Introduction to molecular exercise physiology

Abstract

In this chapter, we define molecular exercise physiology and provide a history of the evolution of molecular exercise physiology as a scientific discipline. We describe how the origins of molecular exercise physiology emerged from early pioneering research undertaken by exercise biochemists and rapid advances in molecular biology techniques. The chapter includes a narrative from Professor Frank Booth, who was one of the first researchers to apply molecular biology techniques to exercise physiology, as well as a narrative from exercise genomics pioneer, Professor Claude Bouchard. In this chapter, we also outline the importance of various experimental models that have enabled important discoveries in human molecular exercise physiology. We also highlight some of the landmark research contributing to this discipline. Finally, we discuss the advancement in integrative ‘OMICs’ and how this type of ‘discovery’ analyses, coupled with experimental models to confirm these discoveries, is likely to advance molecular exercise physiology as a field into the future. Finally, we provide a fundamental overview of the chapter structure for the rest of the book.