community and was an avid collector of French and American paintings and sculptures, as well as Papuan and pre-Columbian pottery.

Guillemin is survived by his five daughters, one son, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Lucienne, a talented musician, who died at the age of 100 in 2021, after the couple was married for 69 years. Guillemin died on her birthday.

Read the rest here:
Salk Institute mourns the loss of Nobel Laureate Roger Guillemin, distinguished professor emeritus - Salk Institute

Physiology

Bacterial architects build the biofilm structures – Nature.com

Bacterial biofilms are multicellular structures that are encased in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances and that have been linked to chronic infections in clinical settings. Previous studies have suggested that the distinct anatomy of biofilms affects the access for individual cells to resources, which in turn influences metabolic activity and survival within biofilms. In addition, the biofilm anatomy has been linked to antimicrobial susceptibility. However, how cells are arranged within biofilm structures, the genetic determinants of this arrangement and physiological importance of such patterns have not been well understood. In this study, Dietrich, Dayton and colleagues report that Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells form striations that are packed lengthwise across the biofilm and that this physical arrangement affects substrate uptake and distribution across the biofilm, as well as susceptibility to antimicrobial treatment.

Next, the authors carried out experiments to uncover the genetic determinants of the cellular arrangements within a biofilm at the microscale. To this end, they screened mutants that lacked crucial regulators of biofilm formation and physiology. Microscopy images of mixed biofilms of each mutant revealed that the vast majority of the mutants exhibited the striated cellular arrangement phenotype similar to that of the wild type. However, the analysis also showed that some biofilms had alterations to this lengthwise packing phenotype, and the authors found three additional phenotypes bundled, disordered and clustered. Specifically, cells defective in the production and function of the type IV pilus formed bundled biofilms, which suggests that an extendable and retractable pilus is required for the formation of the striations seen for wild-type biofilms. Moreover, cells lacking certain global gene expression regulators or cells with defects in O-antigen biosynthesis gave rise to the disordered phenotype. Finally, mutant cells that produced lipopolysaccharide without the O-antigen attached produced the clustered phenotype.

Read the original post:
Bacterial architects build the biofilm structures - Nature.com

Physiology

I’m a professor of physiology – here are 15 ways cyclists can avoid winter illness – CyclingWeekly

There are certain nagging questions in cycling that have a tendency to generate conflicting opinions and a confusing array of different views. In this ASK THE EXPERT series from Cycling Weeklys print edition, we seek to clear up confusion by seeking out the experts best qualified to provide, if not the final word, then at least authoritative advice supported by verified expertise.

Neil Walsh, a professor of physiology at Liverpool John Moores University, has been researching strategies to avoid immune suppression and infection among athletes for the past two decades. In this feature he answers our questions about immune health, how to avoid illness and how to stay healthy.

Firstly, what do we mean by immune health?

We would typically talk about resistance to infections how likely you are to pick up common colds and flu. What underpins this is immune defence, the barriers your body puts up, from your skin, to antibodies in your saliva and tears, which provide the first line of defence. The second line of defence are immune cells; and the third line of defence is the acquired immune system, which produces antibodies, responding to infectious organisms youve contracted before.

Does training hard compromise your immune system?

Interestingly, if youd asked me that question 10 years ago, Id have given you a different answer. We used to think that heavy exercise zapped the immune system and that the few hours after exercise were an open window for infections to get a foothold. But in the last 10 years, weve come around to the thinking that endurance athletes generally have very good immune systems. They have three common colds a year on average, which is very normal, and there is scant evidence that they are ever clinically immune-suppressed.

Is it OK to train with a cold?

Cyclists should employ common sense around this question. I still recommend the neck check: if you get up in the morning and have below-the-neck symptoms fatigue, inflammation, soreness, cough, etc you should not exercise until you feel better. There is good evidence that if you exercise with systemic symptoms below the neck, you are liable to protract the infection and make it worse.

1. Try to avoid sick people, e.g. crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.

2. Ensure good hand hygiene and get vaccinated.

3. Avoid self-inoculation try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth.

4. Do not train or compete with below-the-neck symptoms.

5. Monitor and manage both physical and psychosocial stresses.

6. Carefully calibrate training stress by increasing it in increments.

7. Avoid very long rides in favour of higher intensity.

8. Plan recovery or adaptation week every second or third week.

9. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep each night.

10. Eat a well-balanced diet and be sure to avoid chronic low energy availability.

11. Match energy intake to expenditure; avoid crash dieting.

12. Ensure adequate protein intake (1.21.6g/kg body mass/day).

13. Take 1,000IU/day vitamin D3 from autumn to spring.

14. At the onset of a cold, take zinc acetate lozenges (75mg/day).

15 Consider taking a daily probiotic.

Source: Recommendations to maintain immune health in Athletes by Neil P. Walsh, European Journal of Sport Science

If exercise doesnt suppress the immune system, what does?

We know now that the things that make athletes more susceptible to infection are largely the same as in non-athletes. These include psychological stress, high levels of anxiety, poor sleep, poor hygiene, and long-haul travel. Autumn is the peak period for colds, while January is peak flu season. Riders need to think about their lifestyle in a holistic way, limiting their exposure to pathogens.

What practical steps can riders take to avoid illness?

Stop touching your nose, your eyes and your mouth something Ive said to the best cycling teams in the world. Get the basics right: good hygiene, not training when youre sick, and not returning to training until youve been free of symptoms for a day or two.

Hygiene includes regularly disinfecting bidons, right?

Yes, thats a really good point. Bottle hygiene is well worth considering. A poorly cleaned bottle is a really great place to grow pathogens! Wash them thoroughly after every use, and soak in a weak disinfectant solution such as Milton sterilising fluid from time to time.

Does exercise help maintain the immune system?

Yes, when you exercise regularly, you create an anti-inflammatory environment. Of course, sometimes you need inflammation for example, a runny nose or cough are signs of the immune system doing its job but you need a balance between the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory sides of the immune system. Cyclists tend to have less body fat, and thats good news because some of the immune cells in fat produce inflammatory cytokines. Individuals with excess fat are more pro-inflammatory, which is implicated in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc. Having better fitness and less fat means less inflammation.

Is eating too little or being too thin also a risk to immune health?

This is an extremely complicated area, with a really weird paradox. Patients with anorexia nervosa seem to be protected from infections until they get to the advanced stages of the condition as though the immune system is protected. Its an area that requires more research, but it is not clear-cut that limiting caloric intake harms the immune system in the short term.

What are the key nutritional considerations? Should we be taking any supplements?

The key thing is to ensure youre eating enough protein. This isnt usually an issue provided youre eating a mixed, balanced diet. In the winter, when we cant produce enough vitamin D from sunlight, taking a supplement is strongly advised. At the first sign of a common cold, zinc lozenges seem to shorten the period of symptoms, as well as their severity. Dont take zinc longer-term, though, unless you have a deficiency. There is some evidence that daily probiotics can have an immune benefit, while echinacea can be effective in people with weakened immune systems.

What have we learnt from Covid, in terms of social distancing and mask wearing?

Its difficult knowing where to draw the line. Avoiding being around sick people helps to reduce transmission. Hand-washing, not touching your face again, these basics are definitely worthwhile. We know that athletes are vulnerable to picking up illnesses during long-haul travel, which is mostly down to exposure. Masks seem to be more effective at preventing you from passing on a virus, rather than the other way around.

The full version of this article was published in the 18th January 2024 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine. Subscribe online and get the magazine delivered to your door every week.

Continued here:
I'm a professor of physiology - here are 15 ways cyclists can avoid winter illness - CyclingWeekly